I was on this quest a year ago, and with some help from the team.netizens,
I narrowed down the contenders to the Hitachi 12V WH12DK ($217 at Berlands)
and the Makita 12V 6911HDW ($232 at Berlands). I drove to Chicago and tried
these units out in the lot to decide which one to get. I torque my wheels
to 90 ft-lb, and both wrenches could remove and install the nuts to that
torque. They would not budge nuts that were overtorqued a lot more than that
(by the dealer or tire shop). So, on the basis of ergonomics, I chose the
Makita. Its reversing switch is intuitive, and easy to switch with the
thumb. The balance is better, and the tool is more compact. The handle is
more comfortable. Quality has been perfect. I've talked to some other
autocrossers using this wrench, and they were happy with it, too.
Some info about Berland's: They had the best price and availability, and it
was a fun place to visit. Their slogan may be true: "If Berland's doesn't
have it, are you sure you need it?" Their number is 1-800-339-0026.
Home page:
http://www.thetoolman.com/index.html
Cordless impact page:
http://www.thetoolman.com/cgi-bin/shopper/berlnk/tools/cit.html
In retrospect, the impact is a little hard on the nuts and studs, so I
don't often use it to its full capacity. Instead, I use the cross wrench
to break them loose, then spin them off or on with the Makita. I could
accomplish this with a much cheaper cordless drill. On the other hand, I am
getting ready to buy solid stainless McGard nuts, and they should stand up to
the impact better. Not to mention I'm going to start using impact sockets
instead of 12-point hand sockets. Then I will be more comfortable using it
to break the nuts loose. The weak link then will be the studs, which I don't
want to fatigue to failure, so I think I'll still break 'em loose by hand,
except when I'm concerned about getting heat stroke. Then, its power and
speed all the way, baby!
--
Jeffrey D. Blankenship Senior Technical Consultant
jblanken@itds.com ITDS - TRIS
Champaign, IL, USA
|