I've been really frustrated with changing out the hitch ball on my receiver shaft to tow different trailers. I know it would be easier to just have different receivers, and I already have a few, but I want to gauge the use of an impact wrench for this task. I have a large Crescent wrench and a big box wrench at my disposal, but I think an impact wrench would make this occasional job a lot easier. My main question is whether the 891 model impact wrench is strong enough to handle removing and installing those big nuts? 🙂
4 Answers
The 891 model will definitely handle that! For context, a 2" trailer ball typically has a torque spec of just 250 ft-lbs. Even a basic impact wrench could manage that without any issues.
Unless your ball is super old and seized with rust, even smaller impact wrenches should work just fine for this. The 891 is adequate for normal use and should have no problems with regular maintenance.
With a 1" shank, the tightening torque is around 250 ft-lbs, while for a 1.25" shank, it’s 450 ft-lbs. The 891 can definitely handle these specs without breaking a sweat. Just use medium output for the 1" shank to avoid over-torquing.
Honestly, you might be better off just investing in different ball mounts for various sizes. I haven't swapped a hitch ball in years because those ball mounts are super affordable and save a lot of hassle.