Battery Powered Impact Wrenches for the Track

Hey GRM,

I'm looking for a "value" battery powered impact for occasional track duty.  I'll still use air power in the garage.   Can anyone make a recommendation (links are awesome)?

Thanks in advance!

You can get new dewalt on ebay for less than harbor freight, and that’s about as much value as you’re going to get 

I picked up an “OEM” brand brushless model on amazon for $100. Works great

edit: it went up a little 

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-24486-Li-Ion-Brushless-Impact/dp/B0753L1TL4/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=oem+impact+wrench+1%2F2&qid=1566597815&s=gateway&sprefix=oem+im&sr=8-3

Not “value”, but I have the Makita 18v one. It’s amazing. Sold my compressor and my air tools. 

Once you get a good battery powered one you won't use air in the garage much.

I have the Milwaukee mid torque m18 and i rarely get out the air impact.

I still use air for small grinders and the air hammer. I have a hose reel in the middle of the garage ceiling so it's convenient but I'd still sooner grab the cordless tools.

I had one of the harbor freight ones, it was garbage and pooped it self in only a few uses. I was then gifted, by my wealthy mother-in-law of all people, a Milwaukee m18 impact set. My God, what a glorious tool! I’m pretty sure it could reverse time, if you were somehow able to weld a bolt to the fabric of time.

I picked up a Milwaukee 2767-20 for the crank bolt on my Honda. It worked great for that, and I’ve since gotten a bunch of use out of it. I love the feature where it breaks the bolt loose, and then lowers the rpm and walks the bolt off slowly.

I picked it up with a 5aH battery for $199 shipped. The only downside is it’s fairly heavy, but it’s a beast!

Not exactly value, but I have nothing but good things to say about my Dewalt brushless 20v impact, and really any of my other 20v tools. 

Ive heard good things about the HF earthquaker stuff, but haven’t personally tried any of it out

I have DeWalt MAX XR stuff - a small impact and a big monster one. Both are used constantly. Both are still unstoppable. We even carry the small one in the rally car on stage. 

I haven't touched my air impact in years........

I'm going to go contrary to opinion... I have the Bauer 1/2" 20v Impact from Harbor Freight and it's been fantastic.

EvanB said:

Once you get a good battery powered one you won't use air in the garage much.

I have the Milwaukee mid torque m18 and i rarely get out the air impact.

I still use air for small grinders and the air hammer. I have a hose reel in the middle of the garage ceiling so it's convenient but I'd still sooner grab the cordless tools.

I also have the Milwaukee M18. It's fantastic.

I use a Ryobi, works great, awesome, can't believe I worked on cars without it before.  Since they shut off the air at my shop it is all I use now.

Ryobi Impact Wrench

I went the DeWalt off of eBay route. 20v brushless. Haven't used my air impact since.

My 3/8” Milwaukee M18 impact will easily break lug nuts loose. I only need a compressor to air up tires really anymore.

I just bought a Bosch one from Lowes. I tested it on my lug nuts and it just made some noise and didn't loosen the nut at all. Am I doing something wrong, or did I get a crappy one?

EDIT: Pretty sure that this is the one I got: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bosch-Freak-CORE18V-Variable-Speed-Brushless-Cordless-Impact-Driver-1-Included/1000549529

Ranger50 said:

My 3/8” Milwaukee M18 impact will easily break lug nuts loose. I only need a compressor to air up tires really anymore.

I also have one of the Ryobi Air Tools too, this is also an awesome tool.

At the track I've been using a breaker bar and speed handle to change tires (plus torque wrench of course). Smaller, lighter and not likely to go missing. It's a little slower, but unless you're doing a pit stop, that shouldn't be too important.

Pepe said:

I just bought a Bosch one from Lowes. I tested it on my lug nuts and it just made some noise and didn't loosen the nut at all. Am I doing something wrong, or did I get a crappy one?

EDIT: Pretty sure that this is the one I got: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bosch-Freak-CORE18V-Variable-Speed-Brushless-Cordless-Impact-Driver-1-Included/1000549529

That’s rated at   1800 in/ lbs. or 150 ft/ lbs of torque. Not enough for loosening lug nuts. That would be for screwing things together like deck building etc.

In reply to rustybugkiller :

I torque my lug nuts to 95 ft/lbs, so I thought that this would be ok, but clearly that is not the case. I guess I will have to return it and get something more powerful. Or I can just use a breaker bar to loosen the nuts and then just use this thing to get them out, which is what takes the most time.

The question of breaking lug nuts (or bolts, in my case) loose raises something that I've been wondering about. I have the Milwaukee M12 stubby that's rated to 250 ft-lbs. I torque my lugs to 90 ft-lbs, and the impact will not break them loose. Even accounting for extra torque needed to get them started, I figured the little M12 would be able to handle them. It's good for lots of other stuff, but performance on this particular job has left me a little disappointed. It's also got me wondering if I've got a sub-par unit. It's still under warranty - is this the sort of thing that can be tested for?

nimblemotorsports said:

Ranger50 said:

My 3/8” Milwaukee M18 impact will easily break lug nuts loose. I only need a compressor to air up tires really anymore.

I also have one of the Ryobi Air Tools too, this is also an awesome tool.

I bought this today. Well worth it.

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In reply to 02Pilot :

Which battery do you have? Try the M12 6.0 ah (or even 4.0) variety and YouTube says Bob’s your uncle.  

I have one of these new “stubby” M12 1/2” impacts on my shopping list.. but I also wonder if HF has a stubby that is similar performing. 

(Edited typo, meant M12 not 13)

OHSCrifle said:

In reply to 02Pilot :

Which battery do you have? Try the M13 6.0 ah (or even 4.0) variety and YouTube says Bob’s your uncle.  

I have one of these new “stubby” M12 1/2” impacts on my shopping list.. but I also wonder if HF has a stubby that is similar performing. 

I have the 4Ah in it. I don't have a 6Ah yet, but it's on my list.

I really like the tool, in spite of this particular situation. I have the 3/8" version, and it's a nice complement to the big HF Earthquake 1/2" (which will most definitely take off lug studs, or anything else I've stuck it on).

I have all of the Milwaukee tools mentioned in this thread. The M12 stubby is nice and light, it zips lugnuts off pretty easily and will do up to 250ft-lbs. The M18 is for crank pulleys, really rusty stuff and when I'm done asking nicely.  Anything else it's like bringing a 12 gauge shotgun to a fist fight.  The inflator is a nice piece, I bring it with me on any road trip. You need at least a 4.0 battery for it if you are doing more than one tire, it's a thirsty tool.

I recently got one of the Milwaukee impacts to replace a Craftsman that stopped holding a charge 

the Milwaukee is pretty awesome. Reviews seem to say that the battery life is better than others which was a big plus for busy weekends at the track when E36 M3 happens