Impact wrenches

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
Didn't want to clog up the other thread with this.

Lots of deals on impacts out there. Trying to decide on the best direction for an upgrade.
I've been using an old air-driven I-R impact wrench for years. It's heavy and not nearly as torquey as I need sometimes. Dealing with the air line is a PITA sometimes.

A really high ft-lb cordless impact like the Milwaukee 2763 M18 sounds awesome. But I do wonder if a more practical route would be to get something smaller, lighter, more comfy for using most of the time would be more practical, and then get a cheaper air-driven "big boy" for the rare cases needing >200 lbs?

If so, suggestions on that bigger one?

... keeping in mind I'm just a hobbyist.
 
for a cordless I have the SnapOn 1/2" and yes ut was pricey, but 6 years old, batteries still hold charge good as new. More power than all but my best air impact.
But its heavy. No doubt. It also isnt balanced great.

For cheap air impacts the earthquake works fine.

But let me instead question your thinking. How many times can you use an impact? And in those cases how many times is it so tight you need the "big boy" power"
Heck even a 3/4" impact isnt going to stand up to moderate strength and a cheater pipe. The few times I cant break something lose with the snap on gun, I grab a breaker bar and some blaster...break it loose and then finish it off with the gun.
 
Ron said:
for a cordless I have the SnapOn 1/2" and yes ut was pricey, but 6 years old, batteries still hold charge good as new. More power than all but my best air impact.
But its heavy. No doubt. It also isnt balanced great.

For cheap air impacts the earthquake works fine.

But let me instead question your thinking. How many times can you use an impact? And in those cases how many times is it so tight you need the "big boy" power"
Heck even a 3/4" impact isnt going to stand up to moderate strength and a cheater pipe. The few times I cant break something lose with the snap on gun, I grab a breaker bar and some blaster...break it loose and then finish it off with the gun.
Click to expand...
Me??? I use my snap on almost everyday BUT I do a lot of parts scrounging so I may be on the big end of the use scale.For big stuff its usually a breaker bar and pipe.I have an earthquake impact also for when I'm at the shop and have something the snap on cant handle.Both batteries were replaced about two years ago.
 
What @Ron said. If my small Milwaukee 1/2" can't break it loose, my air gun typically can't either. The airgun does seem to have a longer stroke on the impact, so it works a little better on stuff that is gummy. But a $20 breaker bar and a piece of pipe go a long way.
 
I'd 2nd Ron's thoughts on the Snap On cordless impact. I have the 3/8" version and it gets used all the time, not necessarily for impact needs but everyday turning of bolts as it's just that much faster and is lightweight enough to not get fatigued using it. If I had a big 1/2" impact I'd break more bolts and it would do more harm than good.

A big cheap air impact is good for the occasion you need really good torque but 99% of the time, a 3/8" cordless impact works and if not, a breaker bar does the trick
 
I'm in this pickle as well. Have a tool box full of air stuff, when I moved 18 months ago, got rid of the tanks. I'd like to move the direction of cordless, for bulk and noise alone. Would like to go with one 1/2" 'big gun' and then the majority of the rest of the stuff I did with either a 1/4" or 3/8" sidewinder/air ratchet. Primarily just need the 1/2" for lug nuts and engine/body/trans mounts, everything else just need something compact that can fit just about everywhere.
 
I have a dewalt 1/4" impact driver that I use all day everyday. With that said,

Their new 1/4" hex impact driver has same torque as their 3/8 square impact.

Just use some square 1/4,3/8, or even 1/2" drive adapters with it.

Their 1/2" square impact shares the same battery line, and has like 700 ft lbs of torque. I plan to get it for small use around shop so I don't have to drag out Hose, and can use on the trail and the road while towing.
 
I have the Milwaukee 2763 (1/2" square) - it will bust the lug nuts off my Cummins at OEM spec with a second's worth of hammering. Also has a low (very slow) speed.

I also feel like the 1/4" hex impacts have a different impact type than the square-anvil impacts....too lazy to verify.
 
Quietly stalking this thread. For you guys promoting the cordless, are you talking 18 or 24 volts? I have a 1/2" 18v that tackles most everything I do, but often wish I had stepped up to the 24v...but not often enough to justify the cost difference.
 
I have the 18V fuel Milwaukee and have been very happy with it.
Only a couple times I've had to break out the bar and cheater pipe.
You must be careful when putting lugnuts on, I usually stop after 1 ugga dugga and get the torque wrench.
 
I have 3 cordless 1/2" 18V Dewalt's I bought on clearance(at different times..when I could afford)..cause everything nowadays is 20V..plus all my chargers, extra batts and other dewalt stuff is 18V..keep 1 in truck, 1 in camper, for changing flats on the road, etc..1 in shop toolbox for convenience..for heavy stuff I have old school air impacts 1/2" IR and a 1/2" CP that I found on the roadside..keep a 4 way lug wrench handy for backup.
 
Don't get too caught up in the 18v-20v debacle. 12 volts is enough to start your car, run the headlights and thump the stereo. More volts are potentially better, but its mostly just a marketing tool. I believe @ProbablyBroke has used the 18v Milwaukee and the 20v Dewalt, and said the 18v Milwaukee is the stronger tool.

Building on a tangent of that thought, why is a 12 volt car battery that weighs 50lbs and is the size of a cinder block only $100, but an 18-20 volt power tool battery that weighs a pound and is the size of my fist is also nearly $100?
 
^^^A tangent to your tangent (should that be sine or cosine then???) was doing some google research yesterday on new cordless impacts, what's the deal with new 7/16" anvils???
 
I thought I posted it here, but it was in the other thread.

Also, pretty sure the 20v max by dewalt is still only 18v.

I have the 20v max 1/2 brushless dewalt impact. i had the same in a Milwaukee. The Milwaukee is a much stronger impact, but I prefer the dewalt batteries. I would recommend sticking with brushless, compare impacts per minute, stay with variable speed. My friend just bought the 1/2 brushless impact by Kobalt, it's busted stuff my dewalt couldn't. Also, the batteries are VERY affordable compared to the other too. All that being said, I think Kobalt is a lesser quality than dewalt. When I was in the market, i think the specs on the Milwaukee and dewalt were comparable, but the Milwaukee feels more solid in the hand.

I haven't pulled out an air compressor to run a pneumatic impact since buying my Milwaukee that some redneck in Stanley, NC has. But, I also don't run a shop and do understand that air tools will always have their place.
 
UTfball68 said:
^^^A tangent to your tangent (should that be sine or cosine then???) was doing some google research yesterday on new cordless impacts, what's the deal with new 7/16" anvils???
Click to expand...
I believe those are hex, not square, and targeted at the construction industry as a beefy alternative to 1/4" hex.

And a tangent to a tangent is probably just an intersecting parallel line. How do you distinguish intersecting parallel lines?
 
jeepinmatt said:
Building on a tangent of that thought, why is a 12 volt car battery that weighs 50lbs and is the size of a cinder block only $100, but an 18-20 volt power tool battery that weighs a pound and is the size of my fist is also nearly $100?
Click to expand...

Lead acid battery technology is ancient compared to that of lithium based battery's.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
In the shop I use Ingersoll titanium 1/2 and 3/8 impacts for the heavier stuff. But like @Mac5005 I also use my Dewalt 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 (all 20v) impacts daily....screw an air hose unless I just must for the extra brute.

My 1/2 Dewalt is brute but it is bulky. The 3/8 impact and 1/4 impact driver, work great under hood in the tight spaces, for that reason I haven't touched my air ratchet in over 4 years. I even use the 1/4 driver to tighten beadlock bolts- just the right amount of torque...

The 20v lithium may or may not be any stronger than the 18v lead, but I haven't had the need to purchase any new batteries in 5 years of ownership, the 18 volts were usually only good for 18 months or so. I've found that the most battery depleting of tools, regardless of voltage, is a Sawzall.

Matt
 
Posted in the other thread...that I just bought the 2763...my final decision was based on the fact that it's better to have and not need, than need and not have. Like I said above, I'll primarily be using it for lug nuts and engine/trans/tcase/body mounts...not really prolonged, all day use that will really expose fatigue. That said, if i find myself using a 1/2" impact more than I anticipate...I have the batteries and charger now, and that appears to be half the battle...looks like you can get the lighter 450-600ft/lb impacts for pretty cheap, under $150 without the battery.
 
OK so 1/2" vs 3/8" sockets...
90% of my everyday use sockets are 3/8 but my black impact sockets are 1/2". Don't have a 3/8" over 19mm IIRC.

It seems best for me is to get the 2755B (the 1/2" smaller 220lb more ergonomic one) but I'd probably rather have the friction ring than detect pin.
Turns out no body seems to have that one on sale this week :uzi:
It seems to be mostly either the 2763 big boy or a smaller 3/8" 2754b variant.

I can see the advantage of using the 3/8" all the time but I'd rather put a 1/2 to 3/8 adapter on than the other way around :D
 
detent pin vs friction ring...

The 2755 (detect pin version) is on sale while the friction ring seems not to be. I wanted friction ring b/c I can see the pin being a real PITA to deal with.
However it occurred to me that a lot of my 1/2" sockets don't have the hole in the base, only a bubble indentation inside the square hole.
So in that case wouldn't the two functionally be similar?
 
RatLabGuy said:
detent pin vs friction ring...

The 2755 (detect pin version) is on sale while the friction ring seems not to be. I wanted friction ring b/c I can see the pin being a real PITA to deal with.
However it occurred to me that a lot of my 1/2" sockets don't have the hole in the base, only a bubble indentation inside the square hole.
So in that case wouldn't the two functionally be similar?
Click to expand...
Even then it can be a pita. I have an impact universal wobble with a detent pin and one with the normal spring loaded ball. I hid the one with the detent pin in a different drawer so I wouldn't accidentally grab it. Sometimes you have to hammer sockets off of it.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
RatLabGuy said:
detent pin vs friction ring...

The 2755 (detect pin version) is on sale while the friction ring seems not to be. I wanted friction ring b/c I can see the pin being a real PITA to deal with.
However it occurred to me that a lot of my 1/2" sockets don't have the hole in the base, only a bubble indentation inside the square hole.
So in that case wouldn't the two functionally be similar?
Click to expand...
I haven't had a problem with hole-free sockets, nor with the 3 hole-free sides on holy sockets. And if you pay attention, it's easy to avoid lining up the pin with the hole. But it always happens when you're using your other hand to hold something in just the right place, under a vehicle, in the dark, by yourself, with a small screwdriver about 6" out of your absolute maximum reach.
 
Well after some comparative shopping what I've learned is that the 2755 (detect) can be had at Amazon for $290.
Meanwhile the 2755b (friction ring) bare tool is $160 at Home Depot, then on Amazon can get 2 5AH batteries are $80, $24 charger and $25 for the case.... making the total almost exactly the same. So I'll probably go that route. Downside is the batteries/charger aren't the Milwaukee brand.

... but after doing all that it's pretty tempting to just get the 2763 deal for $279 b/c that includes battery + charger
 
^^^Have you checked out the Milwaukee refurbished site??? One year warranty instead of 5...but most stuff I was looking at was $10-20 cheaper than the Black Friday deals.

That's said I did the 2763 for $199. Online there was a drill and led light combo for $99...only had one battery though. I was initially going to go that route to get a battery...figured a drill and extra light was worth $20 more than just going with 2736 kit. But then figured I might as well spend another $50 over that for second battery and I'd get more use out of the 1/4".
 
Mac5005 said:
I have a dewalt 1/4" impact driver that I use all day everyday. With that said,

Their new 1/4" hex impact driver has same torque as their 3/8 square impact.

Just use some square 1/4,3/8, or even 1/2" drive adapters with it.

Their 1/2" square impact shares the same battery line, and has like 700 ft lbs of torque. I plan to get it for small use around shop so I don't have to drag out Hose, and can use on the trail and the road while towing.
Click to expand...

Using the 1/4" hex adapters
Mac5005 said:
I have a dewalt 1/4" impact driver that I use all day everyday. With that said,

Their new 1/4" hex impact driver has same torque as their 3/8 square impact.

Just use some square 1/4,3/8, or even 1/2" drive adapters with it.

Their 1/2" square impact shares the same battery line, and has like 700 ft lbs of torque. I plan to get it for small use around shop so I don't have to drag out Hose, and can use on the trail and the road while towing.
Click to expand...

I have a 2753-20. it works good on most stuff but it either flexes or breaks the adapters once you get up in the socket sizes. at 700flbs I wouldn't get smaller than 1/2" drive.
 
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