M12 or M18 Impact Driver...

[Phantom552]

I want to finally buy a cordless impact driver as a birthday present to myself.

I work in a shop that sees a lot of new, rust-free rent-a-heaps for light duty & maintenance work, so I'm specifically looking for one to handle skid plate bolts, belly pans, trim, battery terminals, trans & oil pan bolts, air boxes, brackets, etc.

Is the m12 up to this? Or should I go for the m18? I prefer the compact size of the m12 for obvious reasons, but if it won't fit my needs then the saved size/weight mean nothing.

Thanks guys!

 

[firworks]

That sounds like a better fit for the M12 ratchets than the M12 impact driver. The M12 ratchet is great for speedy disassembly and assembly. I was just using it over the weekend for a lot of the same kinds of things.

 

[jd_1138]

That sounds like a better fit for the M12 ratchets than the M12 impact driver. The M12 ratchet is great for speedy disassembly and assembly. I was just using it over the weekend for a lot of the same kinds of things.

Mean impact wrench? The M12 impact wrench puts out 117 foot-pounds of torque (1,400 inch-pounds). Yeah I think the M12 impact wrench is probably a better fit for the OP.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I use the Matco 12v 1/4 impact for what you're talking about. So I think m12 would be fine.

I do use an air ratchet on trans pans though. I don't want the fluid to ruin my cordless stuff

 

[casestudies]

I don't use mine professionally, just for personal car use and around-the-house tasks, but I love my M12 impact wrench. Use it a lot more than the M18 1/2" dr. because it's lighter and can fit in tight places. Good for lawn mower work and other assemblies around the house too. The M12 will take lug nuts of both my sedans with no problems. Other M12 tools are also smaller but a lot of the time, at least with the brushless FUEL line, the M12 FUEL line seems like they're just as powerful as the M18 for most tasks, i.e. hammer drill or impact driver, but more compact and lighter.

 

[Phantom552]

Just to clarify, I'm looking at a 1/4" impact driver -- not the 3/8 impact wrench. Dealing with more phillips & torx screws than anything. Though down the road a cordless 3/8 impact gun could be a good alternative to my matco pneumatic.

 

[Phantom552]

I use the Matco 12v 1/4 impact for what you're talking about. So I think m12 would be fine.

I do use an air ratchet on trans pans though. I don't want the fluid to ruin my cordless stuff

I always ran air on trans pans previously, but all these 2015-16's seem to have drain plugs, so everything tends to stay pretty clean on disassembly.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I always ran air on trans pans previously, but all these 2015-16's seem to have drain plugs, so everything tends to stay pretty clean on disassembly.

That's is true.

I would get a 1/4 impact driver and wrench. The driver doesn't have the same balls as the wrench imo. They're not that expensive I think they have kits with both

I brought the 1/4 driver, 1/4 impact, 1/4 ratchet, and 1/4 light for I think $550 off the truck. I'm sure the m12 is cheaper.

 

[firworks]

I didn't mean the impact wrench I meant the normal M12 ratchet. I've got the impact wrench as well and it's great but for the types of things he was describing I think the M12 ratchet is a better fit.

 

[6MocoA]

I didn't mean the impact wrench I meant the normal M12 ratchet. I've got the impact wrench as well and it's great but for the types of things he was describing I think the M12 ratchet is a better fit.

It depends on what size fasteners he's using it for. I have the M12 3/8 ratchet and the M12 3/8 impact. The impact can handle pretty much anything in a small car/light truck engine bay (short of monster bolts like a crank bolt) but the ratchet doesnt have the balls to break a lot of fasteners loose. Once they are broke loose, its great to spin things out.

The good thing about the ratchet is that you can lock it and use it as a dead ratchet to break something loose and then unlock it and spin it free.

With all that said, I would prioritize the impact over the ratchet. However, if you already have the impact (and M12 batteries) its a no-brainer to get the ratchet. The bare tool can be had for $60-70 if you look around.

 

[Greg85mcss]

I use the m18 for things like skid plates & brackets with a 3/8 adapter. M12 for under hood with 1/4 & screws. Hex & torx I use which ever the drive size of the bit is. The m12 will do most of what I use the m18 for but I don't want to push it too hard. That said mine aren't fuel so the m12 fuel is probably comparable to the regular m18. I agree with the last post re. the ratchet. That was my first Milwaukee tool but after getting the impacts I only use it when space is tight like accessory drive & brakes.


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[casestudies]

Just to clarify, I'm looking at a 1/4" impact driver -- not the 3/8 impact wrench. Dealing with more phillips & torx screws than anything. Though down the road a cordless 3/8 impact gun could be a good alternative to my matco pneumatic.

Gotchya. I have the M12 1/4" FUEL impact driver too. It's a beast for such a small package. In fact, the M18 1/4" FUEL driver is my used Milwaukee tool.

I use it for installing screws and such for house framing/repairs. It'll drive 4" screws through stuff like there's nothing there, though driving philips heads are kind of a pain with any impact tool. A few weeks ago, I drove a HeadLok screw into 3"+ of LVL too. The M12 1/4" FUEL drove it in, but since I have a M18 1/4" FUEL impact driver, I switched over to that for the rest of the HeadLok screws since it was faster, and didn't seem to struggle as much on the engineered lumber. For driving screws and such through regular framing 2x lumber, the M12 FUEL driver works wonderfully!

I have the M12 ratchet too, and it's helpful in tight spaces, but doesn't have the breaking torque that the driver and the wrench have.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I own the m18 fuel 3/8 impact wrench, 1/4 impact driver and drill/driver and for disassembly of what you've mentioned, I'd go with the m12 fuel. I love my Ingersoll 12v stuff, so light. I tend to reach for that stuff the most. I vote m12

 

[oldldh]

You NEED one of these!!!

It will do the job...

I haven't attacked anything, it hasn't taken off...

1,800 in/lbs of torque...

Available at Home Depot...

Milwaukee #2753-22...Includes case, charger, and two 5.0Amp/Hr batteries...

You will love it...

(Old Man wisdom...I'd rather have "too much" tool, working in an easy load range, than "too little tool", working at maximum output...)

Good luck in your search...

 

[firworks]

You guys are talking breaking things loose and high torque numbers, but a lot of the stuff OP mentioned are hose clamps and air boxes and battery terminals. I haven't run into any hose clamps that I needed to "bust" and if I did I would probably have cut it and replaced it with another one. The M12 Fuel impact is great and I would also reccomend it but there's a reason to have the ratchet and it's exactly for slinging off shrouds and ducts and stuff that you would normally use a ratchet for but can gain a big speed advantage. I also find it a lot easier to use long extensions with the M12 ratchet over the Impact I think just because of the shape. That's how you get around the large body on it. All in all I'm not saying go buy the ratchet immediately OP but I'm saying don't discount it because it's not a torque monster. You don't need that for a lot of types of work. An 8mm bolt holding down a battery tray is never going to need 150 ft/lbs to remove. You'd snap the head off long before that.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

He wants more speed than torque. I think an impact driver will be faster, a wrench would be more simple but the ratchet will be lighter. It's all personal preference. I would just stay in the 12v line

 

[tonyciambrone]

I like the m12 ratchet. I love the m18 impact drivers. I have both the fuel and standard fare. If you aren't driving screws multiple hours a day I would say skip the fuel.

I would skip the m12 3/8. Almost anything it can do can be done with a 1/4 shank to 3/8th male socket adapter. I'm going to sell mine and get the m18 3/8 impact wrench

 

[jd_1138]

The M12 non-Fuel impact driver puts out 850 inch-pounds, while the Fuel M12 impact driver puts out 1,200 inch-pounds. So probably the Fuel version would be a nice "catch weight" -- still small, light yet pretty powerful.

The M18 impact drivers put out about 1,600 inch-pounds.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Just to clarify, I'm looking at a 1/4" impact driver -- not the 3/8 impact wrench. Dealing with more phillips & torx screws than anything. Though down the road a cordless 3/8 impact gun could be a good alternative to my matco pneumatic.

If you are dealing with Phillips, Allen and Torx and smaller hex fasteners the 1/4" hex impact is fine.

Personally, I would opt for the 3/8"impact gun and a 1/4" hex adapter. Most of the adapters don't have the same locking mechanism so bit can come loose, but I am willing to live with that.

 

[MINIz guy]

I have the Milwaukee 2406 1/4" impact driver. I work in a shop and use it daily. Been great for taking off belly pans and small fasteners. I even use it to put on lug nuts and big fasteners that I need to torque to spec afterwards, since it only has ~60 ft. lbs of torquing power.

 

[MrGiggles]

Just to clarify, I'm looking at a 1/4" impact driver -- not the 3/8 impact wrench. Dealing with more phillips & torx screws than anything. Though down the road a cordless 3/8 impact gun could be a good alternative to my matco pneumatic.

I would still get the 3/8 or 1/4 square drive impact wrench. It's a lot more versatile tool, and they usually have more torque.

Get 3/8 and 1/4 torx/allen sockets, you will need them anyway to use with your ratchets.

Milwaukee makes a Shockwave square to 1/4 hex, if you find the need to use a bit.