Cordless Impact Recommendations

Hello all, I’m considering on buying a cordless impact wrench primarily for working on the truck & removing my Tacoma wheels etc. I’m pretty partial to Milwaukee and want to stay with that brand. What are your recommendations as far as the model(M12, M18, Etc) and 3/8” or 1/2” drive?

Edited.

 

Harbor freight. There’s gonna be a sell next week, if you buy the Bauer big battery you can get the 3/8” impact for free.

 

Thanks for the reply Ricardo!
Shouldn’t I just go with a 1/2” Impact?

 

i have had good luck at Home Depot with Milwaukee and Dewalt sales for battery/tool combos or buy tool get x free. Trick is to check in stores. The most beneficial sales weren't on their websites. I went with a milwaukee m12 3/8 fuel stubby. had no problem taking off the factory lugs and installing the new lugs with my methods. i did have a breaker bar handy, but didn't need it. I say all this with the caveat that i already had some milwaukee tools in the m12 line so the 5.0 HO battery that came in the kit was an awesome bonus.

 

M12 stubby. Removes lugnuts, axle nuts, steering stop bolts and LCA cam bolts. 250 ft-lb yet has a rundown setting delicate enough to install spark plugs.



If you get the 3/8" drive version, be sure to get a 3/8" drive deep socket for the lug nuts, because drive adapters and extensions tend to absorb much of the impact force.

This was my first Milwaukee power tool. I've since bought an M12 ratchet, which allows me to remove skid plates with almost 100% power tools. (It can be snaked around the catalytic converter and front driveshaft area to remove the transmission skid.)

 

What ever you’ll like, 3/8“ does the trick for the majority of the stuff on our Tacomas.

 

Do you currently have any cordless tools and if so what kind? That would dictate my next suggestion. I already had a few

$119 Milwaukee M18 Cordless Lithium-Ion 6-1/2" Circular Saw - 2630-20 - ( MILWAUKEE ) - BARE TOOL

Milwaukee M18 tools so even though it was more money than say a Dewalt or Ryobi or Craftsman I went with the Milwaukee 1/2" impact. In fact I had a Craftsman one first and after just a couple of years the battery crapped out. As I got older I learned to follow the "but once, cry once" motto.

If you don't have anything I hear a lot of guys who are happy with the "better" brands from HF.

 

The M12 stubby is great for most jobs.
But 99% of the time. I find my self using the M18 Mid-Torque for anything over a 10mm bolt. (14mm socket).

Or you could be like @Dm93 an it’s the M12 1/4” ratchet for everything.

If I had to pick one it, would be the M18 line. It just zips them on and off so effortlessly.

Next would be the M12 3/8 ratchet.
I use that thing all the time.

 

im super partial to Milwakee, ive plenty of batteries ive never gotten to use one of the 1/2 in drive cordless ones. but my M18 is a trooper, as is my m12 cordless ratchet.

but I also own a lowes Kobalt 1/2 in cordless impact which is pretty awesome. though its body looks really close to the HF new Hercules line, and I've been thinking about buying one to see if the batteries fit the Hercules.


update after a quick look at HF, the herc is only a 20V not 24v so likely the kobalt batteries wont fit.

but i will again say i got the Kobals 24v 1/2 drive corless impact and it is always in my trail bag, in my shop and often used. i will say when i dont want to crank over the Compressor and grab pneumatic guns. I've snap on (bluepoint) and several Cornwell guns ranging in sizes


Kobalt 24-volt Max Variable Speed Brushless 1/2-in Drive Cordless Impact Wrench (Battery Included) in the Impact Wrenches department at Lowes.com

 

Have these:

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Fastening/Impact-Wrenches/2767-20

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Fastening/Impact-Wrenches/2962-20

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Fastening/Impact-Wrenches/2565-20

love them!

 

My juvenile humor is surfacing…

In the tool description it says “1400 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque”

 

I have that one.
Never had to use it.
It’s big, it’s heavy, the Mid-Torque is lighter and does all I need.

 

It depends on what your budget and use case is for. Do you need a fancy milwaukee tool? Likely not. Do you already have a battery system used for other tools around the house? If so, theres likely an impact wrench within that battery line that will work without issue and save you money on another battery system and charger. Do you really even need the tool in the first place for removing 6 lugs even once a month, when a breaker bar does the job very easy for under 20 bucks?

If you feel the need to invest into cordless tools for potential other uses Harbor Freight's Bauer 20v line has TONS of tools and good deals.

They also have a new brushless 1/2in impact for $70.

If you wanted a solid impact that will break stuff loose easy id be looking at that + one of these kits You would get your compact "mid torque" 1/2in brushless impact (475ftlbs), 2x 1.5ah batteries, a charger and another drill/driver of your choice for 125-140$ depending on what tool you choose. This is cheaper than pretty much every MW 1/2 impact wrench BARE TOOL.

 

I love my M12 1/4 in ratchet but the majority of fasteners I deal with are 5-15mm in size.

If you want an impact that will absolutely take anything off that your likely to encounter get the M18 High Torque, weighs a ton but I haven't ecountered anything it wouldn't remove that a 1/2in air gun would.
If you want something that's lighter and more universal probably the M18 Mid Torque.

The M12 Stubby is decent but it's not really up to doing lugnuts other than on small cars.

 

I just like my Milwaukee M12 3/8 impact and drill to share batteries. The cordless Tools very seldom get used.

I have not touched them since I no longer work 12/2020

I always have air within reach in the shop or on the company truck.

 

M12 3/8 is for 10mm bolts.
M18 high torque is for big stuff including lug nuts. anything between is mid torque. As the names of the tools say.

A small tool on a big bolt takes forever loud as fuck and causes hearing damage. If I don’t have the right power tool for the job then I’m using hand tools and getting a workout.

 

Love my 1/2 inch Ryobi this is what I have been using for a few years now

 

If you want to cut through the marketing BS and get real world numbers check out these guys, they have tested and rated most of the mainstream impacts and alot of lights.
https://youtube.com/@TorqueTestChannel

 

I have a Milwaukee m12 little impact driver. It's max torque is pretty low, has like 9 torque settings that actually work and a no impact drill setting. I really only use it for cleaning batteries and controllable low torque situations.

Also a dewalt 887 impact driver. It has 3 settings. I use that one constantly but it really isn't strong enough for wheels. It only impacts, no drill setting so I can't use it with my battery brushes, it messes them up.

Ive been eyeing the new dewalt dcf900 for my next purchase. It's more of an impact wrench instead of impact driver. I work on some heavy equipment so the extra torque is needed.

If you want to be doing wheels, go with a 1/2 impact wrench.

Project farm on YouTube has some good reviews.

 

I use a M12 3/8 stubby. With a 4.0 Battery it has done everything from small fasteners to lug nuts. I carry it everywhere I go.