I work at Home Depot in the tool dept and i see alot more people going for the M12 stuff, Eletricians love the M12 very compact and easy to fit in tight spaces
Definitely use the 12v for the stubby tools but I use the 18v for the mid size guns that I have. The mid size guns put out around 600 ft lbs for break away torque, very powerful.
I used ru-vid.comUgkx4ynqaujg7rZKFapA8s29kTpRszJGa3-K this for the first time today to replace the front wheel bearing on my rwd 98 dodge dakota. This had absolutely no issue removing or reinstalling the lug nuts and it took off the axle nut without any struggle. Sounds like it's got some muscle to it. Time will tell
Yup. Always helps to keep track of things since Milwaukee doesn't do online warranty registration like Dewalt and Makita do. Use a Milwaukee Inkzall paint marker.
In Europe Milwaukee only does online registration so you never need o worry about it but it is handy that the euro stock also has the manufacturing date printed on the battery so you have a rough idea which are your old or new batteries. Is that the same in the US?
Oh, don’t get me started! My grandmother has some kind of OCD... Literally everything she owns has a date written on it somewhere for when she bought it. Even down to the toilet bowl plunger.
love my M12 stubby..that being said if i'm doing my truck lugs or anything that high of torque I just go to my 1/2" mid torque impact..M12 is perfect for working on my bikes, sleds etc..just so friggen handy for that
The 1/2 stubby m12 compact Ive used as my main gun for suspension on various rusty fasteners works really good all the way up 36 mm axle nuts no problem takes little longer. But with removes with no problem
I just got the 2767-20 M18 about 6 months ago. Hasn't let me down once. I will never need 1400ft•lb of torque, but better safe than sorry. Now I'm looking at Milwaukee electric ratchets for those tight spaces
I got the m18 3/8 definitely a nice gun but I never use it. I’m always grabbing my 3/8 m12 stubby. I even ordered the 1/2 stubby because I’ve wanted that one for quite some time. Good video btw!
@@Futurase1 I found out as well after buying a high torque that a mid torque would work on the application. Even a stubby worked once I got impact rated sockets.
awesome review, I think having a 6.0 battery on the Stubby would've edged the M18 out on that last test. Any time the Stubby struggles on something I throw the 6.0 on there and it does the job
@@thewiseguy7100yes and no. Typically the higher the amp hour on the battery pack ndicates better battery cells being used. Itll last longer because of the higher capacity. Better cells do usually equal more power but in some instances like the m18 HO 6 ah vs HO 8 ah the 6 ah outperforms the 8 ah. The torque test channel covers this subject pretty thoroughly.
I'll be going with the M12, no doubt about it. Love the compact batteries. Tri-LED is nice but that does not outweigh the M12 Stubby 3/8" drive as being my choice!!! You really helped me with this choice. After watching your video, it was a no-brainer. By the way, I talked to a Milwaukee tech person who turned wrenches for a living for 30 years and he said the M12 Stubby 3/8" is the way to go. He also said that if I get the M12 and that if I get something stronger down the road, do NOT get a mid-torque, go straight to the high-torque / full size Milwaukee because the M12 Stubby is so great and will do me all I need and is good all the way up to the full size. He said no need for the mid-torque.
I have a M18 mid torque 1/2” and that things is a MONSTER! I can’t see any reason to purchase the high torque gun. I rarely take anything off that’s over 700lbs of ft torque. That’s overkill!
@@MrSubaru1387 no! I just bought my stubby 😢 although I would probably sell it to my friend and buy the Gen 2 if it is the same torque rating with a smaller head and shorter grip (is smaller even possible at this point?)
I did measurements on the m12 and M18 stubby, if you look closely at the bolts securing the hammer and gear assembly to the tool, they are interchangeable, there would be some modifications needed to the plastic body though since they appear to have different shaped locating tabs
Your a great mechanic. Test on other brands other than Subaru with the tools you rely on. As you did on your 3500. You should have torqued the lugs to spec, but as you stated, real world is not controlled. Hopefully Milwaukee has a bigger eye and ear for your subscribers and knowledge. Thanks for the video!
Only reason to get the m18 is if you want to pop a 5ah or something like that so that you get some more capacity but I’d rather just swap some m12 battery’s on the charger because oh aren’t going to be busting dozens of nuts off at a time very often if ever. Might be useful in a construction setting for lag bolts or something like that but in an automotive setting I see the m12 stubby being the clear choice of the two
The best advice I can give to anyone that hasn't already bought one is go with the m12 1/2 stubby, and if you need higher torque, jump straight to the 1/2 high torque. I've got the 3/8 mid torque and I have never had an issue taking anything off with it. I've got the mid torque 3/8 because that's all that I was able to get my hands on due to a time crunch at that moment. Since then, only once did something give me a bit of a struggle and I added a chunkier adapter and socket and the added mass did the job. My issue is that I want the M12 1/2 stubby due to it's more compact size and the M18 1/2 high torque (just in case), but I can't rationalize or convince myself to get either because I've already go the mid torque 3/8 with swivel adapters sockets in 3/8 and 1/2, BUT I WANT A STUBBY!
Hey @MilwaukeeTool ! We would love to see this guy at NPS21. #GetThisManASponser #MilwaukeeTool #NothingButHeavyDuty . I was glad to see the stubby removing the last lug nut. Thanks for the tip with the heavier lug nut/extension. Tried with my stubby on my neighbor’s truck and work it like a charm.
Good Video. That particular m18 CP3.0 compact battery has the power of XC 5.0. It has 21700 cells. That m12 has 18650 cells and the XC 6.0 would me more comparable with the m18 CP3.0 battery.
I have the m18 1/2 in. And the m12 3/8 I’m in construction and use the m18 daily and the m12 I use for working on the cars and trucks and things around the house. Love both of them. Also have the big boy 1/2 for when I want to get crazy 😜
#1. M18 is $100 more expensive #2. m18's battery gets in the way and can force you to use it upside down #3. m18 has smaller grip, which would be uncomfortable to me, being 6'2 #4 the flat head on the M18 reduces work space. If I had to choose between the two, I'd pick the M12 Stubby 3/8 AGAIN & roll with a 1/2 mid torque. I only like the new lights on the M18 compact, my wish list includes a right angle ratchet/impact, mid-torque, & carpentry related tools like a sawzall, circular saw, and mitre saw..so it makes no sense for me to get the M18 compact impact wrench
Great information and thoughts I have both m12 and M18 tools been looking at the new mid torque tools not sure if I am going to grab the new compact I love the 3.0ah packs they are my most used batteries just amazing form factor and weight ratio on the Milwaukee m18 tools
On the mid torque the 1/2” has an extra 50lbft of torque over the 3/8. I think the 1/2” compact would help a tiny bit as the 1/2” anvil will have a bit more mass over the 3/8
I have used M12 3/8” stubby with xc 4.0 since 2018 with winter seized lug nuts off easily on over 100 ft lb where Bosch 18V can’t remove. Done multiple cars van over winter summer and during brakes job as well. Consider a proper socket makes a different too. i use a Wiha standard socket
I have both 12 and 18v batteries wish the 18v batteries were shorter I would definitely get the 18v stubby. Hope Milwaukee comes up with something similar like Dewalt power stack batteries
Good info about the weight of the socket Ive been doing mechanic work since I was a kid and was always told impact sockets were built heavier to take the beating not to actually give the beating
they have few car bolt that you really need to test if you want to test those tool: 1- Honda crank bolt with red locktite 2- BMW wheel lug bolt after 1 winter season (lag bolt) 3- subaru rear suspension that never touch in 10 years.
In the end I went with the M18 and bought some quality beefy swivel adapters + extensions to compensate for the tight areas I encounter on my vehicles.
Love the M12 platform as a home DIYer and part-time contractor. I own a few drivers, drills, saws, and the stubby just recently made my life a lot easier. An 150ft/lb nut by the control arm was located in a tight spot where the breaker bar had limited movement. Took it right off while the car was still on jack stands. Milwaukee, if you're reading this, send me some M12 tools I need (ratchet, lighting, cut off tool, multi tool). Also, your hand tools are pretty decent. If you ever change your battery format, I'll drop you like I dropped Dewalt when they change their 18v to 20v which was really still 18v. It takes less space to print on the box "up to 250 ft/lb torque" vs. "12mm nut left outdoors for 10 years of Subaru originally torqued 150 ft/lb". Would it take off a 19mm nut on VW after 3 yrs?...hummmmm
Which one would you recommend for jobs such as removing lug nuts and also suspension parts? Looking to replace the struts and shocks on an 07 expedition so will be removing a lot of suspension parts.
Now I'm more confused than ever. Have been trying to decide between the m18 and m12. Had decided on the m18 because of some other comparison videos but like you said they were in controlled conditions. NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL TO BUY.
@Carlo Monte M12 3/8” seems to be the answer for these general applications. The smaller size will get you into some tighter locations, but you won’t give up anything in torque. Enjoy!
@@ericmurrell723 get the m12, I just got the m12 and it’s so nice and light. It puts down the same amount as the m18 it can be the only m12 you have for getting the small spots.
I don't like the m12 design's effect on the handles due to the battery design. M18 handles feel much better in the hand to me, it maybe it's less of as issue if you have large hands.
@@narutobroken It is worse with smaller hands, but I also think it is objectively worse in general. Some people like it, but I think they just get used to the odd design and also tend to have larger hands. The evidence for this is that no one makes grips like this, including Milwaukee, except when they have an insert battery design (see m18 grip which is quite different). If Milwaukee ever decides to change to a slide on battery design for m12, we will no longer see the bulbous fat grip.
Wish you would have used the xc6.0 in the M12. The 21700's in the HO 3.0 battery give it a good advantage over the M12 xc3.0's 18650 construction. I've seen a couple tests from different people that show a noteworthy bump in torque when the M12 runs the 6.0.
Yeeesss, a nice review. Many North American pneumatic/cordless tool companies go crazy over those numbers. It's been a constant 'war' between the different brands, primarily waged by their respective marketing departments, lol. The numbers are often over-inflated. Thanks for taking the time to do the demonstration, and illustrating the point about the less than accurate torque fiqures these companies spew.
So does it not make more sense now to just get the m12 right angle for compact focus and the m18 for everything else? Or just m12 right angle plus new m18 mid torque ? The right angle is 210 and that’s a tiny decrease for such a major size reduction
M18 1/2 is really the best of both worlds in terms of the M12 line. Same up front torque as the M12 1/2 with the top end torque of the M12 3/8. Personally I prefer the M12 for their compact size.
Not sure why you're saying that the M12 stubby isn't good for suspension fasteners as it can certainly handle those, unless they're super rusted and seized or on larger trucks and such. You just have to make sure to use fresh higher capacity batteries. Its only main limitation is access to fasteners in tight spots.
Just got the m12 1/2 stubby with 6ah battery. It can't remove any nuts on my Luton sprinter van 2015 not even close. Wheels not been off for a while and overtightend no doubt. It's powerfull but had to crack them all by hand with telescopic strong bar first run so make sure that stays in the boot it your planning on relaying on it. Only tight as the stubby can go now so hopefully won't be a problem with overtightend nuts next time as they still will be over factory torque settings tight if the stubbys max torque is true. if your looking to remove wheels and dont mind cracking the odd bolt by hand it's a good tool and has enough power to put them back securely to.
My only hesitation with keeping the unopened M12 stubby I just purchased is that if I need a bigger impact I'd have to go to M18 with a new battery and charger. I'm thinking about bringing it back and getting the M18 in case I need to get a high torque later on.
No reason not to have both. My high torque 1/2" M18 is something I would struggle to do without, I mainly use it for lug nuts on my truck, I set it to roughly 650-700Nm and not having to do aftertighting 8x12 nuts twice a year is worth every penny, and it twisted off some rusted bolts on the muffler on my Yaris without hesitation. The stubby is more a convenience tool instead of using a hand ratchet imho, but makes life soo much easier...
It would be great if Milwaukee gave you tools to review. However, I don't think your review would be as raw honest. There would arguably be an unconscious pressure to give Milwaukee a better review to grease the skids for future tool acquisition.
Now i’ve hit a dilemma. I have both platforms, im a commercial electrician and can’t decide to which one i want. May say fuck it and get both for the sole reason of using the m18 one to drive lag bolts
Please help guys, I tried using the right angle impact wrench to remove the brake calipers and it just didn’t have enough power… Which one of these two will loosen up brake calipers? Thank you
5:45 if I'm buying the two M18 3.0 CP batteries, I'm gonna shell out a 100 more & get an impact driver, charger & a pack out case with it as well. Still a damn good deal. Had to return mine cuz a generous guy had posted an M12 3/8 extended ratchet for $120 on offer up. It's genuine, brand new & works like a charm
@@wranefis sort of. M18 refers to the 18v the tools operate at and also the fact that they are bigger and can hold more capacity than the smaller ones. Up to 12ah batteries on an impact can last for days if not weeks or months depending on the amount of use you put on them. M12 are supposed to be for lighter applications where weight or space is a concern
Will a 3/8 impact be alright for under the hood of a semi truck or should I get the 1/2 in? I won't really be doing to much suspension work other than changing a tire or an airbag every now and then, but I'll worry about that down the road if the 3/8 in. will work under the hood I'll be alright with that for now. About to buy my first truck is the reason I'm asking.
If I’m not on the m12 system yet, would you still recommend the stubby over the gen 3 3/8” compact? Going to eventually pair either of these with the gen 2 mid torque 1/2”
Hard to say. The stubby has an advantage in size. The M18 has the advantage in lighting, platform capability with thr Mid-Torque and high torque. But, there's a lot of great automotive tools in the M12 platform as well. Depends on what all you think you end up buying.
If you don't have either the M12 or M18 and are just starting out, which of the two platforms would be best to invest in for an all around tool for automotive?
Look at this: the M12 stubby is $100 cheaper than the M18 compact, here in Canada. So pricing has to be similar in the States. These small impact wrenches are for tight spaces, and for me the M12 stubby wins hands down, more compact, less expensive, same power. Videos that recommend automotive tools usually say they roll with a stubby and a mid-torque or high torque. So IMO it's better to save $100 with the M12 stubby, that's your cheaper option - whereas mid-torque you're forced to go with M18 and pay up ($4-500). Do the math on a stubby and mid-torque set to know for sure, I don't like the bulkiness of the M18 compact impact battery.
@@darrenwesoly9941 I decided to go with the M18 compact impact wrench over the M12 stubby. Both the 3/8 were priced the same at home depot $299.99. M12 came with a 2.0 and 4.0 battery, charger and soft carry case. The M18 came with two 2.0 batteries , charger and hard case. What I liked about the M18 are the lights, handle was more comfortable to grip for my hand size, battery capacity, and ease of removal of the battery. I'm sure M12 is great, especially fitting into tight areas. As I build my tool box, I do plan on getting myself M12 tools.
@@Suijinkasi fair enough, but I said it elsewhere, not in my reply to you - the review videos on the compact show the battery getting in the way so bad that they have to flip it upside down to gain access.. I hope it won't be an issue for you, but that's how I justify holding onto my M12 Stubby
When they came out with the Stubby M12, I purchased two of the Stubby 3/8'' drive and a 1/4'' drive bare tools. I paired them with three Waitley M12 9.0Ah batteries and they work awesome for me for nearly 2 years now still going strong used daily. I have no need for the M18 Stubby at all.
