My best air impact (I've got four) is an Ingersoll Rand titanium 2135. Cost me about $350. Has up to 780 ft lbs.
I bought it specifically for breaking loose something that my IR 231 (a classic, and my recommendation as a first air tool) couldn't loosen.
I've also got a compact Air Cat, 3/8". Fits anywhere. Goes to 400 ft lbs.
I don't know how I lived without air tools. If you go the air tool route, get some decent impact sockets, both deep and regular (there are places where you need one or the other) and some impact extensions. You're going to break a regular socket with those tools. Even an air ratchet needs impact sockets.
Always, always, always wear eye protection. Stuff breaks under impact and sometimes bits of metal flying under tremendous force. At my age, I have safety glasses with a 2.0 reader insert. So helpful.
That said, I wouldn't just use an impact on your 13mm bolt. You'll break it off if you hammer it. Then, you've got the bolt fragment stuck in the housing. At which point, you'll probably just have to replace the whole Haldex...
Heat, penetrating oil, shock cooling, a bit of impact. Then repeat.
Once it loosens, stop, tighten it a bit, loosen again. More oil. More heat.
Good luck.
If you do Tie Rod ends, get an inner tie rod end tool. It basically clamps onto the inner Tie Rod like a pipe wrench. Then you use a socket extension and long handle. The threaded fitting of the inner Rod is right next to the rack, where a pipe wrench won't fit very well
You could use a pipe wrench, I think, if you turn the steering completely, but you're going to put a ton of torque on the rack, so I prefer to have the rack closer to the middle, so it's better supported.
Last edited by Astro14; 10-15-2018 at 05:32 PM.
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2005 MB S600 (126K, Michelin AS4, HPL 0W40)
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