M18 fuel mid torque 1/2”

[Jwbfx4]

Update in post#44


Late last year was looking into buying the Milwaukee m18 fuel impact. After a lot of searching I went with the mid-torque over the high. I’ve had problems repeatedly busting lug nuts loose. On the highest setting with a fully charged 5.0 battery it will not break the lugs loose. I am in Alabama so there is no salt corrosion for me, nor am I near an ocean. I generally rotate around every 3 months and understand about corrosion. But after torquing a buddies lugs to 110 ft lbs it will not break them back loose. Seems strange to me. Seems like some are breaking lug nuts loose on heavy 1 tons and some can’t break them loose on a Honda.

I feel like it should work, but it’s not. Feel like mine has a problem but don’t have a good way of proving that. Really wished I would have went with the high torque now.

 

[DFB]

Should work better than that I would think...what other variables are involved?

3/8" vs 1/2" drive, lug nut size, impact sockets or chrome, shallow or deep, thin wall flips, extensions bars???

 

[Tallpilot]

Something is not right. Since I got my mid torque the high torque has only come out once. The mid torque just recently did the axle nut on my Tacoma which is way more torque than any lug nut on a light truck.

Before we condemn the impact we need to know if you are using something that is robbing torque, like DFB said.

 

[pioneer1]

That doesn't sound right, I don't own 1, but have been looking at the 1/2 mid-torque. It's rated at 600 ft/lbs busting and 450 ft/lbs fastening so it should take those lugs off with ease. It does have 3 power settings. Are you using the highest setting?
I'm sure some will chime in that owns 1.

 

[jmcf1949]

For what it's worth, the Dewalt 1/2 inch mid range I bought recently took off a friends F-150 lug nuts easily. They are torqued to 150 ft. lbs. I believe the Milwaukee Fuel is rated for higher torque than the Dewalt. Are you sure your torque wrench is accurate?

 

[LS3]

I use mid size on 3/4in A325 bolts every day with 1-1/4in socket, generally torqued to 250ft-lbs but a lot of guys just gun them down with whatever big impact they have. The little mid range has no problem busting them loose. So what you are experiencing doesn’t sound right to me. Sounds like a defective gun, are you positive it’s in its highest setting?

 

[be0tch]

My M18 1/2" mid torque takes off 100ft-lb lugs effortlessly. Yours is not operating normally if it can't take off a 110 ft/-lb lug.

 

[RKA]

Send it in for repair, you got a bad apple. Mine will take off lug nuts @90 ft-lbs on the lowest setting, but it takes a bit of effort. On setting 2 and 3 it zips them off instantly.

 

[BK13]

Yeah, sounds odd. I could take off my Expedition’s lugs with my M18 compact’s raging ~200ft/lbs... Heck, even my M12 3/8” could get them off. The mid-torque doesn’t even seem to notice any resistance.

Granted, I am a bit of a freak when it comes to tire rotations....


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[Bretny]

My non fuel 3/8 impact could remove lug nuts from my rusty k3500 dump truck.

 

[DFB]

Well just for grins this morning I torqued 4 lugs on my old Dodge truck up to 150 ft lbs mark with my Craftsman 1/2" torque wrench, winding the handle all the way up.

Then applied the 1/2" drive 2861 Mid Torque with 3/4" 6pt deep well socket.

I remember how my 2655B 1/2" compact used to struggle hard with the old and tight lugs on that truck, a few it couldn't do.


Rata tat tat

within seconds they each all came off

 

[dacan23]

My mid torque had zero problem on lug nuts with a 5" socket + a 3" locking lug key on power 2 (medium).

 

[Jwbfx4]

Should work better than that I would think...what other variables are involved?

3/8" vs 1/2" drive, lug nut size, impact sockets or chrome, shallow or deep, thin wall flips, extensions bars???

Using a 1/2” drive deep impact socket. Brand new battery that is fully charged with the impact on the highest setting. Also have tried 6 other barriers at different ages that were charged. I have ran it on each setting just to check that it wasn’t backwards. Tried with and without 2” extension on. Can’t say Without a doubt that my torque wrench is not off, but did check it against two others and they all clicked off the same.

May just need to send it in to have it checked on. Didn’t want to go that route if I was expecting something it wasn’t capable of.

 

[pbon]

Something is wrong with the wrench. I’d send it in or return it.

 

[Yarpo]

Re: M18 fuel mid torque 1/2”

I use mine all day long taking off lug bolts and lug nuts on cars that see some harsh salt/winters, no issues even on the heavy duty trucks we see (Sprinter vans and the occasional 3/4 ton truck) so I'd think its safe to assume yours is messed up

 

[visionguru]

....
I feel like it should work, but it’s not. Feel like mine has a problem but don’t have a good way of proving that. Really wished I would have went with the high torque now.

You should have. I have the high torque 1/2" and mid torque 3/8" impact from Ingersoll Rand. The 3/8" has similar spec with Milwaukee mid torque. With advertised 600ft-lb nut busting torque, I was surprised that with a 3 bar (out of 4) 2.5Ah battery, it won't take off Honda lug nuts that were torque to 80 ft-lb. You haven't used the Milwaukee much, if you suspect the tool, there is a big chance that new ones will be the same.

If I can only have 1 impact, it has to be the high torque.

 

[2manytools]

You should have. I have the high torque 1/2" and mid torque 3/8" impact from Ingersoll Rand. The 3/8" has similar spec with Milwaukee mid torque. With advertised 600ft-lb nut busting torque, I was surprised that with a 3 bar (out of 4) 2.5Ah battery, it won't take off Honda lug nuts that were torque to 80 ft-lb.

If I can only have 1 impact, it has to be the high torque.

while I agree with the last statement, the mid-torque should handle most everything on a consumer vehicle. And if I was doing a lot of car work, I wouldn't want to lug the HTIW around all day.

 

[DFB]

Using a 1/2” drive deep impact socket. Brand new battery that is fully charged with the impact on the highest setting. Also have tried 6 other barriers at different ages that were charged. I have ran it on each setting just to check that it wasn’t backwards. Tried with and without 2” extension on. Can’t say Without a doubt that my torque wrench is not off, but did check it against two others and they all clicked off the same.

May just need to send it in to have it checked on. Didn’t want to go that route if I was expecting something it wasn’t capable of.

Well if you feel it is not operating right by all means send it out for warranty inspection thru Milwaukee's E Service, it cost you nothing except to print out a label and describe the problem to them and then drop it off for Fed Ex.


It's not unheard of to have a bad tool...cripes I recently had problems with 3 different ones.

 

[Farmall450]

Well if you feel it is not operating right by all means send it out for warranty inspection thru Milwaukee's E Service, it cost you nothing except to print out a label and describe the problem to them and then drop it off for Fed Ex.


It's not unheard of to have a bad tool...cripes I recently had problems with 3 different ones.

I would be shocked if that slipped past Milwaukee QC. W/ that being said..my Mac/DeWalt 3/8 blasts them off. I do agree that if you only have 1, make it a high torque.

 

[Jwbfx4]

Well I could go buy the high torque, but in doing my research the mid torque should do everything I need. Don’t use one much. No mechanic here just a DIY person.

I’ve been hesitant to send it back only because it’s hard to believe that got past their QC. But I’ll be sending it off this week and I’ll report back. Thanks.

 

[DFB]

IMO its not that its "slipped by QC" but these tools do have circuit control boards and that's often where a failure can be and very well could have been working correctly when packaged and possibly vibration or heat can cause a failure

My high torque had the board go out it exhibited somewhat similar symptoms it wouldn't remove a fastener, just hammered away at it and eventually it just stopped completely.

The grinder though actually had a bad motor and that was pretty much right from the get go, had very limited use, started to smell and would shut down when depressing the trigger.

Still waiting to hear on the 3rd one I just sent out, an impact driver it also kept shutting off during impacting then just quit on me.

 

[Farmall450]

IMO its not that its "slipped by QC" but these tools do have circuit control boards and that's often where a failure can be and very well could have been working correctly when packaged and possibly vibration or heat can cause a failure

My high torque had the board go out it exhibited somewhat similar symptoms it wouldn't remove a fastener, just hammered away at it and eventually it just stopped completely.

The grinder though actually had a bad motor and that was pretty much right from the get go, had very limited use, started to smell and would shut down when depressing the trigger.

Still waiting to hear on the 3rd one I just sent out, an impact driver it also kept shutting off during impacting then just quit on me.

If the tool died from "vibration" during shipping (keep in mind it's an impact), it slipped by QC.

You've had an awfully high amount of failures in modern power tools. I've never had an issue, minus a shi!tty chuck.

 

[DFB]

If the tool died from "vibration" during shipping (keep in mind it's an impact), it slipped by QC.


You've had an awfully high amount of failures in modern power tools. I've never had an issue, minus a shi!tty chuck.

Not from shipping but in it's limited use, and I'd be curious to know if they impact test each unit to it maximum torque at the factory.

And yes I have recently, and although that's seems a bit strange but considering my 20 years in electronics manufacturing not over surprising to me that components can quickly fail after a certain amount time in mass production assemblies. Life, shock and vibration testing of components are spec'd to certain percentage ratios Except for the motor failure I was getting close to the manufacturer warranty limits with the others, the limits are most likely based on those tests.

A bit off topic but today at the motorcycle shop we just replaced a set of sealed factory wheel bearings, found one side had failed after inspection supposed to be good for 100k I was told, bike only had 19,000 mi.

Then learned about another guy that comes there just bought a brand new small Honda his Harley was getting to be too much he's 80 now they had to tow him back to the dealer Friday the spark failed while he was out riding, I don't think the bike had 100 mi yet

Never know these days.

 

[Farmall450]

Not from shipping but in it's limited use, and I'd be curious to know if they impact test each unit to it maximum torque at the factory.

And yes I have recently, and although that's seems a bit strange but considering my 20 years in electronics manufacturing not over surprising to me that components can quickly fail after a certain amount time in mass production assemblies. Life, shock and vibration testing of components are spec'd to certain percentage ratios Except for the motor failure I was getting close to the manufacturer warranty limits with the others, the limits are most likely based on those tests.

A bit off topic but today at the motorcycle shop we just replaced a set of sealed factory wheel bearings, found one side had failed after inspection supposed to be good for 100k I was told, bike only had 19,000 mi.

Then learned about another guy that comes there just bought a brand new small Honda his Harley was getting to be too much he's 80 now they had to tow him back to the dealer Friday the spark failed while he was out riding, I don't think the bike had 100 mi yet

Never know these days.

Yeah, it's unfortunate that you're getting all the lemons lately. Don't buy any lotto tickets, ig.

 

[Badger 13]

I agree with others have said, there must be something wrong. I use mine mostly for lug nuts. After I got my mid-torque, I never used the high torque again, and eventually sold it. Very happy with it.

 

[hobby_guy]

I have one of these tools and it is one of the best Christmas presents I have ever received. I do not know how I lived without one of these all these years!

 

[pstemari]

If it's apparently working but not giving full torque, I would guess that a current sense resistor in the control circuitry is faulty or has a bad connection. Any additional resistance in a current sense resistor will make it look to the brain box that you are pumping in more power than you actually are.

I agree with the advice above to get it replaced or repaired.

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[kctyphoon]

For comparison, my m18 fuel 1/4” impact DRIVER removes lug nuts.. m12 impacts remove lug nuts. I have the the gen1 m18 fuel 3/8 impact , the 1/2” mid torque, and gen 1 high torque also. If that thing doesn’t remove lugs on a car - something is WRONG

 

[2manytools]

If it's apparently working but not giving full torque, I would guess that a current sense resistor in the control circuitry is faulty or has a bad connection. Any additional resistance in a current sense resistor will make it look to the brain box that you are pumping in more power than you actually are.

I agree with the advice above to get it replaced or repaired.

so not working?

 

[DFB]

Whoohoo just got the email MY 1/4" M18 FUEL Impact driver is on it's way back now from warranty fix!

 

[ihateminimumwage]

This thread got me thinking, I bought my Mid torque 2 years ago but was never impressed with it so it didn't get much use. I finally tested it against my torque wrench today and it can't tighten or loosen even up to 150 ft/lbs.

Mystery solved, time to look into warranty.

 

[WittHay]

I have a mid torque also and its a handy tool for some uses. It cant remove a lot of farm pickup truck tires. I dont bother with it for front tractor and implement tires. The high torque gets the most use.

If you take a 15" ratchet with a 18 or 19mm socket and really tighten a grade 8 bolt. The mid torque will not remove them. It should remove most car lug nuts except those German cars with the wheel bolts.

We are talking about a Milwaukee M18 impact that is suppose to have 600 ft, lbs of break away torque not the Stubby M12 with 250 ft. lbs

 

[Yarpo]

If you take a 15" ratchet with a 18 or 19mm socket and really tighten a grade 8 bolt. The mid torque will not remove them. It should remove most car lug nuts except those German cars with the wheel bolts.

I work on German cars probably 85% of my days and it has removed all but one cars wheel bolts, and I've been working on the them 45 hours a week since the first of the year. Everything about the design ***** tho, **** wheel bolts, but my mid torque crushes them.

 

[RKA]

If you take a 15" ratchet with a 18 or 19mm socket and really tighten a grade 8 bolt. The mid torque will not remove them. It should remove most car lug nuts except those German cars with the wheel bolts.

I know nothing about farm equipment, so I won't comment. But the statement above suggests you were working with a malfunctioning mid torque wrench. Those "difficult" german cars typically only have the bolts torqued to 90-100 ft-lbs which is laughable. At the most, those bolts need 150 ft-lbs to undo them after a winter season. Maybe 200 ft-lbs if you haven't rotated the wheels in a long time. My mid torque spins them off without hesitation as one would expect looking at the numbers. I would expect it to do the same with a hand tightened bolt with a 15" long wrench as you described. At the most you'll get 150 ft-lbs on it.

The only exception was when a mechanic pulled the wheel without my knowledge and reinstalled it. I needed a 2ft breaker with a cheater pipe bending that breaker bar to remove the bolts. I have no doubt he spun those bolts on with his air impact on high. I'll give the mid torque a pass on that one. I had to throw those bolts away because they wouldn't hold properly after that (stretched).

I'm not saying 600 ft-lbs is an "honest" number. But it's more than capable of spinning off a lug nut (or german bolt) on a passenger car/truck. Anyone that experiences otherwise should send it in for repair.

 

[WittHay]

i am familiar with Volkswagen's and yes a mid torque will easily remove those bolts. As well as regularly maintained German cars.

My point is if you take a mid torque to a wrecking yard, it should remove most North American and Japanese wheels with lug nuts but it will struggle on cars with wheel bolts.

Same as pickup trucks take a mid torque to a dealership and it should remove most truck lug nuts on the lot. Take it to a farm auction sale with a bunch of farm trucks in the parking lot and it will fail to remove a lot of those wheels.

The mid torque is not really that powerful in my opinion.

 

[DFB]

Nope ain't a perfect world

I had the Mid Torque struggle bad dismantling a bolted together frame on a hay wagon I needed to rebuild at work. 1/2x 13 nuts and bolts 3/4" impact socket, wrench locked right up against the frame pounded away NADA...I really was quite surprised

The High Torque of course got them off but wow I didn't figure it was going be needed, not for coarse thread bolts of that size.

Maybe I should have got a stubby

 

[RKA]

i am familiar with Volkswagen's and yes a mid torque will easily remove those bolts. As well as regularly maintained German cars.

My point is if you take a mid torque to a wrecking yard, it should remove most North American and Japanese wheels with lug nuts but it will struggle on cars with wheel bolts.

Same as pickup trucks take a mid torque to a dealership and it should remove most truck lug nuts on the lot. Take it to a farm auction sale with a bunch of farm trucks in the parking lot and it will fail to remove a lot of those wheels.

The mid torque is not really that powerful in my opinion.

You did say it couldn't remove a bolt tightened with a 15" wrench. I would say it will remove anything I could loosen by hand with a 2-3 ft breaker bar before it gives up. It won't discriminate between a bolt or nut.

 

[CJM8515]

A car with wheel bolts and not lugnuts is very tough to remove those bolts. In some cases I had to use a 24" breaker bar and 3ft pipe!!

 

[Jacobson]

DFB my 1/2" Milwaukee 18V Fuel could not even remove an 18mm shock bolt (no rust)
I had to use my hands and a 25" breaker bar.

Did you try breaking lugs with the "fixed" tool ?

 

[DFB]

DFB my 1/2" Milwaukee 18V Fuel could not even remove an 18mm shock bolt (no rust)
I had to use my hands and a 25" breaker bar.

Did you try breaking lugs with the "fixed" tool ?

I just read the other thread post you made about that.

Though I didn't comment there...

Which 1/2 model Fuel ARE YOU USING?

Like I said my high torque easily but in fact that was also the day late last summer it failed not a click from the switch and needed to be sent out for warranty repair