Astro Pneumatic Tool1822 ONYX 1/2" Nano Impact Wrench v2 - 500ft/lb

I've stopped using an air ratchet completely, and this replaces many of my regular ratchet jobs (for loosening, mostly). This thing is amazingly small, and I think probably makes as much or slightly more power than advertised - when properly oiled. I thought Astro Pneumatic was one of those cheap-o generic names, but no way; this is *awesome*, especially for the price. And it's amazingly small. I bought it specifically to use with some bolt extractors on a rusty exhaust manifold in a tight space, but I've found that the light weight and small size makes it useful for lots of things. I picked up some impact wobble extensions from Harbor Freight (even HF can't screw up an extension) as well as several sets of the Astro low-profile sockets and the Gear Wrench x-drive pinless universal joint, and this thing is getting used everywhere.I specifically like the lever-style torque settings on the back; they make a real difference, unlike some impact guns where they should have one useful setting and several labeled as useless. I run on lug nuts with the thing set on 2 (out of 3) to keep the speed down a bit, and after just a couple of hammers, they end up just snug enough (60-ish ft-lbs) that I can set the car down and use a torque wrench the rest of the way. The light weight is great; I have a magnesium Snap-On 1/2" drive impact, and while it'll either remove or break off anything I'm gonna encounter on regular automobiles, it does get a bit heavy when you're upside-down twisted around a driveshaft with dirt falling in your face. This thing, in combination with a Flexilla high-flow swivel coupler (you *need* high-flow fittings for an impact gun, and that swivel is easily the best-flowing one anyone makes) can get into a tight space and not make you feel like your arm is going to fall off. I replaced an alternator bracket oil gasket on my BMW N62 recently (which is about a 12 hour job), and used this for pretty much the whole job. It saved a ton of time and effort compared to trying to use ratchets, snaked around all the stuff jam-packed into an E60 engine compartment.As some others have mentioned, it's a tad loud, I guess, but the big Snap-On is far louder. Really, I consider this gun average for an impact gun. The noise is not as annoying as my air ratchet, which, as mentioned, I no longer use.It's also really well made. The picture makes it look like maybe plastic, but it's a textured finish on a metal case. The trigger feels good, the balance is good, the "shiny part" looks sort of like nickel or black chrome and is well machined, and overall you can tell that it's well-made by people who give a damn about their product. I've banged it around a little in the weeks I've been using it, and while there are a couple of little scratches, it's held up well. I've also sold a few friends on this thing, because I can't stop talking about how much I like it. :D I would've been happy if I'd paid $250 for the thing; the fact that it typically has a 2-digit price is just amazing to me.Buy one. You won't be sorry.

I got burned before with a cornwell stubby air impact. The thing was gutless and therefore absolutely useless. This astro gun is much smaller than the cornwell and packs some serious punch. It rivals my matco 3/8 gun that is twice the size. Believe the reviews, this thing for it's price is unbeatable.

This is my new favorite tool.On first impression, the impact wrench is tiny. You hold it and wonder why anyone thought that a 1/2" drive would work - or be necessary on something so small.The tool was minimally packaged. The box is similarly tiny. The instructions are minimalistic. But then if you are purchasing this tool you probably already know how pneumatic tools work and this one is no different.There was no airline coupler included but then what they might have included might not have worked with the equipment you might already have. Probably better to save the 0.50 cents it'd cost them to include it so that you can supply your own preferred coupling. You'll want to find high flow fittings as the smaller wrenches tend to use more air than comparable but physically larger wrenches. And being a pneumatic device, it's performance is directly dependant on the suitability of your air supply.It also comes with no oil so again, up to you to supply it.The most important thing to note about this impact wrench is the shape of it. Most of the wrenches that call themselves compact only measure the distance along the axis of the drive. That's a fine consistent way to measure but it ignores the fact that usually you're trying to get the wrench into a space between two parallel surfaces and many of the wrenches have a handle that is at a pretty significant angle to the drive portion of the wrench. That makes the wrench take significantly more space if you're going to get square onto the fastener. This one's handle is virtually square. Similarly, the connection of the air coupling to the wrench comes square out of the handle so you don't have the air hose and coupling adding to the effective size of the wrench.The wrench is light too - not too light though - doesn't feel "plastic-ie" but certainly you could use this wrench at arms length or at an awkward angle for a fair period of time without fatigue.The wrench was purchased to help with removing the water pump on a 97 ford explorer. If you don't remove the radiator you have about 6.5" of space to work with between the heads of the fasteners and the coils of the radiator. Add to that the issue that Ford uses studs with about 1.5" of threads exposed for the wiring harness clips which necessitated using a deep socket. And the bolts are 6-8 inches long and for most of their length are exposed to coolant in an environment with both aluminum and iron. This wrench and a deep 1/2 inch socket fit without issue.I had been using a breaker bar to attempt to loosen the bolts and as is typical had success with all but one. And none of my other impact tools would fit. Figuring the cost between removing the radiator so that a larger impact wrench could be used or ordering a new tool, it was a simple decision.So, I put the 1/2" deep socket on this air wrench and gently maneuvered it onto the bolt and pulled the trigger. 20 seconds later and the bolt was backing the wrench into the radiator.Anticlimactic but the Nano Impact Wrench did what I could not with good hand tools. And it did it without fuss or complication.

Very strong impact, and not just "strong for it's size." Speaking of size, it is half the length of on my other air impact and even smaller than my Bosch battery unit that is rather weak. The rear controls are solid and simple. Added some nano sockets for the perfect tight space solution.