I install garage doors, and my impact wrench is my number one weapon. I have owned a 14.4 Milwaukee, 14.4 DeWalt, 18v DeWalt, and now this one. I had to send the Milwaukee back numerous times because of it's poor build quality. I have had motors die on the DeWalt due to its poor cooling design. There are small plastic fins in the motor which move air and keep the motor cool, and they have broken of on every DeWalt impact I have owned. I have been using the Hitachi for more than 4 months without a problem. I look actually look forward to using it. The battery stays secured to the drill, even after a four five foot fall. I laughed at the little light it comes with at first, but it has come in handy in dark garages. The torque is strong enough to pull the lug nuts of a wheel hub, and the battery life is stellar. One battery will get me through multiple double sized garage door installs. The DeWalt would kill at least too full batteries in only one install. It's safe to say that one Hitachi lithium-ion batter = 3+ DeWalt NiCads.
Another reviewer has mentioned a bad smell from the motor. All my impacts, drills, saws, and other power tools have gave off burning odor during the break-in of the tool. This is normal.
One other component of the impact which I enjoy is the pin. Unlike the DeWalt, the pin is designed to keep the socket secure when the pin of the impact is in line with the hole of the socket. The socket WILL come off of the impact with a little force unlike the DeWalt. With the DeWalt, the pin had to be compressed with a nail or screw in order to remove the socket.
To sum this review up... Buy the Hitachi. Hitachi WR18DL 18-volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Impact Wrench
I am a Hitachi fan converted over from Makita. I use this Hitachi WR18DL 18-volt Cordless Impact Wrench to change flat tires on my 2 construction trailers. This Hitachi takes the drudgery out of changing flat tires.
Now I am also using it instead of my air impact wrench around my shop, etc. etc. NO AIR HOSES NEEDED.
Have had impact wrench for few weeks. It is very light and the battery's hold charge very well. The work light is a nice option.
Works well to disassemble engine parts etc.
The only possible negative is it has a tough time with wheel nuts. However it really is not rated as high a tork range as a air impact.
Overall meets all my expectations.
Got the WR18DL today and it promptly took a lug nut that was torqued to 80ft/lb off my Maxima - in about 5 seconds. I plan on keeping this lightweight bulldog in my trunk at all times for just that purpose.
One thing about Hitachi Li-Ion tools that gets overlooked is their battery technology. All Li-Ion batteries are not alike! Hitachi uses the same nano-phosphate formula that DeWalt uses. This technology allows the cycle-life of these batteries to be tripled over the standard manganese (Milwaukee and pretty much everyone else uses this) to 1000-1500 cycles. Manganese Li-Ion only lasts 300-500 cycles - same as NiCd and NiMH. You will need new batteries a lot less often with Hitachi and DeWalt as a result.
I really wish that Ryobi would adapt their One+ impact driver to a wrench because I have their 18V Li-Ion battery, but they didn't - yet. Since Ryobi uses manganese Li-Ion, this is no great hardship. Hitachi sells many bare tools that can use these batteries, so while it's not as versatile as the One+ system, it's the next best thing - with better batteries!
If you're taking big rig tires off, go for the Snap-On CT4850, but anything shy of that can be done at half the price and half the weight by the WR18DL - (again) with better batteries!
Lovin' it.
Don't let the size of this tool trick you. This fanstastic little powerhouse removes the wheel lugs on my trailer and SUVs rapidly. The specs say it's only 1950in-pounds, or 162ft-pounds. It seems to have this plus some. For seriously stubborn tasks, a large and heavy electric may be necessary or a pneumatic impact for the ultimate torque, but for 98% of what I do messing with my Jeeps and lawn tractor blade changing etc, this is a super convenient, small, lightweight powerhouse... (and I don't have to move my compressor, or run super long air lines to my work.)
I shopped for a long time before buying this. There are heavier impacts... Ingersol Rand makes a great cordless with Lithium batteries at 350 ft-pounds. It's $400 w/ two batteries. The Dewalt cordless impact has 300 ft-pounds at $299, but it continues to use the outdated Nicad batteries..in the heat where I live, these fail rapidly and you spend a fortune replacing them every year. I looked at more powerful plug-ins, all above the $150 range have great torque (like the Dewalt:340 ft-pounds at $179), but you'll have to run that power cord to your task. And, most of these tools are HEAVY.
My plan is to use this lightweight powerhouse for most of my chores, and when I need super torque, either hit the task with a 24 inch breaker bar, or breakdown and get a corded electric. If your wheel lugs are not seriously coroded and neglected, this tool seems to have the muscle to take them off. It's so small, it's almost fun to see this tool remove the lugs so easily!
Whoa....size does matter! Small, compact, lightweight size in this instance. If you want a cordless impact wrench...you've gotta try this baby! I can hardly believe the power it has for such a small tool! I work at a wrecking yard driving fork lift, and pull and park an average of 30-40 vehicles a day. I have had my Hitachi impact for almost a year now and I use it 5 days a week to remove wheels from many of these cars and trucks among other tasks. Then I bring it home on weekends in case I have any tasks at home that I might want use it for....it's a tool I just don't like to be without in case I have a wrenching job! I am a mechanical guy and work on cars, appliances, and about anything else that I can fix myself.
I have owned several impact wrenches. I've had a few cheap ones that I won't bother to talk about. Previous to my Hitachi, I had a Goodyear Racing impact wrench. I liked it and it did a good job, but it was heavy, clumsy, and pretty much designed just for using on lug nuts. The batteries also didn't last a long time on a charge and deteriorated a little each time they were recharged requiring replacement after about 6 months. Finally, my charger went belly up as it fried my last battery, so, I went shopping for a new impact wrench as I really need to have a cordless impact on my job.
First I bought a Makita impact wrench thinking that would be the answer. It was lithium-ion, so that solved the battery problem to a great degree, but what a monster. Again, big and heavy and clumsy, and I don't think it was as powerful as my Goodyear Racing impact gun....I quickly returned this puppy.
Then I tried the Hitachi WR18DL....and let me tell you.....this baby smokes! Very light and small and easy to handle but has lots of power and 2 speed settings and was about the same price as the Makita. It is super fast for removing or installing bolts and nuts of all kinds and sizes. It won't do like 1 ton trucks and once in a while at work I will get a lug nut that is so tight that it won't break it loose and I have to break the nut with a fourway by hand. That said, she goes thru 95% of the lug nuts and anything else I have tried without breakin' a sweat.
This little Hitachi impact makes every job that involves wrenching fast and easy and a pleasure to do. As another reviewer said, and I concur, "I actually look forward to using this tool". I have two 3.0 amp hour batteries that I use and they do a great job and last a long time on a charge.
In conclusion....yeah....you can buy a more powerful impact (just double the price and weight), but when you consider size....weight....power and price combined....I don't think you can beat this little impact wrench with anything else on the market! Just a note, if you're shopping for an impact wrench, make sure its an impact wrench your looking at and not an impact driver.....totally different tools.
I am a satisified customer of this impact from Hitachi and was happy to do a review of this tool. - 18v - Lithium-ion - Cordless Tools - Impact Wrenches'
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