Cordless Impacts

[SC-AW11]

Hello. I'm a current student (SO discount), and my buddy and I have jus started our own little side job business. So far we've had a miata headgasket, and were currently working on a Jetta HG. The cool thing is about both of us working together, we both respect eachothers knowledge, and both of us are pretty much the only people in our whole program who are taking advantage and using the SO student discount. Were both building our SO sets.

This leads me to a question, considering cordless impacts. My buddy sprang for the nice CT7850 kit, 1/2" 450ft lbs. He really loves it and is making me want one. But Ive seen some good things about DeWalt and Milwaukee.

Of those 3, SO, Mil., DeWalt, which do you have or prefer?

And what about 1/2 vs 3/8. I searched but no real conclusions. Sounds like power for 1/2 and accessibility for 3/8. Are they any accessibility problems with 3/8 stockets on a 1/2 gun? (im thinking the bigger gun might get in the way?) If not I see no reason to buy a 3/8.


Would the perfect setup be the nice CT7850 1/2" 450 ft monster, with a nice little Milwaukee or DeWalt 3/8?
1/2" sockets for both? Or is 3/8 needed for the little gun for sure?

 

[Loudpipes66]

I have the 1/2" Ingersoll Rand W7150 impact and love it. It has tons of power. they can be found for around $400 and I think the free battery promo is still going on(If you buy the W7150 you get a free battery). The also make a 3/8 (can't remember the model number) but I haven't got one yet.

 

[Subyroo651]

I have the 1/2" Ingersoll Rand W7150 impact and love it. It has tons of power. they can be found for around $400 and I think the free battery promo is still going on(If you buy the W7150 you get a free battery). The also make a 3/8 (can't remember the model number) but I haven't got one yet.

I would have to second this opinion. The W7150 can't be touched in the 1/2" class, not even SO.

IR has a W5130 which is the 3/8 version but that has some competition from Millwaukee and Snap-On CT8810

Interested in this myself as well.

And kudos on the Side-job idea, it should be a fun way to make $$

 

[T1320T]

It really depends on the work you're doing. Ya, on HGs it's nice to use a 1/2" gun but I think a 3/8" is way more versitile. I love my CT8810 but also have a CT7850 for when I need it. The CT8810 can take of 150ft/lb lug nuts so I'm sure it'll yank HG bolts.

 

[BK13]

For me, who doesn't get the Snap On student discount, the ideal setup would be the IR7150, the Milwaukee M18 2655b (midrange torque, a bit smaller than the IR) and the M12 2454 3/8 for tight areas. My M12 kinda surprises me with how much power it has for a little feller.

 

[rlitman]

I'd think long and hard about where you plan on using a cordless before you jump on it.
If you want raw power, the best 1/2" cordless out there still isn't at the power level you'd see from a pneumatic IR2135Ti, and cordless weighs twice as much.

I have a Milwaukee Fuel M18 1/4" hex impact driver. It weighs more than double what my pneumatic Snap On IM31 3/8" impact does, and has less power (admittedly some of the different is in the smaller anvil), but I still use it often with 3/8" and 1/2" socket adapters (on that note, HD is now selling Makita impact wobble adapters that are excellent). It's a great all-around tool, and good enough that I don't reach for the 3/8" pneumatic gun any more. If this doesn't do it, I go to the real 1/2".

On that note, the Milwaukee Fuel 1/2" full-sized impact is coming out very soon. A lot of us here are expecting that brushless tool to kick the pants on everything else currently on the market. I for one though am perfectly happy being tethered to a compressor, and holding a tool that is more powerful and lighter.

 

[JJThrasher]

I have the SO CT4410A personally I like it. If I need more power its probably a job where I've already grabbed an airline so I use the pneumatic. Plus it has plenty of power to remove most wheels.

 

[shockwave]

For general repair all around use tone snap on 3/8 ct8810 is my go to cordless where the micro cordless impact are great for under the dash and plastic covers. Now the I use the ir7150 where lug nuts and and crank bolts and under carriage suspension bolts that pretty much cover impacts you should also look into milwalkee cordless ratchets 1/4 it has saved me on sided jobs in the past and a much better deal than Matco Cornwell or snap on imo

 

[braol]

I have the Milwaukee fullsize 1/2" impact, 18v Fuel 3/8 impact and the ratchets. I hardly ever use my air impacts anymore and almost never use my air ratchets. When the fullsize Fuel 1/2" impact comes out I will buy it and take the old 1/2" home. The fullsize 1/2" is a little heavy but it takes off most of what I need it to do.

I prefer the Milwaukee because of the price, number of tools available, warranty, and the Fuel versions have different power settings kinda like a regular air impact has.

 

[theknurl]

I'd think long and hard about where you plan on using a cordless before you jump on it.
If you want raw power, the best 1/2" cordless out there still isn't at the power level you'd see from a pneumatic IR2135Ti, and cordless weighs twice as much.

I for one though am perfectly happy being tethered to a compressor, and holding a tool that is more powerful and lighter.

my 1/2" CP-734H puts out 425 lbft and will outlast me if i put a few drops of oil in it every once in a while

if I want portable.....
I have 2 Swench wrenches, mine are the earlier ones made by Curtiss Wright
the 625-50 puts out 500 lbft (1/2" drive) weighs 6 lbs
the 750 800 lbft (3/4"drive) weighs 11 lbs.....the extensions are 1 3/4" tubing

http://www.powerhawk.com/products_swench.html

 

[davesnothere]

I have both the snapon 1/2 and 3/8. They are awesome. If I had the student discount you have, id likely buy another of each to have at home.

 

[rice rocket]

I bought the IR W7150 w/ 3 batts (2 in the kit plus one extra in the mail) for $404 shipped.

I think I'll be selling two (~120 a piece through resellers, probably will sell for about ~100 ea), and that drops the price to $204. And I'll probably end up driving that into the IR W5111 1/4" hex gun as well (180 ft-lb gun and it's 3.5 lbs w/ battery and only 6" long).


I haven't done anything serious with it yet, but I'm not new to 1/2" impacts, cordless or air. I've always found cordless to be way more convenient, but always craved for the power of air. Now I can have my cake and eat it too?

Honestly I'm more excited for the 3.5 lb gun though, which I'll run w/ some 3/8" and 1/2" socket adapters.

 

[davesnothere]

How much are those swrench wrenches?

 

[GSteg]

If you want raw power, the best 1/2" cordless out there still isn't at the power level you'd see from a pneumatic IR2135Ti, and cordless weighs twice as much.

The Ingersoll W7150 is more powerful than a 2135Ti. In fact, it's as powerful as the 2135TiMax. It just happens to weigh a ton in comparison, but many people won't mind as long as there is no hose attached to it.