Find the best prices using our affiliate links: 1/4" Ratchet geni.us/m12-14in 3/8" Ratchet geni.us/m12-38in *FULL DISCLOSURE:* Milwaukee is sending us tools to use, to make videos with, and sometimes we get to give some away. We are under no obligation to review their products as part of that relationship, and this video went live before they saw it or gave us any feedback on it. I have had these ratchets since October 2017, did not receive monetary compensation or direction, opinions are my own, and everything is scripted myself. We only review tools that are high quality on this channel, and these ratchets impressed me. We are primarily an automotive channel demonstrating unique car builds and gas to diesel engine conversions, and think it makes sense to review automotive tools I actually use, as this is a common enough topic I get asked about. We welcome brands that want to help us continue what we love to do and show you how to do it. While we don't know what the future looks like, our goal with this RUclips venture is to make our time on this platform profitable, and build unique vehicles with the revenue... So building good relationships with quality brands makes sense to us. We believe we can be one of the best automotive channels out there, we believe we can do that successfully while maintaining creative control, and we believe it should be free to watch.
Excellent way to do a "Shill" video, actually used the tool and gave your opinion, didnt just read the marketing nonsense of the box of a shiny tool i just so happen to be team red aswell so far so good and i beat the tools up good, did manage to let the smoke out of the 100$ brushed angle grinder same month i bought it but homedepot jumped me up to the brushless 5" for free since they couldnt seem to find any of the brushed ones they were suppose to have in stock, no problems since way better machine worth it even if youre paying full price.. and i tend to lean on my grinders pretty good
I'm in ireland. I heard whispers about a cordless, airless wrench a few years ago. Hit the web and found the ONLY one in its class in the US. Milwaukee m12 1/4. Paid the import duties, criminal postage charges and got my wrench a month later. I had to do my timing belt and cylinder head IN THE STREET IN JAN. This wee tool is amazing. It now travels in my car. I use it to wind my jack up when I get a puncture then switch to an impact wrench. But honestly i LOVE this. On top of that experience I bought a Milwaukee impact driver for all the diy woodwork I do, awesome wee tool. So with complete confidence I bought an m12 combi drill a few days ago and it's defective out of the box. GGGGRRRRR. Trying to send it back. Very disappointing.
roontunes if your talking about the new 4 mode 1/4” 12volt impact I have one and love it. Beats the hell out of my Bosch 1/4”. I also bought the newest 12volt screwdriver. Bad out of the box and literally went up in smoke the second use and the first use it met shutting down light it was in overload protection even not under load. So I returned it and now I have a replacement. It’s bad also but this time the selector switch fo the forward and reverse is having issues. It feels mushy when going to reverse and blocks the trigger from moving sometimes. I also had a 18 volt drill bad out of the box with selector switch issues also. When you would put it in reverse it would still run forward sometimes. They have good ideas but the quality isn’t that great.
Very good review. problem I found was reversing switch can get stuck if you back a bolt out too far in confined space. Switch is enclosed. A lever below would enable to be tripped with a pin if jammed back.
I have been using the 3/8 and 1/4 for over 2 years now. I did manage to break the pinion on the 1/4" from pulling way too hard, but it was a cheap and easy fix to replace the part. Did not even bother with warranty. Other than that they have been flawless.
I have the older 12v milaukee ratchet in 3/8" and 1/4". Its my most used tool, absolutely love them. I do blow out the ratchet heads about once a year, but the inserts are cheap to buy and easy to install. I may buy that new design in the bare tool, would like to see the additional power. It does look like its quite a bit bigger though, may not be the greatest in tighter spaces.
My brother has had these since the product line has come out and I bought the M18 stuff based on that experience. He keeps these in his FoMoCo travel tools bag in his engineering car.
I am a technician at a High School and we use the Milwaukee Fuel 3/8 inch ratchet, the 3/8 Impact and the 1/2 inch impact. What great tools though the 3/8 impact is suffering some these days.
Hey Rich! Just got the set of Milwaukee wrenches today you gave away in December and I absolutely love them! Fantastic build quality, great packaging I love it! I'm excited to start beating on them! Thanks so much for allowing me to have these!!
I bought a 3/8 to take off the plastic engine pan to change my oil. I figured it would be easy enough to have a powered ratchet in one hand while holding the pan with the other. It worked so well I started using it everywhere I could.
Greetings from the Maritimes Rich. I just had a peek at your Patreon page to see how it was going. I didn't know you guys worked with Truth for Teens. With myself being a Diesel Mechanic and my wife being a Youth Care Worker, you're channel just got that much more interesting. I think I'll be signing up on Patreon soon.
I was very disappointed in MAC also. But every time a Snap On or Matco tool breaks I either get the new better version, or a rebuild. Most of the time they rebuild your ratchet for you right there on the truck. As far as cordless tools go, I don’t think anyone can beat Milwaukee at this point. Cost and warranty beat the tool trucks hands down. And performance is slightly better.
I've been using Milwaukee tools 1/4 in and 3/8 ratchets, first one lasted 5 years of heavy motor and transmission R&R on my second one now . Battery's r still going strong after 6 years you can keep snap on and Max and Cornwell battery ratchets give me Milwaukee ! Got sawzall, drill, impact driver flashlight right angle drill
Yes I have this tool, I love it. But the only problem with it is, I wish it had more rpms! 250 is not enough. It's really Nice in tight Spaces. thank you for the video Good video, Fun to watch.🚘😊👍
Those ratchets are pretty sweet. We use them at work on the assembly lines and they take the abuse day in and day out. They've actually replace almost all the air tools with either Milwaukee guns or Panasonic battery tools. I've had my eye on these for a while and do believe I'll be picking one up for the farm.
I have over 10 different cordless tools from Milwaukee.both brushed and fuel ratchets were shit got rid of them in like new condition. snap on ratchet rocks
Only thing i dont like about the ratchets is if you in a tight space undoing a fastner and jam the head against something you can actually tighten it back up to get it off cos the direction switch is on top,
I have a 3/8 first gen model that is atleast 4 years old, i used to use it daily and used it on everything from trans pan bolts, to head bolts and lug nuts. When they say they designed it to be a ratchet they meant it. Ive stood on the end of these ratchets to break lug nuts loose, and put 5 foot pipes on the end of them. Broken a few batteries, but the tool has survived.The head is harder to flip from forward to reverse because its so worn out, but the motor and switch continue to work without issue. In fact im so impressed that i had all of my workers buy one, i guarantee with my new line of work they wont be replacing it for the next ten years unless they lose it or drop it in water, even that might not kill it. What makes me laugh is when my buddy spends 400$ on a new and shiny snapon 3/8 electric ratchet and even though its over 250$ more than the milwaukee, it still doesnt have a timed light feature. If you use this ratchet alot, that little light becomes invaluable.So while he has to keep the trigger held wasting battery, i can just tap mine every 5-10 seconds or so. Also, he upgrades his tools every year when they get a new and shiny model out that has extra blasto-5000 guts inside of it. Ive literally never had to buy anything else except for batteries, Even those were just extra not necessities.
My m18 1/2 cordless impact died in November after 3 years of hard diesel mechanic use but was totally my fault for holding it for 10 minutes straight and I just bought a new m18 fuel impact and I’m very impressed worth the money definitely I got it off eBay new in the box $160 leave it in my work truck year round and battery newer looses charge
I’m so hesitant to get one. One hand, new tools are always awesome. not having to ratchet out a mile long bolt is a plus. Already on the m12 platform. But on the other hand, it costs money, and i would be way to tempted to grab the battery for that extra 2 inches of leverages. And that’s always been my problem with air ratchets. I would always find my hand working it’s way down the ratchet until I was holding on by the actual air fitting. Not to mention the head on the fuel ratchets is so damn big. And of course you (I) gotta have the brushless model so no brushes for me.
Don’t blame you but Milwaukee doesn’t have the best track record either but it is cheaper and you don’t have to wait weeks on the tool guy. I have 4 Milwaukee tools total. Two 18 volt and two 12 volt. Two were bad out of the box. One of those was a 18 volt drill and the other is the 12 volt new gen screwdriver and it was bad so I replaced it and its bad a second time.
@@whatfreedom7 Milwaukee seems to designate their newer lineup of 12v tools to mechanical work while the 18v are more for contracting jobs. for example the m12 stubby has more torque and has a offset handle to reach more spots on a car while the 18v has no offset handle bigger less torque
I am a millwright and we use the 3/8 drive ones at work. We use the ones with the lighter duty head and they work wonders for alot of stuff. Have seen one guy break the ring gear in the head but he was breaking stuff loose like it was a 1/2" drive ratchet. Makes my job 100x's easier.
I really like my snap on ratchets, they have been with me for years only broke one with a 3’ cheater bar. Also Milwaukee came out with new ratchets and they seem pretty nice I just bought the 3/8
All my ratchets are snap on now. I used cheap ratchets when I started and they worked ok but as soon as I could I bought snap on. I had tried a mac ratchet and they are pretty garbage ratchets for what you pay for them so im not suprised you didn't like them Rich. Snap on you get what you pay for. Remember...ratchets break knuckles so invest in a good one.
@@jeffel80 You realize they have lifetime warranty right? You probably just got a lemon set of gears/anvil. Just tell your dealer and he will replace it for free.
@@jeffel80 It wont break again. And if it does trade it in on something different. Also you shouldn't use huge ass extensions on a 12 inch ratchet. If you need that much leverage buy a breaker bar ratchet. Again you probably just got a bad set of gears/anvil the first time.
Seems the best way to use it is to loosen the screw with your hand and then drive it out with motor. This way u would save a lot battery power without the need of pushing it to limit which is not very big but as said it is meant to be used with hand strength as well and not only motor. Some stupid people complain that it cant breakaway some screw. I cant imagine how one could have a leverage in the hand and not to use it. They need a description otherwise they will mumble about lack of satisfaction. Seems a great tool overall and i will be buying one for myself too. There is even a version with extension and other one with digital torque meter built in as well.
The only thing about their brushless 12v fuel ratchets is that the head compared to the brushed version is alot bigger not allowing to get into tighter spaces so I got the 1/4” drive version and their new long reach version. For easy access bolts the 3/8” drive is fine especially when you use larger sockets.
We have one of these exact guns at our college. We had the air impact on 90psi torque maxed trying to take off rusty u bolts. We had this baby on there and it took a lotta time but they all buzzed off, we were letting the smoke out of the bolts, socket everything was burning hot. The gun was warm, and we had enough battery power for both sets and it took half an hour per set.
I have the 2556 1/4" and the 2557 3/8" and although the 1/4" has been good the 3/8 has had problems since day 1 and has been sent back to milwaukee eservice just to get it back with some extra dents and scratches and the same problem it was sent in for "it does not turn fasteners under it's own power and I can hold the anvil still with my fingers." Keep in mind it has less than a hour of total use. Starting to wish I would of just kept my Ingersoll Rand IQV12 line because I never had a problem with them
Been looking at getting these since I've bought many Milwaukee tools over the past year, extremely impressed with them! For hand ratchets the Craftsman professional 3/8 is what I run along with a Kobalt stubby 3/8 and a Tekton 1/4in and I'll recommend Kobalt and Tekton for something better than Craftsman and not as pricey as Snap-On which are far better than the Mac's and Matco's IMO. And yea you "can't let the smoke out" because they have the overload protection built into the speed controller and that's also why they stop when they reach max torque but can't overcome a bolt.
Ive had a milwaukee 1/4 inch ratchet and their 1/4 inch impact driver for 2 years. They work well and the batteries last pretty long. I like 1/4 inch as they are pretty small. I usually break free the fastener manually and then run em out with 1/4.
We got those fuel Milwaukee at work they are great.i work in a mine and all tools are supplied,so we share tool boxes. The only downfall of the fuel ones is they don't like to get wet.
I have been eyeing this tool for a while now.. I almost pulled the trigger (pun not intended) a week ago when I was picking up some supplies at home depot..... you may have tipped me into going and getting one. I just hate having multiple different battery systems in the garage.. but this might be worth it.
Have you tried HF's impacting air ratchet? It has an impact mechanism so it breaks fasteners loose easily, doesn't torque the tool and drag your knuckles behind. Super tight clearance, probably the best of any impact on the market.
You can let the smoke out if you severely misuse your tool. It is much harder too with the technology we have now. In fact there are quite a few videos of the dewalt brushless impact the D887 being overworked and burning up the motor windings. The other great thing about brushless is that there are no sparks between the brushes and the commutator, so if you're working on a gas tank or some sort of volatile substance you don't run the risk of igniting it.
I love my snapOn 3/8 rat but man I do love brushless and no maintenance to oil the head or grease it sound like a good deal I might be making the switch
after buying a milwaukee 1/2 impact wrench, i have never had to use my air tools again. i replaced all of them with milwaukee and have had no problems. however the non fuel equipment is sometimes sub par. the non fuel grinder is a bit anemic being that it uses a brushed motor.
I've broken sprag clutch 3/8" ratchet in one use... doing an oil change. Homeless Despot has a good manual 3/8". My only concern with these M12 Fuel ratchets is getting them into transverse engine bays where all the tough to get bolts are on the accessory side.
That's pretty good. I've got the drill handled 1/4" impact and various other M12 tools and they've been great. The Hackzall is my favorite, made some pretty fantastic precision cuts where other sawzalls would kick around to much to keep the cut straight. Exhaust tubing, cutting wooden garage siding over the stud for replacement of rotten pieces. Knife plunging and still keeping the blade straight if you can believe.
I have the non-fuel brushed M12 ratchet.... I think it's super weak, it's handy for turning nuts and bolts fast as long as there is no resistance.... I have been avoiding the brushless Fuel M12 ratchet because of how weak the brushed version is.
i like mustangs and all, but the new ones don't impress me because I'm still sore about my SVO mustang. I'll never drive a new one because i might find out I'm wrong.
Im glad they changed the anvil. Iv broken 2 of the old style ones. Im still wondering how many views/subs I have to get before theyll send me anything.
@Thot The Ghetto Atlantean you're not the only one... I had mine barely over 2mos and it already took a crap. Used it EVERYDAY and when it was working it was fantastic. Just got my new replacement hoping it last longer.
I never understood why more air impact ratchets didn't trickle down. The IR offering looks good. I will try these Milwaukee - shocked you haven't busted that battery housing yet! Impressive!
I don’t like many of Matco’s cordless tools but their 16v cordless ratchets are the shit! 70 ft lbs of torque. Hands down the best cordless ratchet I’ve tried. Check one out if you have the chance.
So now in the beginning of 2021, they have the "high speed" fuel versions ... essentially the smaller non-fuel head (so a lower torque rating) but faster speed. They're also offering replacement anvils. I was really torn between the standard fuel and extended reach fuel, but I think for most of my uses, it's hard to justify the extra coin for the extended reach ... I'll be ordering the 3/8" standard length/speed fuel this week.
I had to take my fuel 3/8 ratchet apart to clean/grease it. I had a problem with the m12 6.0 ah battery kinda loosing connection and if u were taking off or fighting it would lose contact and not work it would try but no go. Had to stick a zip tie around it and tie it off to hold it. Had a buddy try the battery on his did the same thing
Great vid. I’ve had the 3/8 fuel for about 5 months and it’s a beast. I use it everyday. You said you have a 1/4 fuel. I wasn’t aware they made those yet. Great video
The evolution of lithium batteries was a game changer which allowed more torque, more run time and Milwaukee has dominated performance with their tools.
Always use the 3.0 batteries on these. I don't like the 4.0 battery as it is shaped more like the M18 and can't get in a lot of tight places. I used to use everything air but now only use air to fill tires.
I bought an air ratchet from MAC about 5 years ago and it also trips when it torques out not sure who makes it but remember it cost too much but I spend too much time working alone to get caught by my air ratchet lol
I retired from the business some time ago [finally a geezer]. Now I just repair my own stuff. Sooooo, what does "FUEL" mean in relationship to a ratchet?...........and GREAT video!!!
I love my Milwaukee 3/8 but I managed to break it after only 5 months of hard use. Been using it like a normal ratchet breaking bolts with it but never a breaker bar etc. Sent it in for warranty work and I already miss it.
How awesome would it be if Milwaukee took the feature that shut the tool down at its max 55 ft/lbs put it on a adjustable turn dial switch so you can have to torque control and actually use the tool to torque to spec.
This video could not be More true .... i got the 3/8 ratchet and its great However i think going with the 1/2 would have bin better as the head of the ratchet is the same size and you get more power when you need it ....cheers
Air tools are junk, I can’t stand them. I was wondering if there would ever be a use for the m12 charger port on my m18 Charger, and this video helped me find one!
Oh, wow, I had no idea there was a product as such, I mean, I was thinking about getting back into some sort of mechanic work(errrr, I should have started my own shop years ago to be truthful), and with tools like this, I am feeling the the confidence if I had some of these tools. Oh sure, I have had and still have some Mac, Snap On, other brands, and that knuckle busting thing you talked of, .....oh yeah, its embarrassing and hurts like hell with an air ratchet. Thanks for the links, ....gonna check it out, most likely something I got to have if I do some mechanic work "professionally",.....even if its just working on my own vehicles for the rest of my life, cause working on things round the home with air tools, it bothers the neighbor that are too close, gets all the neighborhood dogs barking, and I already have hearing damage as it is and don't need anymore so I hate putting on headphones hearing protectors while working on my vehicles when using the air tools around the home and previously in the shops. The days of the air ratchet are over?........almost seems like it now!!! I suppose there are now battery operated heavy duty half inch and three quarter drive air impact tools as powerful as the best macs or snap ons I own, ....well, I do have a heavy duty 3/4 inch drive air impact known good chinese made air impact I bought from harbor freight several years ago for a heavy duty project I had going that I repaired and sold off, ....that tool, cheap as it was sure held up and ready for more, no galling of the main shaft like other cheap air tools I've had that were supposedly heavy duty and el cheapo chinese harbor freight(broken and defective air tools make great door stops and other uses as heavy weighted objects,.....like holding down tarps on corners over stuff outside).
Find the best prices using our affiliate links:
1/4" Ratchet geni.us/m12-14in 3/8" Ratchet geni.us/m12-38in
*FULL DISCLOSURE:* Milwaukee is sending us tools to use, to make videos with, and sometimes we get to give some away. We are under no obligation to review their products as part of that relationship, and this video went live before they saw it or gave us any feedback on it. I have had these ratchets since October 2017, did not receive monetary compensation or direction, opinions are my own, and everything is scripted myself.
We only review tools that are high quality on this channel, and these ratchets impressed me. We are primarily an automotive channel demonstrating unique car builds and gas to diesel engine conversions, and think it makes sense to review automotive tools I actually use, as this is a common enough topic I get asked about. We welcome brands that want to help us continue what we love to do and show you how to do it.
While we don't know what the future looks like, our goal with this RUclips venture is to make our time on this platform profitable, and build unique vehicles with the revenue... So building good relationships with quality brands makes sense to us. We believe we can be one of the best automotive channels out there, we believe we can do that successfully while maintaining creative control, and we believe it should be free to watch.
DEBOSS GARAGE
I bought this tool (3/8) 2 weeks ago... Its a game changer.. Love it!
Got my 15 piece wrench set today! Initial impression is incredible! Very thankful!
Excellent way to do a "Shill" video, actually used the tool and gave your opinion, didnt just read the marketing nonsense of the box of a shiny tool
i just so happen to be team red aswell so far so good and i beat the tools up good, did manage to let the smoke out of the 100$ brushed angle grinder same month i bought it but homedepot jumped me up to the brushless 5" for free since they couldnt seem to find any of the brushed ones they were suppose to have in stock, no problems since way better machine worth it even if youre paying full price.. and i tend to lean on my grinders pretty good
DEBOSS GARAGE off topic but I was wondering if the om629 engine found in the Mercedes e420 cdi is available in Canada?
I find that trigger lock useful for when I throw it in a bag with other stuff
I have both the fuel and old versions and the fuel are a beast. Can't get into as tight of spaces but they still get the job done
Most of the tools Milwaukee makes are top notch , and they stood them love that new Fuel ratchet looks well made
I'm in ireland. I heard whispers about a cordless, airless wrench a few years ago. Hit the web and found the ONLY one in its class in the US. Milwaukee m12 1/4. Paid the import duties, criminal postage charges and got my wrench a month later. I had to do my timing belt and cylinder head IN THE STREET IN JAN. This wee tool is amazing. It now travels in my car. I use it to wind my jack up when I get a puncture then switch to an impact wrench. But honestly i LOVE this. On top of that experience I bought a Milwaukee impact driver for all the diy woodwork I do, awesome wee tool. So with complete confidence I bought an m12 combi drill a few days ago and it's defective out of the box. GGGGRRRRR. Trying to send it back. Very disappointing.
roontunes if your talking about the new 4 mode 1/4” 12volt impact I have one and love it. Beats the hell out of my Bosch 1/4”. I also bought the newest 12volt screwdriver. Bad out of the box and literally went up in smoke the second use and the first use it met shutting down light it was in overload protection even not under load. So I returned it and now I have a replacement. It’s bad also but this time the selector switch fo the forward and reverse is having issues. It feels mushy when going to reverse and blocks the trigger from moving sometimes. I also had a 18 volt drill bad out of the box with selector switch issues also. When you would put it in reverse it would still run forward sometimes. They have good ideas but the quality isn’t that great.
“Criminal postage charges” hilarious!.
Very good review.
problem I found was reversing switch can get stuck if you back a bolt out too far in confined space. Switch is enclosed. A lever below would enable to be tripped with a pin if jammed back.
I have been using the 3/8 and 1/4 for over 2 years now. I did manage to break the pinion on the 1/4" from pulling way too hard, but it was a cheap and easy fix to replace the part. Did not even bother with warranty. Other than that they have been flawless.
I have the older 12v milaukee ratchet in 3/8" and 1/4". Its my most used tool, absolutely love them. I do blow out the ratchet heads about once a year, but the inserts are cheap to buy and easy to install. I may buy that new design in the bare tool, would like to see the additional power. It does look like its quite a bit bigger though, may not be the greatest in tighter spaces.
Those ratchets are awesome when you remember to use them for some reason I always forget to grab mine and just use regular ratchets
I've always used regular rachets, I think I need one of these in my life
My brother has had these since the product line has come out and I bought the M18 stuff based on that experience.
He keeps these in his FoMoCo travel tools bag in his engineering car.
I am a technician at a High School and we use the Milwaukee Fuel 3/8 inch ratchet, the 3/8 Impact and the 1/2 inch impact. What great tools though the 3/8 impact is suffering some these days.
Hey Rich! Just got the set of Milwaukee wrenches today you gave away in December and I absolutely love them! Fantastic build quality, great packaging I love it! I'm excited to start beating on them!
Thanks so much for allowing me to have these!!
Milwaukee M12 review actually starts at 5:36 in case someone doesn't want to watch the long-windedness.
Good gawd that guy can talk
I learn alot from your videos. I am doing more complex repairs now then before. Thank you for all the videos!
I bought a 3/8 to take off the plastic engine pan to change my oil. I figured it would be easy enough to have a powered ratchet in one hand while holding the pan with the other. It worked so well I started using it everywhere I could.
Greetings from the Maritimes Rich. I just had a peek at your Patreon page to see how it was going. I didn't know you guys worked with Truth for Teens. With myself being a Diesel Mechanic and my wife being a Youth Care Worker, you're channel just got that much more interesting. I think I'll be signing up on Patreon soon.
I was very disappointed in MAC also. But every time a Snap On or Matco tool breaks I either get the new better version, or a rebuild. Most of the time they rebuild your ratchet for you right there on the truck.
As far as cordless tools go, I don’t think anyone can beat Milwaukee at this point. Cost and warranty beat the tool trucks hands down. And performance is slightly better.
Surfer Cpa... Just bought this tool to work on my 22 re Toyota 4runner 1985....
Cheers
Konaboyz
I own the 3/8” and I love it, no issues wrenching my diesel.
I've been using Milwaukee tools 1/4 in and 3/8 ratchets, first one lasted 5 years of heavy motor and transmission R&R on my second one now . Battery's r still going strong after 6 years you can keep snap on and Max and Cornwell battery ratchets give me Milwaukee ! Got sawzall, drill, impact driver flashlight right angle drill
Awesome, awesome, awesome. Thanks for the real review. I knew this was an awesome tool already but the dirt is missing from most reviews.
STEVE FACTS
Yes I have this tool, I love it. But the only problem with it is, I wish it had more rpms! 250 is not enough. It's really Nice in tight Spaces. thank you for the video Good video, Fun to watch.🚘😊👍
Those ratchets are pretty sweet. We use them at work on the assembly lines and they take the abuse day in and day out. They've actually replace almost all the air tools with either Milwaukee guns or Panasonic battery tools. I've had my eye on these for a while and do believe I'll be picking one up for the farm.
I have over 10 different cordless tools from Milwaukee.both brushed and fuel ratchets were shit got rid of them in like new condition. snap on ratchet rocks
Only thing i dont like about the ratchets is if you in a tight space undoing a fastner and jam the head against something you can actually tighten it back up to get it off cos the direction switch is on top,
You know it's a quality product when these guys are impressed with it.
I have a 3/8 first gen model that is atleast 4 years old, i used to use it daily and used it on everything from trans pan bolts, to head bolts and lug nuts. When they say they designed it to be a ratchet they meant it. Ive stood on the end of these ratchets to break lug nuts loose, and put 5 foot pipes on the end of them. Broken a few batteries, but the tool has survived.The head is harder to flip from forward to reverse because its so worn out, but the motor and switch continue to work without issue. In fact im so impressed that i had all of my workers buy one, i guarantee with my new line of work they wont be replacing it for the next ten years unless they lose it or drop it in water, even that might not kill it.
What makes me laugh is when my buddy spends 400$ on a new and shiny snapon 3/8 electric ratchet and even though its over 250$ more than the milwaukee, it still doesnt have a timed light feature. If you use this ratchet alot, that little light becomes invaluable.So while he has to keep the trigger held wasting battery, i can just tap mine every 5-10 seconds or so. Also, he upgrades his tools every year when they get a new and shiny model out that has extra blasto-5000 guts inside of it. Ive literally never had to buy anything else except for batteries, Even those were just extra not necessities.
My m18 1/2 cordless impact died in November after 3 years of hard diesel mechanic use but was totally my fault for holding it for 10 minutes straight and I just bought a new m18 fuel impact and I’m very impressed worth the money definitely I got it off eBay new in the box $160 leave it in my work truck year round and battery newer looses charge
I’m so hesitant to get one. One hand, new tools are always awesome. not having to ratchet out a mile long bolt is a plus. Already on the m12 platform. But on the other hand, it costs money, and i would be way to tempted to grab the battery for that extra 2 inches of leverages. And that’s always been my problem with air ratchets. I would always find my hand working it’s way down the ratchet until I was holding on by the actual air fitting. Not to mention the head on the fuel ratchets is so damn big. And of course you (I) gotta have the brushless model so no brushes for me.
I’ve got the Makita version and have been really enjoying it helps to not strip bolts because it doesn’t tighten crazy tight with the motor
Dumped all my snap-on cordless for Milwaukee.
@Jr plz thy cost so........much snap on I mean about $600 starting. Milwaukee $150 for the kit thy are way better than snap on for the price.
@@doggieluv78
And a better warranty. And I don't have to wait a month for a snapon guy to come by.
Don’t blame you but Milwaukee doesn’t have the best track record either but it is cheaper and you don’t have to wait weeks on the tool guy. I have 4 Milwaukee tools total. Two 18 volt and two 12 volt. Two were bad out of the box. One of those was a 18 volt drill and the other is the 12 volt new gen screwdriver and it was bad so I replaced it and its bad a second time.
@@whatfreedom7 Milwaukee seems to designate their newer lineup of 12v tools to mechanical work while the 18v are more for contracting jobs. for example the m12 stubby has more torque and has a offset handle to reach more spots on a car while the 18v has no offset handle bigger less torque
excuse my last comment the m18 impact has more torque lol
I am a millwright and we use the 3/8 drive ones at work. We use the ones with the lighter duty head and they work wonders for alot of stuff. Have seen one guy break the ring gear in the head but he was breaking stuff loose like it was a 1/2" drive ratchet. Makes my job 100x's easier.
I really like my snap on ratchets, they have been with me for years only broke one with a 3’ cheater bar. Also Milwaukee came out with new ratchets and they seem pretty nice I just bought the 3/8
All my ratchets are snap on now. I used cheap ratchets when I started and they worked ok but as soon as I could I bought snap on. I had tried a mac ratchet and they are pretty garbage ratchets for what you pay for them so im not suprised you didn't like them Rich. Snap on you get what you pay for. Remember...ratchets break knuckles so invest in a good one.
@@jeffel80 You realize they have lifetime warranty right? You probably just got a lemon set of gears/anvil. Just tell your dealer and he will replace it for free.
@@jeffel80 It wont break again. And if it does trade it in on something different. Also you shouldn't use huge ass extensions on a 12 inch ratchet. If you need that much leverage buy a breaker bar ratchet. Again you probably just got a bad set of gears/anvil the first time.
Man! You are the first guy on RUclips I’ve seen with dirty & greasy hands! A real mechanic 🛠🔩Thank for the review! 👍🏾
Great vid, and I appreciated you talking about your experiences with the predecessors to battery ratchets.
Seems the best way to use it is to loosen the screw with your hand and then drive it out with motor. This way u would save a lot battery power without the need of pushing it to limit which is not very big but as said it is meant to be used with hand strength as well and not only motor.
Some stupid people complain that it cant breakaway some screw. I cant imagine how one could have a leverage in the hand and not to use it. They need a description otherwise they will mumble about lack of satisfaction. Seems a great tool overall and i will be buying one for myself too. There is even a version with extension and other one with digital torque meter built in as well.
The only thing about their brushless 12v fuel ratchets is that the head compared to the brushed version is alot bigger not allowing to get into tighter spaces so I got the 1/4” drive version and their new long reach version. For easy access bolts the 3/8” drive is fine especially when you use larger sockets.
I have the older version of this Milwaukee but these are awesome and I love it. I never realized how much this thing comes in handy
We have one of these exact guns at our college. We had the air impact on 90psi torque maxed trying to take off rusty u bolts. We had this baby on there and it took a lotta time but they all buzzed off, we were letting the smoke out of the bolts, socket everything was burning hot. The gun was warm, and we had enough battery power for both sets and it took half an hour per set.
I have the 2556 1/4" and the 2557 3/8" and although the 1/4" has been good the 3/8 has had problems since day 1 and has been sent back to milwaukee eservice just to get it back with some extra dents and scratches and the same problem it was sent in for "it does not turn fasteners under it's own power and I can hold the anvil still with my fingers." Keep in mind it has less than a hour of total use. Starting to wish I would of just kept my Ingersoll Rand IQV12 line because I never had a problem with them
Never let the smoke out! Always important with transformers too
Been looking at getting these since I've bought many Milwaukee tools over the past year, extremely impressed with them! For hand ratchets the Craftsman professional 3/8 is what I run along with a Kobalt stubby 3/8 and a Tekton 1/4in and I'll recommend Kobalt and Tekton for something better than Craftsman and not as pricey as Snap-On which are far better than the Mac's and Matco's IMO. And yea you "can't let the smoke out" because they have the overload protection built into the speed controller and that's also why they stop when they reach max torque but can't overcome a bolt.
Ive had a milwaukee 1/4 inch ratchet and their 1/4 inch impact driver for 2 years. They work well and the batteries last pretty long. I like 1/4 inch as they are pretty small. I usually break free the fastener manually and then run em out with 1/4.
We got those fuel Milwaukee at work they are great.i work in a mine and all tools are supplied,so we share tool boxes. The only downfall of the fuel ones is they don't like to get wet.
Brushless has a lot more electronics for motor control than brushed so that makes sense
When it stops I pull out the 24" breaker bar to finish tighting.
I have the m12 cordless rachet 3\8. An I always use my snap on 3\8 wrench I have it for 12yrs an I Love it.
I have been eyeing this tool for a while now.. I almost pulled the trigger (pun not intended) a week ago when I was picking up some supplies at home depot..... you may have tipped me into going and getting one. I just hate having multiple different battery systems in the garage.. but this might be worth it.
Absolutely love these tools! I’ve used them on motorcycles and under the hood of trucks/cars, extremely helpful in tight spots and saves the wrists!
Have you tried HF's impacting air ratchet? It has an impact mechanism so it breaks fasteners loose easily, doesn't torque the tool and drag your knuckles behind. Super tight clearance, probably the best of any impact on the market.
You can let the smoke out if you severely misuse your tool. It is much harder too with the technology we have now. In fact there are quite a few videos of the dewalt brushless impact the D887 being overworked and burning up the motor windings. The other great thing about brushless is that there are no sparks between the brushes and the commutator, so if you're working on a gas tank or some sort of volatile substance you don't run the risk of igniting it.
These ratchets are amazing.
Fuel Ratchet review is at 5:30 mark.
I love my snapOn 3/8 rat but man I do love brushless and no maintenance to oil the head or grease it sound like a good deal I might be making the switch
after buying a milwaukee 1/2 impact wrench, i have never had to use my air tools again. i replaced all of them with milwaukee and have had no problems. however the non fuel equipment is sometimes sub par. the non fuel grinder is a bit anemic being that it uses a brushed motor.
I've broken sprag clutch 3/8" ratchet in one use... doing an oil change. Homeless Despot has a good manual 3/8". My only concern with these M12 Fuel ratchets is getting them into transverse engine bays where all the tough to get bolts are on the accessory side.
I wouldn't throw away your manual ratchets, but it does replace at least 80% of its uses
That's pretty good. I've got the drill handled 1/4" impact and various other M12 tools and they've been great. The Hackzall is my favorite, made some pretty fantastic precision cuts where other sawzalls would kick around to much to keep the cut straight. Exhaust tubing, cutting wooden garage siding over the stud for replacement of rotten pieces. Knife plunging and still keeping the blade straight if you can believe.
I have the non-fuel brushed M12 ratchet.... I think it's super weak, it's handy for turning nuts and bolts fast as long as there is no resistance.... I have been avoiding the brushless Fuel M12 ratchet because of how weak the brushed version is.
i like mustangs and all, but the new ones don't impress me because I'm still sore about my SVO mustang. I'll never drive a new one because i might find out I'm wrong.
Was trying to decide on Milwaukee or earthquake. You just sold me on Milwaukee.
I've been through All The ratchets In 30 yrs. Right Now Hand Matco is the Best. Air 1/4 Mac off set is my Favorite 1/4 for years
Im glad they changed the anvil. Iv broken 2 of the old style ones.
Im still wondering how many views/subs I have to get before theyll send me anything.
$150 worth of views, apparently ;)
Proof?
@Thot The Ghetto Atlantean you're not the only one... I had mine barely over 2mos and it already took a crap. Used it EVERYDAY and when it was working it was fantastic. Just got my new replacement hoping it last longer.
BMW Master tech 44 years in the trade from the UK subscribed. Respect and great review thanks mate👍
I never understood why more air impact ratchets didn't trickle down. The IR offering looks good. I will try these Milwaukee - shocked you haven't busted that battery housing yet! Impressive!
I have some “Pro Point” composite ratchets from Princess that I love, they seem to hold up. I keep some old Stanley ones around for snipping on.
I don’t like many of Matco’s cordless tools but their 16v cordless ratchets are the shit! 70 ft lbs of torque. Hands down the best cordless ratchet I’ve tried. Check one out if you have the chance.
So now in the beginning of 2021, they have the "high speed" fuel versions ... essentially the smaller non-fuel head (so a lower torque rating) but faster speed. They're also offering replacement anvils.
I was really torn between the standard fuel and extended reach fuel, but I think for most of my uses, it's hard to justify the extra coin for the extended reach ... I'll be ordering the 3/8" standard length/speed fuel this week.
I had to take my fuel 3/8 ratchet apart to clean/grease it. I had a problem with the m12 6.0 ah battery kinda loosing connection and if u were taking off or fighting it would lose contact and not work it would try but no go. Had to stick a zip tie around it and tie it off to hold it. Had a buddy try the battery on his did the same thing
I got the 3/8 for Christmas & the M12 jacket I love them both.
Milwaukee has the best tools out of every one
Could not live without my Snap-on 3/8 pivot head curved handle ratchet. Also the craftmans ratchet are a pain they always break
The guy makes tons of awesome videos, if that means the occasional sponsored infomercial on the channel, so be it.
Great vid. I’ve had the 3/8 fuel for about 5 months and it’s a beast. I use it everyday. You said you have a 1/4 fuel. I wasn’t aware they made those yet. Great video
I had a cobalt one and was working my 2nd gen and it sheered the anvil and the end I think is what it's called
The evolution of lithium batteries was a game changer which allowed more torque, more run time and Milwaukee has dominated performance with their tools.
Always use the 3.0 batteries on these. I don't like the 4.0 battery as it is shaped more like the M18 and can't get in a lot of tight places. I used to use everything air but now only use air to fill tires.
You get what you pay for. I’d love to have a pair sometime. Never had a bad experience with them.
I bought an air ratchet from MAC about 5 years ago and it also trips when it torques out not sure who makes it but remember it cost too much but I spend too much time working alone to get caught by my air ratchet lol
Got the non fuel 3/8 fucking love it
I retired from the business some time ago [finally a geezer]. Now I just repair my own stuff. Sooooo, what does "FUEL" mean in relationship to a ratchet?...........and GREAT video!!!
fuel is the updated models with brushless motors
I love my Milwaukee 3/8 but I managed to break it after only 5 months of hard use. Been using it like a normal ratchet breaking bolts with it but never a breaker bar etc. Sent it in for warranty work and I already miss it.
thank you for you REAL point of view
How awesome would it be if Milwaukee took the feature that shut the tool down at its max 55 ft/lbs put it on a adjustable turn dial switch so you can have to torque control and actually use the tool to torque to spec.
I just wanted to say you should do something with Classic Truck Rescue! I think that would be awesome as he's always working on super cool stuff
I like your view on the tools. I am def into these. Maybe will pick one up this year. The prices are not to bad either.
This video could not be More true .... i got the 3/8 ratchet and its great However i think going with the 1/2 would have bin better as the head of the ratchet is the same size and you get more power when you need it ....cheers
Only 5 more ftlbs in 1/2"
i remember those types of 3 bump rachet spiner LOLOL. man that shit was hard trying to change the direction
I have a set of snap on ratchets I got pretty cheap and I’ve never had any of those problems
I've upgraded all my stuff to battery. I have the MAC/ DeWalt stuff.
jeff drier Ganna suck when you’re tight on space. Hand tools still have their place.
Check out the AC Delco cordless g12 line
Air tools are junk, I can’t stand them. I was wondering if there would ever be a use for the m12 charger port on my m18 Charger, and this video helped me find one!
Even you know you should oil air tools before daily or before each use whichever comes first.
I ordered mine it will be here soon. Thanks!
The old timers laughed at me when I got one. Now they want one too. I ain't sharing either :D
I just started watching your videos. Thanks for taking the time to do these reviews.
Thank you for the video I bought both!!
Oh, wow, I had no idea there was a product as such, I mean, I was thinking about getting back into some sort of mechanic work(errrr, I should have started my own shop years ago to be truthful), and with tools like this, I am feeling the the confidence if I had some of these tools. Oh sure, I have had and still have some Mac, Snap On, other brands, and that knuckle busting thing you talked of, .....oh yeah, its embarrassing and hurts like hell with an air ratchet. Thanks for the links, ....gonna check it out, most likely something I got to have if I do some mechanic work "professionally",.....even if its just working on my own vehicles for the rest of my life, cause working on things round the home with air tools, it bothers the neighbor that are too close, gets all the neighborhood dogs barking, and I already have hearing damage as it is and don't need anymore so I hate putting on headphones hearing protectors while working on my vehicles when using the air tools around the home and previously in the shops. The days of the air ratchet are over?........almost seems like it now!!! I suppose there are now battery operated heavy duty half inch and three quarter drive air impact tools as powerful as the best macs or snap ons I own, ....well, I do have a heavy duty 3/4 inch drive air impact known good chinese made air impact I bought from harbor freight several years ago for a heavy duty project I had going that I repaired and sold off, ....that tool, cheap as it was sure held up and ready for more, no galling of the main shaft like other cheap air tools I've had that were supposedly heavy duty and el cheapo chinese harbor freight(broken and defective air tools make great door stops and other uses as heavy weighted objects,.....like holding down tarps on corners over stuff outside).
Can you test out the Milwaukee impact ratchet M12 fuel
5:30 before you pick up the tool.
Great review I think Milwaukee has comparable power to snapon but they deff have snappy beat on price
Just bought those haha, love those and the 1/2" impact high torque wrench.
Very cool! Adding this to my wish list.