1 of 6
Budd Stanley
Ingersoll Rand ½-in 90-degree cordless impact
2 of 6
Budd Stanley
Ingersoll Rand ½-in 90-degree cordless impact
Although we do not particularly like hog ring drives, they are stronger and work with all socket types for retaining them when you need it.
3 of 6
Budd Stanley
Ingersoll Rand ½-in 90-degree cordless impact
As you can see, the head of our 180 ft-lb impact is only 15mm larger then the 40 ft-lb red headed ratchet cousin... and weighs about the same.
4 of 6
Budd Stanley
Ingersoll Rand ½-in 90-degree cordless impact
Batteries available in 2.5 and 5 Ah.
5 of 6
Budd Stanley
Ingersoll Rand ½-in 90-degree cordless impact
Don't confuse an air ratchet to an air impact... this is a David vs. Goliath battle that leaves David in the fetal position.
6 of 6
Budd Stanley
Ingersoll Rand ½-in 90-degree cordless impact
Steel gears and quality bearings make this IR Impact made to last.
Story & photos by Budd Stanley
A 90° Done Right - Ingersoll Rand ½-in 90-degree cordless brings power tools to the trail
We hinted a few issues back that we had picked up an IR (Ingersoll Rand) W5350 90-degree cordless ½-in impact. Since that time, we have installed everything from running boards on our Low Down Dirty Dodge project to swapping the drivetrain out of Stinky Jeep. We even got some jobs done around the house, not “washing floors” or “folding laundry” but things to mark off the “honey do” list all the same.
We associate IR with pneumatic compressors, air tools and bobcat skid steer tractors, so the thought of them stepping into battery powered world initially threw up a red flag and a murmured “What the…?” It was like watching Editor Mack get his hands dirty; surely it would take a few battery and control revisions to sink their teeth into this market. You know what we mean, if you have seen some of the other power tools on the market that come from other large corporations with no business waltzing into the tool market. “Junk” would be complementary, but IR blew open the gate with their IQ20 20-volt Lithium Ion batteries and great feeling impact guns capable to standing up to daily work abuse.
Five years ago, had anyone told us that they had a cordless impact that had the torque of a comparable air unit and lasts more then a few bolts, we would have laughed. Battery technologies have made some amazing advances in that time; so much so that the bulk of the mass associated with these new tools is no longer concentrated at the battery.
The main reason for scoring a 90-degree impact is accessibility. With tighter engine bays, playing “Where’s Waldo” with fasteners consumes a lot more time then it used to. The battery is placed in line with the unit so it is not acting like a stop-reach that we run into with other units out there. And with only 2.2-in of headspace required to get into tight places and the long reach of the tool head, your hands may actually have enough time to heal instead of blindly fumbling for fasteners.
Let us clear any possible confusion; this is no “air ratchet” on steroids, this is a true impact with steel hammers inside a metal lined, cast aluminum housing capable of 180 ft-lb. That’s in forward, or reverse, and a variable speed trigger too. When we normally see stats on torque output, they all seem to be phony numbers pulled from a hat with no data to back them up, or earthly physics for that matter. We can honestly say that 180 ft-lb feels about right and have had no problem pulling rusty lug nuts off of trucks in our time with the W5350.
The complete kit we ordered includes a blow-moulded case with an intelligent charger designed to optimize battery performance and longevity. Our only gripe is the inclusion of only one 2.5 Ah battery with this kit. With how long the battery lasts in operation, it will be just fine for many, but we like having a backup, especially because we like to bring a power tool on the trail for fixing our own… and others junk.
IR took their coveted 90° ½-in drive air impact and adapted the design to an electric motor and lithium ion power source to power its way through rusty bolts in tight confines. We no longer laugh at the guy packing a cordless tool on the trail to make quick work of repairs; we are “that guy” now. At home we now have to think twice about whether we want to pack an airline around behind us, or just bring the W5350. Time and time again, the Ingersoll Rand cordless comes with us.
Ingersoll Rand - www.ingersollrandproducts.com