Impact Wrench Recommendations?

[DaTow'd]

We have a Milwaukee M18 1/2" impact with a large battery. Only complaint is that the forward/reverse switches are in a location that my hand will push into neutral I think it might be my fat hand. It works great my son removed and reinstalled his F350 4 wheels on one battery.

 

[6869704x4]

I’ve had the same lug wrench my dad gave me when I got a car…it was used then, but shiney…it’s in my truck now….but it is used so rarely it has some corrosion on it…works just as good as when I got it, the problem I don’t work the same…I don’t have the shoulders of a young man any more…every year I think I will buy an impact when they go on sale but I always seem to miss the sale or pucker at the price, and I wonder why when I need to rarely use the lug wrench. Maybe this year? Either way it will be a Milwaukee as that is my battery platform.

1/2" M18 I carry in my truck with a fresh battery on trips with my 14k gooseneck. Changed a tire on the trailer in west TX in Aug in about 15 minutes. Pulled the trailer up on a ramp that I also carry with the good tire which lifted the flat. That impact paid for itself right there.

 

[CGMKCM]

We have a Milwaukee M18 1/2" impact with a large battery. Only complaint is that the forward/reverse switches are in a location that my hand will push into neutral I think it might be my fat hand. It works great my son removed and reinstalled his F350 4 wheels on one battery.

DeWalt also places that switch in a bad location. I hit it almost every use.

 

[trial and error]

To the earlier battery question by the OP I rotated the tires on my ram 1500 today 4 tires 5 22mm lugs each torqued to 130ftlbs (I use a t wrench everytime for final torqing) . and it used barely 1/4 of a 3 AH batterythat was off and then zipped back on . I know that isn't much of a test but it should give a ballpark.

 

[cthomas]

I own a lot of Milwaukee and my brother has a few Dewalt tools. The 1/2 inch impacts are about the same, but, Milwaukee has a much bigger platform of tools available. The M18 caulk gun is an example(I use it for glass urethane tubes) and the lawn care line is impressive too. Next on my wish list is the cordless lawn mower.

 

[The Evil Twin]

1/2" M18 I carry in my truck with a fresh battery on trips with my 14k gooseneck. Changed a tire on the trailer in west TX in Aug in about 15 minutes. Pulled the trailer up on a ramp that I also carry with the good tire which lifted the flat. That impact paid for itself right there.

This. Right here!
I have one in the shop, and another under the rear seat in the truck. 12v charger fits in there too. It will spin the lug nuts off the truck (165 lb ft) and toy hauler without complaint. I can't find a ramp I trust with a 13k trailer, but with a bottle jack I changed tires before the dog found a suitable place to during our little pit stop.

 

[fried1765]

We have two earth quake 1" pneumatic impacts at the shop. One for two bays that's dedicated to semi trailer lug nuts.

The other is in the other two bays and gets used for large bolts where the torque needed is over 1000ft/lbs

Each gun weighs 20+ pounds. So they only get used when required and hang on the wall for the majority of the time.

It's seen a lot less use since I got my 40vlt 3/4" drive cordless impact

Please post a picture of that 40 volt 3/4" drive cordless impact.
Many of us would really like to see it!

 

[DustyRusty]

Please post a picture of that 40 volt 3/4" drive cordless impact.
Many of us would really like to see it!

I don't want to see it unless it is being held by a cute 19-year-old woman with a great body!

 

[fried1765]

I don't want to see it unless it is being held by a cute 19-year-old woman with a great body!

That is even less likely than seeing the 40 volt 3/4" impact wrench itself.

 

[Daren Todd]

Please post a picture of that 40 volt 3/4" drive cordless impact.
Many of us would really like to see it!

Will do. Will have to be tomorrow. It's locked in my tool cabinet at work.

Boss got the coworker the 40vlt 1/2 drive. I was pretty impressed with that one as well. Not sure on longevity of the 40vlt Makita line. I've had the 3/4 impact for around 9 months maybe. I've used it for a few installs where I was using my 3/4 drive sockets.

Bertha only comes out for the largest bolts

 

[Daren Todd]

I don't want to see it unless it is being held by a cute 19-year-old woman with a great body!

How about a 47yo fat ba##ard you got your choice. Picture of the impact. Or a picture of me with the impact

 

[Daren Todd]

Here's the picture of the Makita 40vlt 3/4" impact.

Decided not to torture anyone with my modeling

 

[fried1765]

Here's the picture of the Makita 40vlt 3/4" impact.

Decided not to torture anyone with my modeling

View attachment 104197

Looks very heavy.

 

[Daren Todd]

Looks very heavy.

Probably a couple pounds more than my 1/2" drive.

 

[ve9aa]

Here's the picture of the Makita 40vlt 3/4" impact.

Decided not to torture anyone with my modeling

View attachment 104197

What a beast! At first glance it looks bigger(heavier?) than my big 20V Dewalt monster impact (exact model # eludes me at the moment...but the biggest 1/2" impact that they sell.)

 

[Daren Todd]

What a beast! At first glance it looks bigger(heavier?) than my big 20V Dewalt monster impact (exact model # eludes me at the moment...but the biggest 1/2" impact that they sell.)

I'll post a side by side comparison with my Mac gun tomorrow. It's identical to the heavy duty 20vlt dewalt impact. Just different color and name on the case.

 

[Daren Todd]

What a beast! At first glance it looks bigger(heavier?) than my big 20V Dewalt monster impact (exact model # eludes me at the moment...but the biggest 1/2" impact that they sell.)

Here's the side by side comparison to your heavy duty dewalt. There is a difference in thickness which is expected on the 3/4 gun. But overall dimensions top down are pretty darn close.

 

[NCL4701]

I know it has been a while but my new impact showed up yesterday. It’s the high torque version so I’m looking forward to the extra power compared to my old pneumatic unit. Seriously considered its DeWalt twin but I already have a bunch of red tool cases and wasn’t sure the yellow wouldn’t clash. That and I’m not using it commercially so I suspect the bearings will be sufficient for my use.

Thanks to all for the excellent information.

 

[RCW]

I know it has been a while but my new impact showed up yesterday. It’s the high torque version so I’m looking forward to the extra power compared to my old pneumatic unit. Seriously considered its DeWalt twin but I already have a bunch of red tool cases and wasn’t sure the yellow wouldn’t clash. That and I’m not using it commercially so I suspect the bearings will be sufficient for my use.

Thanks to all for the excellent information. View attachment 105580

I looked at the same one Saturday at the local Welding Supply.

Bare tool, as I have batteries, etc.

 

[RBsingl]

I already had some other Milwaukee M18 tools so a couple of years ago when I needed a battery impact that was the logical product line choice.

For years I have been using a good quality IR 3/4 pneumatic impact that has served me well but I finally ran into a situation where it didn't have enough force to break loose a fastener. I have used it for years for the blade bolts on the midmount mower under my Deere 955. I always use anti-seize on the bolts and tighten by hand but one absolutely refused to break loose and the IR was being fed by a large stationary compressor with a short length of large diameter hose so it had all of the air it wanted. Normally all three spin out easily but this time that was only true for 2 of the 3.

After trying a breaker bar with a cheater on it without luck along with a little heat, I decided it was time for a battery impact gun. I came home from Farm and Fleet with a Milwaukee 3/4" rated at 1,500 pounds of force in reverse, it was on a nice sale that week. I was really going to be pissed if it didn't break the blade bolt loose! I put it on the bolt and tapped the button and the bolt instantly spun loose like it had never been stuck.

Having had good luck for years with both corded and corded Milwaukee, I picked up a M18 grease gun while it was on a promotional sale last month. A squeeze grease gun is fine most of the time but there are places where it is awkward to hold the gun while providing the grease pressurizing action.

Rodger