cordless impact wrench..what would you buy?

[CLiberty]

Mac Tools 1/2 inch cordless impact. 19. 2 volts. Yes it's 300 bucks, but buy it once and be done. Mac will warranty it. I've had mine for two years of racing and it's been bullet proof. Plus when you let off the trigger it has a brake to stop the motor from free wheeling. The first time you flip a socket off and it damages a wheel of smashes your face you'll appreciate the brake.

Jay

The dreaded swivel socket flying wandango dance... been there done that... . OUCH!:{ ,LOL.

 

[nickleinonen]

The dreaded swivel socket flying wandango dance... been there done that... . OUCH!:{ ,LOL.

:-laf yeah, i have had the pleasure/pain of experience that too. but mine has been with the air impacts, and usually ends up with the swivel impact way down in the bottom of the pit and me taking 30min to find the darn thing.



[oh, and it is even more fun when using a router and you forget to tighten the chuck. i had a 1/2" round over bit 1/2" shank come off my router and damage my work and smack me square in the bits... i was glad i was wearing a heavy apron that day]

 

[JayWm]

I've started using locking impact extensions and if I need a swivel the snap-on pinned swivel is the only way to play... no more flying tools, no more pain

 

[cap-n-cray]

Not saying that Milwaukee is the best, I have the 18V impact, but neat commercial:



Milwaukee Helicopter



28V, I only got 18V. :{



Cary

 

[mysteryman]

Hitachi's cordless tools

If your looking for a top notch tool. Take a look at Hitachi's cordless tools... They are a bit more perhaps but are about the best. . The commerical tool line that is... Not the consumer junk...

What I am looking for is a cordless impact, with around 200-240 ft/lb tq. I do not want to spend the $300 for snap on, craftsman. , milwakee etc... would like to find good of brand if possible. I would also like it to have carrying case and a spare battery. also being big and heavy isn't nice to handle constantly. So, what do you guys have/used ?

right now I have 24v harbor freight, big and doesn't run very well, sounds like a hammer and chisel, not like an impact wrench.



I am having trouble finding anything in stores. Seem to be rare!??





Thanks

 

[Dl5treez]

If your looking for a top notch tool. Take a look at Hitachi's cordless tools... They are a bit more perhaps but are about the best. . The commerical tool line that is... Not the consumer junk...

I messed up and posted my reply as an edit in mysteryman's thread---Sorry 'bout that, hope I got it fixed.



Anyhow, what I was going to say was I had heard the Hitachi's are nice units. A friend who works for John Deere showed me his John Deere cordless tools, which are rebadged Hitachi's. They seem very nice, very high quality.

 

[DragsterRob]

I believe you get what you pay for, all my cordless drills are Milwaukee, and I have had a Snap-On Cordless impact for 9 years, and it works great. Have used several Dewalt tools over the years, I think they are junk, don't own any, never have. I usually just refer to them as yellow tools.

It may hurt to part with the cash, but that goes away with the satisfaction of owning something nice.

 

[MLeppen]

I've never used an electric impact that will break loose a lugnut,Even the IR air thundergun I have has trouble 625ft/lb.

Not sure what your intent is for using one,is but if you already have a air impact gun I would reccomend a small nitrogen tank with regulator and coil air hose. Cheaper and will change like 20 tires before it runs out. Tanks are small enough to fit in a small case with hose and gun and always have air for tires etc.



Mike

 

[Lorenz]

My 10# nitrogen bottle wouldn't last one full "off and back on". 8 lugs x8 tires (off then back on). My co2 bottle will last more than a couple of "off and back on" but it runs me $15 to fill the bottles and now I have to run around the truck with a bottle and air gun. Not so fun in the desert. I hate to spend the $ but I think I'm going to go with a cordless impact.



I was sold on the 18v dewalt with 300 ft# vs 275 ft# 18v makita.



I now think I'm going to go with the lithium ion 24v makita 325 ft#. This matches the 110v corded Dewalt impact at 325 ft #. I have a problem with my other nickle cadium corless tools going dead if I don't use them for a couple of months. They say the Lithium Ion will last for for a year without use and still keep a charge... ? I hear dewalt is coming out with a L Ion 36v model this year. I'm not the guy who likes to buy the first model out so I think I'll pass.



Does anybody have experience with the Lithium Ion batteries and being able to last if they sit on the self?

 

[JFaughn]

What do you want to do with it and how often , you haven't bought and used tools enough yet , buy it once and{a female dog} once [ price ] or buy cheap and {female dog} every time you use it , unless its something you'll very rarely use , a cheap tool will last one guy a month and the next guy yrs.

{the sensor is very sensitive}

 

[Koa Man]

I think the amount of torque that an impact gun is rated for is misleading. My I-R 1/2" impact rated at 600 ft. lbs. cannot remove the lug nuts on my International 4300, which are torqued to 450 ft. lbs. I need to use my I-R 3/4" impact which is rated at 1100 ft. lbs. to remove it. I also was not able to remove a couple of lug nuts on my Ram 3500 with the 1/2" impact as well, but those were tightened up by the tire shop with an impact wrench. I always loosen up the nuts put on by the tire shop and retighten them with a torque wrench.

 

[Lorenz]

Ok, Here's my latest spat with the cordless impacts.



I recently returned the Craftsman 18v unit that I used once. I was able to change my tires to the H2's and had barely enough juice to finish the job. The last couple of lugs had to be hand tightened. Other wise, the torque was pretty consitent after I took out my torque wrench to double check everything. I could tell the battery was wearing down but that only ment I had to stay on the trigger a bit more to torque the lugs.



I was able to get the local tool shop to allow me to see if I could break the Demo Malwaukee 24v L-ion unit. The sales guy was bragging about it so I took him to task. 15-20 minutes later I had killed the full 24v Lion battery. I took every lug nut off and tightened every lug nut back on the truck 2-3 times in the parking lot. Basicly it would equate to 2 full tire changes plus 1 extra tire. The battery was only warm to the touch and the metal gear drive unit on the gun was hot. Not to hot to touch but hot. I was impressed. 2x more battery run time than the $300 Craftsman and the gun never skipped a beat. The battery lasted to the last lug, just like the literature said with out dropping off umph through the charge. Once it was dead it was just dead, the Impact was good to the last drop went it just fell flat.



With this said I think I still think I'm going to get the Dewalt 18v unit for my personal use. I already have a cordless Dewalt sawzall, and multiple chargers so this is what pushing me tword Dewalt the most.



Dewalt: $285, 2 batteries, 1 charger, 1 gun on Ebay. The gun is smaller and lighter, and I think it will fit in my back seat compartment alot better than the $430 Milwaukee, that comes with the equivilent 2 bat, 1 chrgr and 1 gun. The "Indipendent testing" in the Milwaukee liturature says the Dewalt will have a run time off 66% of the Milwaukee and the Dewault is 66% of the price. Coincidence?



Anybody displeased with the Dewalt?