Cordless Impact Guns

[Poseidon]

Talk to me... 1/2" specifically.


My predicament is that work shall commence in earnest on the ducati in the coming weeks and I'm after a decent tool to make life easier for me. I'm thinking specifically sprockets, brake discs, swing arm etc. I've heard tell that these can be stubborn blighters to get unstuck and, whilst I have a decent selection of breaker bars, I quite fancy being able to undo them without breaking a sweat. I also seem to spend an obscene amount of time crawling around under the car for one reason or another, grunting away whilst hanging off a ratchet trying to undo stubborn bolts, so it'll be used for the car too.

There are a few options as I can see it.

1) Milwaukee. Awesome tools, always had great aftersales support from them in the past and their 18V stuff looks to be packing some serious grunt. But within their range, there's the high-torque and mid-torque models. The high-torque will pretty much undo anything and everything I may encounter, but there's a risk it'll be too much power for some more delicate components. And it's an absolute beast of a machine, might be too big and cumbersome for some smaller spaces. So maybe the mid-torque is the way to go, but what if it doesn't quite have the grunt I need for really stubborn nuts/bolts, in which case it'll fail the chief criterion I had for buying an impact gun.

2) Makita. Haven't looked at their range. As they're a similar price point as milwaukee I assume they're just as good, but I trust milwaukee more. Open to suggestions.

3) DeWalt. Definitely cheaper than the other two options. Seem to remember seeing a 1/2" gun in screwfix that had 1800+NM of torque for around the 300quid mark which has the grunt I need, but again may be too big a unit for what I need (similar situation to the milwaukee guns). I'm pretty brutal with my tools and have been known to push them a bit too hard on occasion. Will DeWalt stand up to punishment? Milwaukee are the only tools I'm yet to be able to bust through heavy usage, so have some doubts as I've broken DeWalt stuff in the past and found the aftersales service lacking. But a 200quid saving puts more into the duc resto fund.

4) Corded/pneumatic/centre aisle in aldi. Nope. Definitely not. Not an option.

Comments/opinions/actual experience welcome. for those who help. Budget wise, I was thinking 300-600notes as I'll need battery packs and chargers etc.

Cheers folks
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[Robby]

I used the ryobi one. I have no idea what torque it pumps out. I press the trigger, stuff undoes. Sometimes it doesn't and I have to get a breaker bar, extension pole, and push with my legs.

I use it because I have loads of other ryobi stuff, and the expensive bit is the batteries and charger. So if I'm buying a cordless tool, it's ryobi so I can use the same batteries in all my tools.

[stinkwheel]

One of the guys I follow on youtube just got himself a bosch one after his air one gave up the ghost.

On his latest video, he removed the sludge-plug from the crank flywheel of a 50-odd year old BSA unit single with it as if he was opening a bottle of coke.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Polarbear]

I have an Einhell one. Common battery system with Ozito. Works fine. Thing is I'm transferring all my battery stuff to that system. If you have something else, Ryobi or whatever, then it might be better to go corded and an extension lead.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Einhell-4510040-Impact-Wrench/dp/B01M1RJU2O
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Polarbear]

Oh, as an aside, from when I was a tool retailer. Makita are the best power tools in the world. I cannot remember ever having a Makita returned under guarantee. But of course you pay for it and Makita haven't got a standard battery system.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[sickpup]

[Poseidon]

[stinkwheel]

[Easy-X]

Another vote for the Ryobi. It probably has the most torque out of the branded budget options. The 3 level power selector is nice. Level 1 does 90% of things, Level 2 for the tough stuff and Level 3 reverses the Earth's magnetic polarity
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[NJD]

I have a Ryobi 18V ONE+ Impact wrench (3 variable speeds) and its ok but not unbreakable. I took mine out the bag recently to install some engine bars and it gave up the ghost. Its within warrenty and only gets used every so often. It was working one minute then stopped attempting to undo the bolt the next. I had to unplug and re-plug the battery twice to get it to spin up again. Then it stopped after a few seconds (battery episode repeat). Same again thereafter. Then I noticed sparks flying out the back of the gun in excess. Currently awaiting a brand new gun and battery. Ryobi responded to online inquiry in good time, and Halfords accepted the claim without much fuss (apart from trying to figure out how to order a new one for me).

Large 1/2 impact guns are great, but on motorbike their often too large. Great for wheel axles, sprocket nuts (personal preference on the whole impact into the engine argument aside) etc but encounter more things their not suitable for, due to size, than they are. So long as you're clear about what is realistically possible with them you wont be dissapointed from that angle. I imagine on a car their far more useful / get used a lot more.

DeWalt was the brand I used when I worked at a bike shop, but that was only to speed up removing them from crates and for wheel axle's. Everything else was by hand (for what I did, at least).

Milwaukee, to me, is about the image. A million and one tools that are appealing because of their design. They make work, sure, but there's something snap-on esque in terms of attraction about them.

You could have a look at the Sealey CP1204KIT / CP1203 / CP1202 (mostly useless one) range to get some cheap additions, but they are the budget end of the Sealey powered tool range. I appreciate this is aside the discussion, but the CP1203 has been a time saver in the past. I don't own the 3/8 impact so no idea how much use it is.

The Sealely TBT24 is also a good impact set if you're after one. I prefer it over the Halfords offering. I've only used them lightly so can't comment on longevity or abuse withstanding. Perfect for my limited use.

Also don't forget to shop on Amazon marketplace or cash converters as things like these come up often.
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The do it all, T̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶,̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶i̶g̶ ̶l̶u̶m̶p̶,̶ ̶C̶h̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶N̶o̶o̶d̶l̶e̶

[carbon90]

[ThunderGuts]

[bugeye_bob]

I got a DeWalt one last Christmas, £150 quid for bare unit, claims 1100Lb Ft undoing torque, Its bloody awesome, I have since also got the baby version,
It hasnt failed yet to undo anything, I just start on the lower power settings and build up, I was too worried about snapping anything.

[Pjay]

Dont discount Panasonic, they are not cheap, but they are built to last and are designed for everyday site work.

https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/brands/panasonic/panasonic-drills/panasonic-impact-drivers
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struan80 - I'll go first - satisfied tick 1

[myvision]

I had to clean a place out and instructions were everything went in the skip but if I wanted it it had to be gone by the move out date amongst other stuff was one of these,

https://www.hilti.co.uk/c/CLS_POWER_TOOLS_7124/CLS_IMPACT_DRIVERS_WRENCHES_7124/CLS_CORDLESS_IMPACT_WRENCHES_7124/r4838535

I saved some great gear from the skip over those two days and would have had more but my car wasn't big enough.
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VFR800FI, YZF600R Thundercat and FZS 1000

[pepperami]

OP , why cordless?
What about corded and an extension lead?

Just asking.
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[bugeye_bob]

[Poseidon]

Cheers guys. Appreciate the comments.

Peps, I've got access to 240v and 110v stuff (inc transformer). It's better value for money for sure. However, there's plenty of places I find myself where there's no power. If I went corded, I'd also need a genny. I also cannot be fucked with long wires trailing all over my garage and down my drive when I'm working. Its the same reason I've not bothered investing in a compressor and pneumatic tools.

Seems they're all much of a muchness. Everyone likes what they have. For me, a shared battery system is a must, so makita is out. Hadn't clocked they didn't have such a system. Who was it that said milwaukee is overpriced? I've had some m12 stuff in the past and it was worth every penny. Never had tools like it. I've worked on sites with people who exclusively use milwaukee as the higher price is offset by the longevity and durability of their tools (several of whom had sworn off dewalt and makita as they broke too many units). Hence why the m18 stuff was top of my list.

Lots of people are suggesting tools that are 200--400Nm-ish are up to the job, so maybe 18v is a bit too much for what I'll be using it for, especially given the size of them and the limited clearances I'll be working in. Perhaps a step back down to milwakee m12 may be in order. I can get a 1/2" impact wrench (350ish Nm) with a big 6Ah battery, a small 2Ah battery, charger and a 1/2" cordless ratchet bare tool for less than 400quid. That should give me the torque I need for pretty much anything I might encounter, except the most stubborn of seized bolts on the car. Plus the cordless ratchet will save bags of time in those spots where a ratchet and socket will seat on a bolt, but there's no clearance to actually turn the damn thing...


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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[Shaft]