So I just spent the last six hours replacing a soft top for the first time while also installing the Teraflex hd hinged carrier and tire carrier combo. This was all done by hand. First time really getting into automotive things so I don't really have an extensive tool kit and I've never used an impact wrench before. I noticed with the tire carrier, when it came to bolting down the after market hinges it said it need 19lb of torgue and the tire carrier needed 15lbs. So do impact wrenches have different settings for that or does it just not matter because you're using an impact wrench?

 

Good group here, a lot of experience and you should get many opinions and advise... NOW to your question... IMPACT Wrenches do not have a measure for Torque..Any application of Torque developed will be by the hand holding the wrench and releasing the trigger early.
One should use a Torque Wrench (it is manual). There are many GOOD battery impacts on the market and they can put out some big Torque #s. ..You will need to decide what drive (3/8 - 1/2 - 1/4). You don't need the full professional mechanic units = big costs. When you decide on the drive.. then do a search for Reviews on battery impact wrenches.. On a personal note I use a Milwaukee 3/8" drive for several years now & it is super and can remove lug nuts that were torqued to 95 lb.ft. AND 2 Torque Wrenches both 1/2" drive. Hope this helps.

 

I think there is a very expensive battery powered Milwaukee impact that allows you to set the torque through an app on the phone. But yeah, just a regular old hand torque wrench at harbor freight would work to torque them correctly.

 

You probably could have used an air ratchet for repeatability of doing up bolts but like the others have said we recommend a hand torque wrench for final setting.

 

Personally I would not use in impact for anything like that, removing bolts and taking things off is ok, lug nuts goi g back on to run them in, then hand torque, but that’s just me, as far as impact, get the best you feel like paying for if you’re going to use it for work or use often, a good air ratchet would do better for what you are talking about, but even when I was working on cars for a living, I didn’t use them much, wrenches, hand ratchets and torque wrenches were my main go to.
back then if you broke something going back together it was on you, now a days if a tech breaks something going back together they charge the customer, I’m glad to be out of that business

 

Saying that, I have an old MAC AW434 that when new would break wheel studs when the lug nut hit bottom, even without holding the trigger after it bottomed out

 

Gotta agree with Dat. Years ago I had a very experienced mechanic tell me, when I asked why he wasn't using an impact wrench to get some exhaust nuts off, say "if I can't get it off with a breaker bar, it ain't coming off". I use and always carry an 18" 1/2 inch breaker bar and sockets and that's what I use for the big nuts, including lug nuts. Then (as was pointed out), you snug with a torque wrench.
I had a bad experience recently with America's Tire (probably) using impact wrenches to install the lug nuts on 2 different sets of tires, and half of the nuts were way over-tightened. If I didn't have the breaker bar and had experienced a flat tire on the road, there is no way I could have gotten the wheel off.

 

Yeah I think I was mixing up torgue wrenches and impact wrenches. I'll be going to home depot tomorrow to look at what kind of torgue wrenches they have. Seems I don't need much more than 40lbs of torgue total, specs on the teraflex tire carrier call for 38lbs on the tire carrier and the tailgate hinges call for 15 and 19lbs. Thank you all for the advice. Been posting a lot about this and the softtop that I just replaced as well and it's been quite a learning curve. Especially for someone brand new to jeeps and just automotive stuff in general outside of replacing a flat tire and blown fuses lol.

 

You may want to check out harbor freight for the torque wrench. They stepped up their game and have some decent stuff at low prices.

 

I'll never buy a Husky tool again in my life. Lowes Kobalt brand is nice and I've been happy with their torque wrenches. I've only used an inch/pounds one from HF and didn't care for it, but I've never used their larger ones.

Honestly, I would not stress over getting 15 and 19 ft lbs on those bolts, and I'm a stickler for torque specs on many things. That is like nothing....hand tight. To be honest, I'm surprised the specs are that low on the tailgate hinge, but I double-checked and you are indeed correct. Dang bolts that hold a diff cover on usually see more than that torque . I hardly ever use my 3/8" drive that is 20-50 ft lbs range and it's not worth spending the money on something for that IMO. What it is worth spending money on is a 1/2" drive 50-250 ft lb range. That is the one that gets used all the time.