Almost all of my tool use is for DIY work on my cars and motorcycle, so I have tons of hand tools and exactly one power tool - a DeWalt corded drill. Or should I say, “had,” because I recently moved from the US to Australia and had to sell the drill because the power here is 240v instead of 110v. Around the same time I started to realize that I could make good use of an impact wrench in the garage. I can see that cordless is the way to go for an impact wrench, because for breaking loose a nut you need all the torque at low RPMs, which you won’t get from an AC motor. I’m not looking to invest in air tools right now.
So now I’m in the market for a cordless drill and impact wrench (two separate tools, to be clear). In the US I would probably have bought DeWalt or Milwaukee tools, but here in Oz you don’t really find either of those brands (they are around but uncommon). My primary choices appear to be Makita, Ryobi, AEG, or Bosch. It looks like the Bosch tools are more expensive than the other three, and from digging around Toolguyd it looks like AEG (and maybe Ryobi?) is a TTI brand, who also makes Milwaukee. I’m just looking for something of decent quality that will last, suitable for light home and garage use. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
funny you say that I have a plug in electric impact wrench - and it’s great for the main thing I use it for. Tire removals.
Reason I don’t use it much more - space it’s fairly large
Of the cordless devices - and I’m going to assume here you use 1/2 inch drive sockets for your impact needs - I like the new Dewalt Cordless product. They updated them about 2 years ago and they work really well. I think it might be the current strongest impact wrench on the market today. They make a smaller more compact one now also and that might be the one I would pick. Don’t so much need the larger full torque model and the smaller one might get into more places.
Milwaukee makes one too - I’d consider it also and probably before I’d consider a makita.
For the drill - either is a good piece of Kit. I bought into Dewalt and I like their made in America attempts.
So I’d get a dewalt drill with charger and battery or 2. I’d consider a kit with a impact driver but you didn’t mention wanting one. I’ll say this - I have the upper spec Dewalt one with the 3 speeds and I love it. I also throw a 1/4 square or 3/8 square adapter on it and use it to run in bolts all the time.
Then I would get the impact wrench as a bare tool to save money and I’d even consider a CPO purchased reconditioned one.
I had suggested Makita - because the questioner (autojack) had said Dewalt and Milwaukee tools were hard to find in Australia - and Bosch tools were pricey in Australia.
There’s a YouTube channel I’ve seen from Australia, OzToolTalk, where they often review Milwaukee and DeWalt cordless tools. The guy that runs the channel is often on the TIA forums under the name “Duwain”(I think that’s how he spells it).
Reading comprehension fail. I thought he moved from Australia to the US. OH and to the OP - Hope you have a Holden to drive. I’d kill for a clubman HSV.
IIRC there is Dewalt sold in AUS - but I other than makita I’d probably also look hard at the new hitachi.
Thanks for the replies so far! Since posting this I have dug around and found a chain of tool supply stores which does carry quite a bit of DeWalt and Milwaukee stuff, so I guess it is not as rare as I had thought. It’s just that Bunnings, the Aussie equivalent of Home Depot, only carries one DeWalt and no Milwaukee drills, but lots of Ryobi, Makita, and AEG stuff.
I happen to have a full set of 1/2" regular and deep impact sockets, so yeah I would be looking for a 1/2" wrench. And I do have a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter too if I should need it.
Goods like this are expensive here. I guess another thing I could consider would be getting the bare tools in the US next time I visit, and a compatible battery and charger here. But then I would almost certainly have problems using the warranty if it were ever needed, and I’d have to be sure about the battery compatibility.
Battery compatibility is no problem, the DeWalt US 20v and the everywhere else 18v (slide packs, NOT stem packs) are the exact same. Same goes for all the tool companies. Of course you will need the Australian charger but otherwise no functional difference.
Hey Jack, I love Milwaukee stuff and am also in Australia. You’ll find the best prices online at sites like sydneytools.com.au. If you call up and order over the phone, they’ll often give you a discount.
For even better bargains, I’d recommend Milwaukee gear from the US through eBay using the Global Shipping Program. I’ve saved big $$ doing this and managed to get the M18 Fuel Hackzall weeks before it was released in Australia. US combo kits also come with better bonuses like bigger batteries.
As cr8ondt has said, batteries are no issue. US 110V chargers included in a kit won’t work but they’re easily found on Gumtree, often brand new from people buying kits specifically for the tools.
with either brand I would say you could always buy a bare tool from other internet sites. Around here we have CPO outlet - which is supposedly certified refurb as well as brand new in box. They sell most of the majors and I know from the dewalt repair site near me - they are the place that sells the items people return. I’ve bought a things from them new in box and a few certified refurbished. Only get a 1 year warranty on the refurb but so far so good. My milwaukee sawzall and my dewalt impact driver came that way and have worked fine for years.
I’d again recommend the dewalt mid torque impact wrench - as well as their drills and devices. But that’s just me - I’ll say I find nothing really wrong with the milwaukee ones either. And I don’t know if they are big in your area or not but here it’s called ridgid - over there I believe it’s AEG.
Finally on the internet get the rough dimensions of the tool - and make a cardboard mockup (foam whatever) and place in in the spots on your vehicle you think you would use it. That’s part of what’s lead me to this sized cordless impact wrench. Incidentally I have an australian car - over there you called it the commodore SS - here it was the pontiac G8 GXP. I’d love to have a ute and it sadens me deeply that neither holden nor ford AUS are making product anymore. Either way good luck.
Thanks very much for these replies, I’ve learned a few more things. I will be visiting the US twice this year, so I can probably hold off and pick something up when I get there. Nice to know I would be able to get a charger on Gumtree, or even new in a store if necessary. The tip on checking sizing is also good, I read something similar in another thread. I think a mid-torque impact will be fine for me, I have gotten on fine without one for years so I mostly foresee it being useful for situations when I previously have resorted to penetrating oil, time, and a piece of pipe over the end of a ratchet.