Cordless ugga dugga recommendations

It's time for a new cordless impact, I'm looking at 20v 4ah and 6ah options, am open to higher voltage options. Primarily will be used on brakes, suspension and subframes and will see trips to pick and pulls as I'm getting more ambitious with regards to where and when I'm willing to drop a subframe. Weight and size are nice benefits, but not of primary concern. Torque, quality, longevity and availability of replacement batteries, as I'd like to get 2-3 to start with are. I'm currently looking at HF girthquake and Milwaukee as starting points.

I have the big HF one. Seems to be a quality piece - there was a video out there somewhere where I guy took one apart and seemed impressed by the innards. It hasn't been stopped by anything yet, seems to hold a charge for a good long time. This post reminds me I should buy an extra battery for it, but I haven't needed one.

Since I'd already bought into the Ryobi 1+ system I went with their 1/2" gun.  It's.....fine but not extraordinarily powerful.  

I picked up a couple of larger batteries from Mr. Bezos.  Something I've discovered is that extensions will kill your ability to remove tight stuff.  Several times a single 4" extension left things unmoved, removing that extension and it immediately broke loose. 

I love when I'm searching for something and data analytics recommend for me something on the other end of the spectrum, that I really don't need, bit fills 80% of other uses and is presented at a why the heck not pricepoint.

Lowe's now has the Bosch freak-a-driver for under $90

I have a DeWalt 20v 1/2" impact and I'm very happy with it. However If I were starting over I'd go with the Milwaukee 18v Fuel system. 
 I work in the construction industry and all our sub trades use Milwaukee stuff.

KyAllroad (Jeremy) (Forum Supporter) said:

Since I'd already bought into the Ryobi 1+ system I went with their 1/2" gun.  It's.....fine but not extraordinarily powerful.  

I picked up a couple of larger batteries from Mr. Bezos.  Something I've discovered is that extensions will kill your ability to remove tight stuff.  Several times a single 4" extension left things unmoved, removing that extension and it immediately broke loose. 

real life proof that even a solid metal bar functions as a spring

Next time i can't remove something with my craftsman c3 impact, I'm buying the HF earthquake thing. 

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

KyAllroad (Jeremy) (Forum Supporter) said:

Since I'd already bought into the Ryobi 1+ system I went with their 1/2" gun.  It's.....fine but not extraordinarily powerful.  

I picked up a couple of larger batteries from Mr. Bezos.  Something I've discovered is that extensions will kill your ability to remove tight stuff.  Several times a single 4" extension left things unmoved, removing that extension and it immediately broke loose. 

real life proof that even a solid metal bar functions as a spring

I'm sure all the slack introduced in the two connections doesn't help either.

I'm a Milwaukee Tool whore so there's that.  I have a 3/8" Stubby (2554-20, 1/2" Stubby (2555-20) and the 1/2" High Torque wrist breaker (2767-20).  I use the two M12 Stubbies for most of my impact work as they are good for about 250 ft-lbs and the big boy only comes out when I'm done asking nicely.

You aren't just buying the tool though you are buying into the whole battery platform.  Do you own any other cordless tools and batteries already? If so get that brand.  Food for thought, the greenish-yellow tools, orange and grey tools and the red tools are all assembled in the same factory.  All of their batteries are made in the same factory as well.

Milwaukee Fuel and never look back.  Sell all your other cordless tools and get Milwaukee Fuel.  

Totally worth it, best thing I ever did.  Unloaded all my DeWalt 20V crap and went all in on M12 and M18 Fuel

• M18 Fuel High Torque 1/2" impact
• M18 Fuel 3/8 Impact
• M18 Fuel Hammer Drill
• M18 Fuel Hex impact
• M18 Fuel Angle Grinder
• M18 Fuel Circular Saw (6" blade)
• M18 Rotozip
• M18 Oscillating Multitool
• M18 LED flashlight
• M18 LED floodlight
• M12 Fuel impact
• M12 Fuel hammer drill
• M12 Cordless Screwdriver (awesome for residential electrical work)
• M18 Fan (great for camping)

In reply to RacetruckRon :

Outside of my impact, I actually use Samsung 20v lithium ion tools, for around the house, woodworking, deck building, they get it done. I'm willing and expecting to go outside the "family" for impact. 

The only real temptation I have regarding something other than the Earthquake or Milwaukee is the Rigid 18v 1/2" drive which only has 600ish lb of breakaway torque, versus the HF 1200ft lb. I can get 4 batteries for $400 with HD unit versus one battery for just under $300 for the HF. Not being able to bust off a subframe bolt with the HD unit would eat me alive though. Analytic me is incredibly torn. 

I'm a Milwaukee cordless impact fan.  Mine has saved me much time in the junkyard.

Reading on the M18 stuff, it looks to be the happy medium, stubby and 90 degree options in family, the 1/2" brushless impact has more than 1000ft lb of breakaway torque. 6ah and 9ah battery options. And some other options within the family (a planer for one) 

For an impact wrench the best I have seen used is the Binky guys taking apart that big truck

Most of my stuff is Ryobi, I wish their impact was more butch so I could have 1 battery system.  I have an old Milwaukee 1/2" impact, like maybe 5-6 years or more.  It still gets the job done but is beginning to wear out.  I'll probably replace it with another Milwaukee since the Ryobi is weak sauce

One benefit of the premium you pay for Milwaukee is the batteries are not changing constantly.  M18 and M12 have been out for about 10 years, improvements have been made to the cells and the electronics but the 10 year old batteries still work with new tools. Can't say the same about Dewalt or the others, yeah you can buy an adapter for the yellow stuff but who wants to do that and make the tool even bigger than it needs to be.

docwyte said:

Most of my stuff is Ryobi, I wish their impact was more butch so I could have 1 battery system.  I have an old Milwaukee 1/2" impact, like maybe 5-6 years or more.  It still gets the job done but is beginning to wear out.  I'll probably replace it with another Milwaukee since the Ryobi is weak sauce

If it's brushless your batteries are probably what's wearing out.

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Next time i can't remove something with my craftsman c3 impact, I'm buying the HF earthquake thing. 

So tomorrow then? 

 I kid!  My C3 Impact is not long from the grave and struggles regularly with lug nuts, so I'm rather fed up with it.

IU've had my DeWalt for several years now. It completely replaced my MAC air impact in the garage. Still on the original battery with it. 

In reply to FooBag (Forum Supporter) :

I know right? It seems like it should fail at any minute but I have a drill and this impact that I've had for nearly 10 years. The matching sawzall still works but the housing is beat to crap, so I'll probably steal the motor for a different project. Most of my other stuff is ryobi but I just can't replace a drill and impact that just keep on plugging as well as these guys do. Granted I'm a 'weekend' user and not a pro, but still these tools have been good to me so far. Also, the lithium batteries are amazing. the original nicd batteries I first had are all junk by now, but the lithium bad dogs are impressive.

It does seem like I'm the only one who has had good luck with craftsman from 10 years ago. 

02Pilot said:

I have the big HF one. Seems to be a quality piece - there was a video out there somewhere where I guy took one apart and seemed impressed by the innards. It hasn't been stopped by anything yet, seems to hold a charge for a good long time. This post reminds me I should buy an extra battery for it, but I haven't needed one.

Do you have the Bauer one or one of the others?  Just looking over the Bauer stuff in the store I've been pretty impressed by it.  Haven't brought myself to buy any of it yet though.  All my cordless stuff is currenlty Snap On and I can't stand having mismatched stuff.

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to FooBag (Forum Supporter) :

I know right? It seems like it should fail at any minute but I have a drill and this impact that I've had for nearly 10 years. The matching sawzall still works but the housing is beat to crap, so I'll probably steal the motor for a different project. Most of my other stuff is ryobi but I just can't replace a drill and impact that just keep on plugging as well as these guys do. Granted I'm a 'weekend' user and not a pro, but still these tools have been good to me so far. Also, the lithium batteries are amazing. the original nicd batteries I first had are all junk by now, but the lithium bad dogs are impressive.

It does seem like I'm the only one who has had good luck with craftsman from 10 years ago. 

It's funny you say that as my impact is nearly 10 years old as well.  I've also got the sawzall, 1/2 drill, and jigsaw.  I really can't complain about the other tools.  The drill ran 25 lbs of 2.5" long screws into my floors in the past few months, as I attached every single floor board to every single joist in my 150+ year old house.  The sawzall also handled several cuts of 4" black iron sewer pipe without much in the line of complaints.

Sadly, I can tell the life of my lithium batteries is decreasing and OEM batteries are no longer available as far as I can tell.  The one Chinese knockoff lithium battery I bought did not hold up. 

I bought a Ridgid tool/battery kit that's pretty much the same as the one linked below (currently $219), but, on mine, one battery is bigger than the other:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-OCTANE-Lithium-Ion-2-3-0-Ah-Batteries-and-Charger-Kit-w-Free-OCTANE-Brushless-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-AC806-R86011B/311019210

I went with this one because, elsewhere on the forum (I can't find it now), someone chimed in that their buddy worked for Ridgid's parent company, it's the same tool as Milwaukee, but the batteries have a warranty.

While I haven't used it extensively, it'll spin axle nuts off effortlessly and has settings so that I don't destroy bolts by over-torquing them. My BiL likes the one he got equally well.

0.02

Another vote for Ridgid here.  Curtis clued us in to battery and tool warranty so I jumped in on that ecosystem.   I started with the impact drill, then the recip saw and they recently brought out the Gen5 brushless impact and I bought that version.   It's been good for tear down of the Cougar suspension and lug nuts.  Happy with the purchase.  

In reply to procainestart :

I literally had that in my cart earlier today with an additional pair of 6ah batteries, which are also on sale. I think it'd handle 98% of what I'd throw at it, the Milwaukee offering the 1000+ lb ft high torque big torque option within the same battery family has me sleeping on it. Leaning towards Milwaukee, but loving the no questions warranty aspect of the Ridgid. They both seem great about backwards battery compatibility.