May 04: Cordless Impact Wrenches
Nothing beats impact wrenches for shifting stubborn bolts
- and cordless versions bring these tools within reach of DIY'ers. James Stanbury separates the hard nuts from the loose screws | |
INTRODUCTION
Sooner or later, when you work on a vehicle, it's a fair bet that you'll come up against a really stubborn nut or bolt. The worst offenders are often found around brakes or suspension areas. They're tight to begin with, but because they're in the line of fire of salt-rich road dirt, they're normally rusted up. And just to make matters worse, it's not uncommon for the bolt head, or nut, to have such heavy surface corrosion that the correctly sized spanner fits sloppily. So, as you apply force, the spanner simply slips around the fastener, taking off whatever's left of its original corners. The result is a bolt that is just as tight as when you started, but to boot is now sporting a roughly round head.
Read on - the full article is published in the May 04 issue. |
Makita 6918 DWDE
Price £320.78
Tel 01908 211678
Performance 10/14
Is it worth the money? 6/6
Overall score 16/20
Comments Expensive, but
a good proposition for automotive use. The reduced size and weight make the tool far more usable in tight, inaccessible areas. Torque output isn't as good as the bigger Makita, and its smaller batteries don't last as long, either. But performance is still highly respectable, though we can't honestly say this is as punchy as an
air-powered wrench. Other things we like are the two NiMH batteries supplied, low battery torque protection, peg and O-ring socket retention, and the excellent access panels for easy changing of the motor brushes.
• PRACTICAL MOTORHOME - BEST BUY
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Makita BTW200 SAJ
Price £555.99
Tel 01908 211678
Performance 13/14
Is it worth the money? 5/6
Overall score 18/20
Comments Most tools here are dearer than air-powered impact wrenches, but this costs more than a wrench and compressor combined. On the other hand, it is one of the most advanced cordless tools on the market today. The two, huge NIMH batteries provide incredible service – thanks, in part, to
a sophisticated charger which wrings every last ounce of energy from them. Torque is easily the best of the group. Even hardened users of pneumatic impact wrenches won't be disappointed – they may be less keen on the size and weight of the tool, though.
• PRACTICAL MOTORHOME - MONEY NO OBJECT
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SIP 06758
Price £175
Contact tel 01509 500300
Performance 4/14
Is it worth the money? 5/6
Overall score 9/20
B The torque output of this 06758 falls somewhere between our best buy and the mammoth Makita BTW200 (both p66). However, it uses the same NiCd batteries as the SIP 06756 (right), and has quite a short duration between charges. It feels more unwieldy in use, too, being bigger, heavier and less well-balanced than its cousin. But of all the products we feel run air-impact wrenches a close race, this is the most sensibly priced. It's a good buy if you want serious torque performance, and the frequent recharges are not
a major inconvenience.
• PRACTICAL MOTORHOME - BUDGET BUY
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Sealey CP1502
Price £281.95
Contact tel 01284 757500
Performance 5/14
Is it worth the money? 4/6
Overall score 9/20
Comments Very similar to SIP's 06756 (above right). Perhaps the most obvious difference is the much higher cost. Performance, in terms of torque and battery life,
is close on the heels of the Makita 6918, but whether that justifies charging nearly twice as much for it as SIP's 06756, (our 'best budget buy'), is another matter.
This is a nicely finished tool which performs well, but at the price level we'd expect to see NiMH batteries. Do look out for Sealey's seasonal offers though, as this tool is often bundled with a free spare battery.
• PRACTICAL MOTORHOME - RECOMMENDED
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SIP 06754
Price £105
Contact tel 01509 500300
Performance 2/14
Is it worth the money? 4/6
Overall score 6/20
Comments This must have seemed like a good idea at the time: put the brutal insides of Makita's BTW 200 into this very compact tool and you'll have a winner. Alas, the contents of this particular case are not so impressive in practice. Torque output is the lowest in the group. But this is also the only 0.375in-drive tool here, so you would use it more often on less demanding bolts than other 0.5in-drive products. Battery performance from the 1.3Ah 14.4v pack is actually surprisingly good. But at this price, it's no shock to find out it's NiCd – and there's no spare.
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SIP 06756
Price £141
Contact tel 01509 500300
Performance 5/14
Is it worth the money? 6/6
Overall score 11/20
Comments Compared to our 'best buy' Makita (previous page) this is less punchy, and battery duration between charges is noticeably less. Also, the battery included is NiCd but a spare is not supplied. But these are perhaps small minus points when you consider that this
is well under half the price
of the winning Makita, and it's a well-made, very usable, product. It's probably not fiery enough to convert users of air-impact wrenches, but it should be very appealing to non-compressor owners. Bear in mind that torque output is only just enough to remove tight wheel nuts..
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Sealey CP3001
Price £325.45
Contact tel 01284 757500
Performance 4/14
Is it worth the money? 1/6
Overall score 5/20
Comments This is even closer to the big Makita in terms of torque output than the SIP 06758. And the bigger battery pack gives better life between charges, too. So why the low score? First, while the tool only slightly out-performs the 06758, it costs twice as much. And, it's the only product here with an on/
off trigger that instantly jumps to full speed. Also, a spare battery would have been a nice inclusion at the price. And like the SIP and big Makita tools, the CP3001 seems too cumbersome for prolonged use.
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Next month
In the June issue, we'll be comparing and contrasting a whole range of solar panels - these clever devices will trickle-charge your battery when you are off the beaten track. And, they will supplement the battery when you're on-site, too. We tell you which are the most versatile and efficient. |
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