Is anybody out there using the Bosch 1/2" or 3/4" drive cordless impact gun? I see all the hoopla surrounding Dewalt and Milwaukee cordless tools but I already own Bosch and Makita 18V cordless tools which I've always been very impressed with. Just curious if the impact is worth the money for the large fasteners we encounter on tractors. Any input would be greatly appreciated
I have zero personal experience with Bosch 18v stuff but I am in car dealer workshops regularly. I see Snap-on, of course but also lots of Milwaukee and some Bosch or Makita. I usually ask when I see other than Milwaukee and nobody has spoken bad about any brand from the power stand point. You can't go wrong with Bosch. Many guys complain about Snap-On stuff breaking and costing a fortune and taking a long time to get fixed. Most of the battery impacts have more power than their air operated counterparts.
I would agree that most cordless will perform with air tools on a homeowner air set up. A lot of consumer set ups are a small tank and compressor, with small air lines. But - I own the big 1/2" dewalt 20v cordless and big batteries (everyone says they're better so I thought I'd get one and try it ), and quite often I have things it won't take off, that my ancient 1/2" air gun will bust right up. But I have a big 3 phase compressor, big tank, with large steel feed lines over to my smaller air hoses. A lot of people starve air tools for air, and have poorer performance. Cordless is nice if you don't have air around, but in taking loose tight old rusty components in production, I still find cordless lacking. Cordless won't sit there and hammer away on something, without getting hot and smoking the gun or the batteries. I'd like to try one of the new 3/4 or 1" cordless guns sometime on a set of tandems, but not bad enough to buy one. If a guy didn't have air- you would be into it for a lot less going cordless, but I don't think a cordless is going to hold up to the pounding that a 1" pneumatic would dish out day in and out in a truck shop. I find my cordless handy for pulling apart small components like shields and mounting fasteners, but if its anything serious - I'm dragging out the air hose. If you aren't already set up with big air- cordless may be a good option. I find my 1/2 dewalt okay for car type stuff, but anything past that- I find it pretty weak.
I'm sure the Bosch impacts will be fine. Just like their battery powered cousins. I own lots of Milwaukee (including the 1400 ft lb impact) battery powered tools and the are very good for what they are. That said, there is no comparison between air tools and battery tools if you are working them all day. As Detroit suggested, A good 1" air impact properly set up is gonna work circles around a 1" battery powered impact on things like TT wheels. Even a good 3/4" IR air impact can out do the 1400 lb Milwaukee on stubborn bolts. I've done that dance many times and I end up with an air line out to what I'm working on.
Check out AvE's video - I havent watched it but this guy is always super in depth and hilarious.
When I said battery impacts have more power than air I should have been more clear. You standard 1/2" impact running off a 3/8" air line at 125psi is about even or even less strong than the top of the line 1/2" battery model. When you are talking cranking the pressure to 150 or 180 and using a 1/2" line with a top of the line air impact then the battery falls short. 1" air or 3/4" air models running on a 1 inch hose or bigger with a huge diesel powered compressor is not a fair comparison.
Battery impacts have their place. Mine gets used on sheet metal removal and such. My old Craftsman 1/2" is great at hitting hard for about twenty seconds. After that I get out a long handled ratchet and break the fastener loose. I also notice when working in the cold the the gun shuts down after about fifteen seconds and takes a minute or two to come back on. Were I working in a proper shop my air tools would be all I use, especially the 1" drive and the air ratchets. I have used the Milwaukee products and they are impressive. Were I in a service truck, the battery wrenches would be my choice. I always hated listening to the truck engine or a big one lunger blasting away trying to keep up with the tire wrench.
The utility company I work for uses a lot of bosh tools. They have always been good tools, but higher priced than Milwaukee. We also use Milwaukee cordless, in fact they are currently the preferred supplier, not because Bosh isn't as good, but rather, because of price and Milwaukee's willingness to custom create tools that we ask for. I am not familiar with the Bosh impacts, so I went on there site when you posed your question. Like the other companies, I see that they do offer different levels of torque output. What surprised me was that the 1/2" impact that is marketed as high torque (HTH181B 18V High-Torque Impact Wrench) is in fact not the highest torque impact that they sell. The GDS18V-740 PROFACTOR 18V 1/2 In. Impact Wrench is speced out @ 740 Ft.-Lbs. of fastening torque and 1,180 Ft.-Lbs. of max breakaway torque. This is inline with the other top sellers. If you decided to go with the Milwaukee impact, there is an adaptor available that will allow you to use your current bosh batteries in the Milwaukee (see link below). https://www.ebay.com/itm/154879425070?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=237334&meid=d5274d482a6a45dbadd1d9ae6369e6d6&pid=101195&rk=4&rkt=12&sd=154898077503&itm=154879425070&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv9PairwiseWebMskuAspectsV202110NoVariantSeed&brand=Unbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum:154879425070d5274d482a6a45dbadd1d9ae6369e6d6|enc:AQAGAAACICTGD7fePshzhTD%2F10WQzzEzw%2Bzs8AuBHsZTWUGLL8uftFs%2FiB5LrnBdJ0sqzF1PBqkLHlsqrQ8etJ8Icluyf0CfI4L0H0fufnUgTIyApXqYb4E%2BHEUzCMvQIsAHEwROuvaphaAgRn64TgsBQIYaNWtip1dYfibmI7wqfVahi3uDnBxnAY8tau8EmxoCczKwNhBrJGG3QZIST0afUigiUKomK68EBDrfpMflIwr%2BUf4RIEA%2BmeDWjt1VWxnjgqC8lseZm03NrHPQky416EgIIYyb9Py%2BFDM%2B6U6xa7h6q118BIxiSsQgLD3n6%2BI5EUBEk%2BEvsZ7wctltb5Akf8695YQhnLLJrcNPRDC7I%2B1dtHkc84%2FrDXZwhlC%2FtuCTlttZA5Q8XTvVCWa%2Bl0JsKwQVEzrL7yIr8uv62JBofiI71sJHA5O%2FRkrCbZoEL%2F1T%2BGUbb5Uggmurd%2F3KmUyoP14QMhczJr6Gm5BzdjVJLMpNSJCa6wKl26HfgvliC7oyX5AV0rT8FhJgw8yZnB1fwcR1zUOddru4p1THuR07j2v8FAH2y7JYDH1oSKvCx7lvDlycqxdw2JzxwQx3WUqnCqQb6iwRz8%2BkYsp9H7hpoWMN6g%2F17G%2FXFBJoKa8UVDpBzhcJfE8zLHdJPbG31HGtJBBy4IRyUf3WsR9tvrj3IH89dNjxgDrSvwIcBhTtxUopWVXJQMMhA5EkUgi%2FcydQSoHU0hY%3D|ampid L_CLK|clp:2047675
I have a 3/8" Milwaukee cordless with 2- 5 ahb that was gifted to me in 2018. It rattles the wheel lugs off my backhoe, dump truck , motor home effortlessly. I use a 3/8 to 1/2 adaptor for the sockets. Can't comment on Bosh as I only own Makita, Dewalt & Millwaukee. They all impress me with their performance.
Try and stick with one brand or you end up with an endless collection of batteries that don't work with everything. Doesn't Milwaukee have some assurance about keeping their batteries the same for their systems? I have a cordless drill that I am down to one battery with, and you can't buy a replacement. So when this one craps out, I'm going to have to get a new one.
My FIL got a a 1/2" Bosch impact. I'm not sure if it's 18v or not but so far, in my limited use, just around the house, I like it. I now have that and the small Bosch impact that accepts the 1/4" (I think) hex bits, which I like and use a lot. My only complaint with that is the collar that releases the bit stopped working properly within a few uses. I can still use it but it take a wrench to release the quick release.