MarvsAMartian
Well-Known Member
I don't use an impact wrench at all. 20v Brushless Dewalt Driver with a socket adapter. Multiple use tool, and a bit smaller which to me is great.
Here is a small portion of a power tool report I researched and produced for a well-known YouTube tool tester to help decide which tool brands to test. Some of you may find it interesting. (Warning: long post - but interesting!)Rigid had some good deals with lifetime batteries from what I recall. Never purchased, used or warrantied any however. Companies have been bought/sold and reconfigured, Bosch makes a whole mess of stuff, Stanley- Black & Decker-DeWalt-Porter Cable fall under one corporation that Delta once belonged to, Milwaukee was purchased by a company that I believe built motors originally and are expanding into accessories, Makita from what I have been told is a stand alone "tool" company and Festool thinks their products are above and beyond at least their prices are.
Don't disagree with anyone's advice on this thread. Competition for the market has been great for the products and users.
A proper socket should help out with keeping your lugs shiny and pretty. Think they have a coating on them or somethingI'm heavily invested in Milwaukee but still haven't warmed up to impacts for changing tires, at least not ones with fancy chrome wrapped lug nutsanyways.
I still prefer to bust mine loose with a 4 way star wrench and then buzz them off with a 1/2" Milwaukee drill and adapter. Installation is the reverse only I snug them up with the drill and then finish off with a 3/4" torque wrench to 110ft/lbs.
The shop that does all my rotations uses the compact 3/8" milwaukee fuel impact and I don't see any damage to any of my lugs yet so I may be a convert here soon.
Great Job on the brand round up.Here is a small portion of a power tool report I researched and produced for a well-known YouTube tool tester to help decide which tool brands to test. Some of you may find it interesting. (Warning: long post - but interesting!)
Power Tool Brands:
Ultra-Premium (Professional, Heavy-Duty)
Premium (Professional & Prosumer, Heavy-Duty)
- Festool
- Festool power tools are considered by many to be the best of the best. Although very expensive, they're a favorite among many professionals and serious woodworkers.
- Festool is a German manufacturer in business since 1925 mostly for professionals in the woodworking industry.
- Generally purchased by established professionals, some consumers are splurging on them as well.
- Fein
- Fein power tools are marketed squarely to professionals mostly in manufacturing industries.
- Fein is a German hand and power tool manufacturer in business since 1867.
- Fein was the first to invent the hand-held electric drill in 1895.
- Not often seen in US power tool retail stores.
- Snap-on
- Snap-on power tools are marketed squarely to professionals mostly in the transportation industry including the automotive, heavy-duty, equipment, marine, aviation, and railroad industries.
- Snap-on is a renowned US hand and power tool manufacturer in business since 1920.
- Sold most online or via tool salesman
- Hilti
- Hilti power tools are marketed squarely to professionals mostly in the construction, building maintenance, energy, and manufacturing industries.
- Hilti is a Liechtenstein hand and power tool manufacturer in business since 1941.
- Hilti tools are often rented to businesses on a contractual basis.
- Hilti tools are rarely sold by US tool retailers.
Here's a nice graphic showing most tool brands and who owns them:
- DeWalt
- Owned and marketed as their premium power tool brand by the Stanley Black & Decker conglomerate, DeWalt tools are extremely popular.
- DeWalt is a US tool manufacturer dating back to 1924.
- Stanley Black & Decker has owned the DeWalt brand since 1960.
- One of the most popular and respected power tool brands in the US.
- Milwaukee
- A highly popular premium power tool brand. Milwaukee, once US based, is now ironically owned by Techtronic Industries, (TTI) a Chinese company, along with AEG, Ryobi, Homelite, and others.
- Milwaukee was a US tool manufacturer dating back to 1924.
- Techtronic aquired Milwaukee power tools in 2005.
- One of the most popular and respected tool brands in the US.
- Bosch
- Owned and marketed by Bosch Global. Bosch power tools are not as popular in the US as they are in Europe and Bosch does not release its full line to US markets.
- Bosch is a German multinational engineering and technology company dating back to 1886.
- Bosch power tools are widely available in the US although not all of their line of power tools is avaiable here.
- Makita
- Owned and marketed by Makita, a Japanese company, Makita power tools are popular in the US and sold both online and by big-box home improvement stores.
- Makita is a Japanese tool manufacturing company dating back to 1915.
- Makita power tools are widely available in the US.
- Hitachi/Metabo HBT
- Hitachi, now known as Metabo HBT is a popular premium brand. Originally a Japanese brand, it was sold to KKR, the same company that now owns Metabo. At some point, Metabo HBT tools may merge with Metabo, but for now, while they share similarities, they are still separate brands. Excellent tools, but not as popular in the US as DeWalt and Milwaukee.
- Hitachi is a Japanese-based tool manufacturing company dating back to 1910.
- Metabo HBT power tools are available in the US.
- Metabo
- Metabo, not to be confused with Metabo HBT, was originally a German brand that was sold to Hitachi in 2016. It has since been sold to KKR. Excellent tools, but not as popular in the US as DeWalt and Milwaukee.
- Metabo is a German-based tool manufacturer dating back to 1924.
- Not as common in the US but available.
- Harbor Freight Hercules & Earthquake
- These are HF's line of power tools marketed as premium tools. Harbor Freight claims "Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!". Indeed, some of these tools often bear a resemblance to Milwaukee tools and may be made by Techtronic Industries, the same Chinese company that owns Milwaukee. These tools are priced well below premium but are marketed as premium. They have yet to prove themselves. They often lack some of the sophisticated features of proven premium tools such as brushless motors. They may in fact only be Semi-Premium.
- Harbor Freight is a US discount tool and equipment retailer and tool manufacturer dating back to 1977.
- HF's line of power tools are not yet as popular, but there is a lot of interest in comparisons due to the lower costs.
- Available throughout the US in Harbor Freight retail stores and online.
- Semi-Premium (Prosumer & Consumer, Medium-Duty)
- Ryobi
- Ryobi power tools are sold by Home Depot, a major local supplier. Ryobi is owned by TTI, the same company that owns Milwaukee. Ryobi has carved a niche for itself by offering purportedly well-made power tools at a lower price than the top tier brands making them very popular among non-professionals and DIYers.
- Ryobi is a Japanese-based tool manufacturing company dating back to 1943.
- Large, loyal customer base, mostly homeowners and non-professionals.
- Ryobi has one of the most comprehensive line of semi-premium power tools.
- Ridgid
- Ridgid power tools are primarily sold by Home Depot. Although Ridgid is an independent tool manufacturer owned by Emerson Electric and licensed to TTI, the same company that owns Milwaukee, some consider Ridgid tools as Home Depot's house brand. Like Ryobi, Ridgid purportedly offers well-made power tools at generally lower prices than the premium tool brands. Ridgid offers an industry-leading lifetime warranty on many of their power tools which stands them apart from the pack. Although considered by many as semi-premium, they appear to be made as well as many premium power tools.
- Ridgid is a US hand tool manufacturer, primarily for plumbing, dating back to 1923. It was sold to Emerson Electric in 1966 who eventually added power tools to its line.
- Ridgid tools can be purchased online as well as in Home Depot stores.
- Kobalt
- Unlike Ridgid, Kobalt, Lowes house brand of tools, is actually owned by Lowes. Like Ryobi, Kobalt purportedly offers well-made power tools at generally lower prices than the premium tool brands. Kobalt tools are not as popular as Ryobi.
- Kobalt is a US-owned subsidiary of Lowes Home Improvement stores dating back to 1998.
- Kobalt power tools have yet to become very popular.
- Harbor Freight Bauer
- Harbor Freight wants the Bauer line of power tools to become a household name. Their Bauer line is marketed to complete with Ryobi, Ridgid, and Craftsman as semi-premium, prosumer power tools. They may hold up well in this category, but only time will tell.
- Harbor Freight is a US discount tool and equipment retailer and tool manufacturer dating back to 1977.
- Also available online.
- Porter-Cable
- Once considered a premium brand, Porter-Cable was purchased by the Stanley Black & Decker conglomerate in 2004. Stanley Black & Decker, who also owns the DeWalt brand, markets their Porter-Cable branded power tools as lower-cost, semi-premium models so as not to compete directly with DeWalt. Porter-Cable's popularity has declined in recent years and appears to be in the process of phase-out.
- Porter-Cable is a US-based tool company dating back to 1906.
- The Porter-Cable line of power tolls appears to be becoming less available at home improvement stores especially since Sears sold Craftsman to the Stanley Black & Decker conglomerate and they now compete directly with each other.
- Craftsman
- Craftsman tools were once the Sears house brand. Struggling to stay in business, Sears sold the rights to Craftsman tools to Stanley Black & Decker in 2017. Although Craftsman hand tools are considered premium, their power tools were never taken seriously as a premium brand. Lowes has recently decided to market Craftsman power tools in their stores, which may revive interest.
- Craftsman is a US-based tool company dating back to 1927.
- Ace Hardware also sells Craftsman.
- Bargain (Consumer Only, Light-Duty)
- Black and Decker
- Yet another brand owned by the Stanley Black & Decker conglomerate. Ironically, despite bearing the parent name of the company, Black and Decker Power Tools have been demoted to strictly bargain class and are quite inferior to both premium and semi-premium power tools.
- Black and Decker is a US-based tool company dating back to 1910.
- Black and Decker power tools are often sold in bargain stores.
- Skil
- Once a manufacturer of quality power tools, Skil is now owned by the Chinese company Chervon.
- Except for the Skilsaw brand, which still manufactures high-quality saws, Skil now focuses on the consumer tier of light-duty tools.
- Skil was a US-based tool manufacturer dating back to 1910. It is now Chinese-owned and operated.
- Skil power tools are not a popular choice but the Skilsaw brand continues to thrive.
- Harbor Freight'sDrill Master, Warrior, and Chicago Electric brands
- HF's lowest-rated power tool lines
- Sold by harbor Freight strictly as bargain tools to complete their full line of power tool offerings.
- Wen
- Wen tools have been around since 1951 but the brand was never considered a premium or even semi-premium brand. These days, they mostly put their name on otherwise generic imported tools.
- Wen was a US-based tool manufacturer dating back to 1951. It is now Chinese-owned and operated.
- Oddly, some specific Wen tools can be considered semi-premium crossovers.
- Wen tools are often sold online.
- Hart
- Owned by TTI, the same company that owns Milwaukee, Hart tools appear to be marketed as a bargain category.
- Hart tools are now sold by Walmart as their house brand but they can be found elsewhere and online.
- Marketed by Walmart as semi-premium, they currently appear to be largely bargain quality.
- Sold at Walmart stores across the US and online.
- Rockwell
- Prior to 1981, Rockwell was a name-brand company that manufactured tools often sold in infomercials. In 2004 the Positec Tool Corporation of Suzhou, China acquired the name and now sells a line of power tools designed to compete in the consumer tier.
- Rockwell was a US tool company dating back to 1945 but is now Chinese-based dating back to 2004.
- Rockwell tools can be found in power tool retailers as a bargain offering.
- Worx
- Owned by the Positec Tool Corporation of Suzhou, China
- Worx is a Chinese-based tool company dating back to 2004.
- Worx tools can be found in power tool retailers as a bargain offering.
- No Name Brands
- Dozens of unrecognized names such as Galax, Popoman, Pink Power, Wakyme, Dekopro, etc.
- Usually manufactured in China
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Why 110 ft/lbs.I'm heavily invested in Milwaukee but still haven't warmed up to impacts for changing tires, at least not ones with fancy chrome wrapped lug nutsanyways.
I still prefer to bust mine loose with a 4 way star wrench and then buzz them off with a 1/2" Milwaukee drill and adapter. Installation is the reverse only I snug them up with the drill and then finish off with a 3/4" torque wrench to 110ft/lbs.
The shop that does all my rotations uses the compact 3/8" milwaukee fuel impact and I don't see any damage to any of my lugs yet so I may be a convert here soon.
Why 110 ft/lbs.
From 2019 Owner's Manual
Torque Specifications **Use only your authorized dealer recommended lug nuts/ bolts and clean or remove any dirt or oil before tightening. NOTE: Do not oil wheel studs. For chrome wheels, do not substitute with chrome plated wheel nuts. Lug Nut/Bolt Torque Lug Nut/Bolt Type **Lug Nut/ Bolt Size Lug Nut/Bolt Socket Size 130 Ft-Lbs (176 N·m) Cone M14 x 1.50 22 mm
130 seems high to me, broke a 1/2 to 3/8 socket adapter (TRW I believe) when 1st time rotating tires and I keep a 1/2" breaker bar for the lugs in case of an unexpected tire event.Good info, every aluminum rim I’ve owned in the past 20 yrs was either 105 or 110 so that’s the number in my head.
I’ve actually never had the wheels off my 2017 or 19’s Ram’s yet but I’ll be sure to update my settings.
One of the first things you should do as a Mopar owner is ditch the stock lug nuts that are chrome caps. And get a good solid one piece lug nut. Especially if you live and drive your vehicle where it rains and snows as they will start to corrode under the chrome cap and start to bulge. Even if you never used an impact on them.I'm heavily invested in Milwaukee but still haven't warmed up to impacts for changing tires, at least not ones with fancy chrome wrapped lug nutsanyways.
I still prefer to bust mine loose with a 4 way star wrench and then buzz them off with a 1/2" Milwaukee drill and adapter. Installation is the reverse only I snug them up with the drill and then finish off with a 3/4" torque wrench to 110ft/lbs.
The shop that does all my rotations uses the compact 3/8" milwaukee fuel impact and I don't see any damage to any of my lugs yet so I may be a convert here soon.
It's not as bad as it appears. TTI, based in Hong Kong, owns Milwaukee but Milwaukee is still an American-based company with headquarters in Brookfield, Wisconsin. These days businesses are global with very large companies selling and acquiring smaller ones as investments and business empires.Damn I hated to see who owns Millwakee, thats the line I've been going with M18's
Good info and the chrome cap can come off at some point.One of the first things you should do as a Mopar owner is ditch the stock lug nuts that are chrome caps. And get a good solid one piece lug nut. Especially if you live and drive your vehicle where it rains and snows as they will start to corrode under the chrome cap and start to bulge. Even if you never used an impact on them.
They’ve historically had garbage tools, so I’m hesitant to try out their newer “high end” brands. It seems to me like they’re just posturing to get themselves into the same category as brands under the Stanley PMI label. I dont trust what their doing at all, as I have a feeling the quality hasn’t changed any from the brands they discontinued.No Harbor Freight love? Bauer or Hercules?
I bought one of these for my son: https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCF89...=1639570090&sprefix=dewalt+imp,aps,179&sr=8-1Strictly for wheel changing... TIA!