Customer Reviews

Bare-Tool Milwaukee 2451-20 M12 12-Volt 3/8-Inch Cordless Square Drive Impact Wrench with Ring - (Tool Only, No Battery)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Overall great tool, I bought without battery because I have the M12 Drill set.. However, I plan to go buy the XC Battery so I can gain alitle bit more torque, overall this is great tool works well for tight spaces. But you won't be busting lugs.. But you cant really expect it too.

I bought this because I already had the m18 heavy duty 1/2" impact rated at 450ftlbs. I needed something lighter and more maneuverable for smaller automotive fasteners. I got the XC battery, because I've read that the standard m12 is quite weak. I found deals on impact, 1 XC battery, and charger separately, totaling $150 with shipping. Now I can comfortably tear apart anything between 0 and 450ftlbs.

I tested this impact by torquing a lug nut progressively tighter until the tool couldn't take it off anymore. Last one it took off was 65ftlbs. 75 no go. Seems decent for a tool this size.

It could be a little smaller to fit in the palm of your hand, and maybe a little lighter. Maybe in a few years we'll get there :) For now this is great and very convenient. I use it instead of my ratchet now, and it's a pleasure to work with. So far it's taken off every fastener I've put it on (other than a lug nut), but granted I didn't challenge it very much yet. However, I used it all weekend and the battery still shows a full charge!

One thing I would change is the breakaway torque on the hammer. If the fastener is a little tight to turn, this tool will start impacting instead of just winding it straight through, even though it has plenty of reserve torque left. Actually now that I think of it, this tool would be a lot better if it was designed for the m12 XC battery, with a heavier anvil. I feel like there's enough juice in this battery to break 100ftlbs, and the breakaway torque could be a lot higher, too.

Get to it, Milwaukee! A heavy duty m12 impact that would handle most automotive fasteners would be a godsend!

I do a fair amount of repair of scientific equipment. Manufacturers build their instruments to last forever, and use some sort of thread locking material on every stinking nut and bolt they install. Often I have limited space to work, and I can only schlep around so many tools at once.

The Milwaukee M12 Cordless 12V 3/8" Impact Tool is an excellent example of the progression and application of lithium ion technology, creating super-strong and super small-tools, that entered the market three to four years ago. My overall impression is that this impact driver fits a niche that other manufacturers have seemingly overlooked.

I use a variety of cordless compact LiIon impact driver tools. In reading the accompanying review of the Milwaukee 3/8" M12 Impact Driver, I was concerned about the reviewer's critique of the tool's wimpy torque factor, as in inch/pounds (in/lbs) rating. The reviewer expressed how underwhelmed he was when trying out the 2451-20. For reference, I first looked at the advertised in/lbs rating of the Bosch 12V Max LiIon Impactor, and the manufacturer states a maximum rating of 800 inch/lbs of torque. I then checked the same factor for the Milwaukee 2451-20 and Milwaukee claims a maximum torque of 1000 in/lbs, which would suggest 20% more torque than the Bosch Impactor.

I suppose there is some sort of graphic curve one can refer to or plot out as to what the maximum torque force one could elicit using a 12V LiIon cell and motor. It would be the same old argument about how many horsepower (hp) one can get our of a motor wired to 110V. I suppose through mechanical leverage, a manufacturer might be able to reduce friction and inefficiency, but folks, 12 volts is only 12 volts!

So, having several M12 tools such as he mini Hacksall, the right angle drill, copper tube cutter, the M12 radio and several of the M12 flashlights, batteries and chargers, including the cool dual voltage 110V/12V model, I opted for a bare Milwaukee 2451-20. I also purchased the 3/8" to 1/4" driver adapter so I could use my collection of 1/4" hex bits too. I rounded out my Milwaukee purchase with the Milwaukee 3/8" deep socket set. Without a doubt, I am very pleased with my investment and would heartly refer my friends and co-workers to purchase the same product.

I am a HUGE fan of Bosch tools. Having said that, I'd like to point out the single competitive advantage that the Milwaukee 2451-20 3/8" M12 driver has over the Bosch 12V Max Impactor, is the fact that there is more metal used to build the square drive socket holder. I have broken so many bits, nutdrivers and adapters with the Bosch Impactor, because I am asking an awesome tool to do a big job with a bit that has a 1/4" hex shank.

In summary, because there does not appear to be a viable alternative at this time in the compact 3/8" 12V LiIon impact driver realm, I believe Milwaukee offers a unique utility tool. Milwaukee by all accounts has decided to invest heavily developing other novel tools with the same 12V battery platform, and this one is a beauty, eh? Plus, 20% more torque,so says Milwaukee.

I love it.

This 2451-20 was a little dissappointment for me. Reading the spec sheet made me buy this tool. Now I don't know if Milwaukee was testing this with an 18v battery, but it sure not delivering 83ftlbs. of torque with my M12 48-11-2401 battery pack.
If you just need this tool for 25ftlbs. and under, this is perfect. If you need something more powerful but jumping to an 18v impact would be too big, then all is not lost.

Enter Milwaukee (MLW48112402) M12 XC Battery Pack. This XC BattPack increased the working torque from 20-25ftlbs. to 50ftlbs.!! Yes...I measured it with a torque wrench using a 14mm bolt and nut. Sure it's still a far cry from the advertised 83 but I won't be using this tool to take out lug nuts. Lol..
Now with this XC BattPack, it just doubled my amp/hr to 2.8, doubled the working torque of the tool. Just basically enhanced the performace of my 2451-20. Now I don't feel as bad anymore.

I highly recomend this 2451-20 tool be paired up with the 48-11-2402 XC BattPack.

Very disappointing. This has so little power that it could not remove a rather small 13mm nut on an 8mm bolt. At 1000 in-lbs, I expected it to be able to remove a properly-torqued nut up to around 80 ft-lbs, but there is no way.

I bought this because my 1/2"-drive Makita LXT torque wrench (which is rated for 2040 in-lb) is just overkill for small bolts, and I was worried I would snap them if I seriously started using it on small nuts/bolts like the one mentioned above. The Makita, while being rated for roughly 170 ft-lbs, easily zaps off lug nuts torqued to around 100 ft-lb. It laughed at the 13mm nut above that the Milwaukee could not remove. Granted it is rated for twice the torque, but they are about the same size tools for fitting into tight spaces (Milwaukee is much lighter).

In short, this tool is not suitable for 3/8" work where common socket sizes are 5/16" to 3/4" (by Milwaukee's own Shockwave sockets advertised for use with this drill). 13mm is about 1/2" which is the middle size in the set above. This power of this tool would be better suited to 1/4" sockets, at which point, then, the tool is just too big.

Final Note: This uses the same motor as the impact driver for hex bits which is used for driving things like drywall screws. Even the manual is the same. The power output is accordingly the same and suitable for screws not bolts.