I have been using this tool every day for a year now. I could literally not be happier. The Hercules 20V are now my cordless tools of choice. I'm continually growing my Hercules tool and battery collection.
If its advertised as 555 Ft.lbs of breakaway torque and your torque wrench maxes out at 250 ft. Lbs, you can’t really say the specs are hyped up. It isn’t the tool’s fault or Harbor Freight’s fault that you couldn’t test it at 555 ft. Lbs.
555 ft.lbs takeoff is a flat-out lie in the real workplace. With the 5ah battery fully charged it still struggles badly with anything over 140 ft.lbs. It's a $60(ebay)-100(HF) impact, that's all it's gonna do.
Pretty dam impressive if you ask me that it can loosen a nut that you had to use a strong arm and your foot against the bumper to tighten! I have the Hercules extended 3/8 ratchet and their 1/4 drive standard reach that i use all day 5 days a week and i LOVE THEM
Lol it did 250+ ft lbs with the 2.5 amp battery. Harbor freight says with the 5.0 amp battery. Not saying it does exactly 550 ft lbs but I bet it's close. Badass tool!
Thanks for the well thought out review. I've been putting off buying a cordless impact because I have a nice Chicago Pneumatic for my workshop, but I have to go to the junkyard to get a set of hubs, so now I NEED cordless. I'll be heading to HF to buy one of these today.
If you carry the right size battery you will get the 5 55 foot pounds breaking power. I use a lot I have this one and the half inch Ultra torque impact. Hercules has up their game. Also right now you can buy the battery and charger and get the impact for free at Harbor Freight while supplies last.
Thanks for the video. There are many variables that go into testing the torque rating of a tool. The size of the bolt/nut, a shallow of deep well socket, extensions All of these variables will have an impact (no pun intended) of the max torque ratings. There should be a standard on the ratings. For example a torque rating shoulld be specifed for 17mm -20mm shallow and deepwell impact sockets. The consumer then can spend his/her monies more wisely when comparing tools.
I'm happy with my Hercules impact driver and 1/2 High Torque impact wrench. Both have the 5a battery. However, this 1/2 compact impact wrench is not very strong. Tried it and returned it the next day when it struggled to take off lugs on some cars. I ended up purchasing the Dewalt DCF891 Mid Torque (800ft/lb) with the 5a Powerstack battery which is as strong as the feedback all around says. If it continues to perform this good, the Hercules High Torque will come out only for certain tasks
Not bad for the price. Would probably work for like 90 percent of the things I plan on using it for, mainly my truck. Worst case scenario if I ever need something a little stronger I'll buy one of those Extreme Torque Earthquakes.
I own a semi truck company thinking of buying both this one for my small jobs like Alternator and Starters but using the Earthquake for tire and ujoin changing
Yes sir, you are so correct. It seems like all of these companies double state the torque then what it really is. These companies seem to get away with there lies since there is no federal regulations or industry standards on these kind of power tools. Thank GOD for this channel, TTC channel and shop tool reviews to let us customers the real true about what lease power tools can really do. 🇺🇸😎🇺🇸
It was hard to put the battery in because there is rubber placed inside about 4 areas in the battery area on the tool which I don't like because a small part of the rubber on my 1/2 started to break off fresh out of the box while putting the new battery on (& wondering why it was a little hard unlike Milwaukee or Bauer)
There are plenty of more scientific testing videos of this tool, which also include using the correct battery to achieve the stated rating. Yes, amp hours do make a big difference in power output. It’s not a bad video, but by not having more than 250ft/lb to test with and not using the 5ah battery (at least) you can’t determine the actual power or if it lives up to the claims
Don't they have like a certain time limit to get the torque values when they do the testing? I think it's 10 or 15 seconds that you got to let it hammer away to get up to that 300-plus foot pound range. I have the little quarter inch version that can tighten a bolt down to 200 ft lbs.
Correct in the specs it clearly reads that it takes 30 seconds to reach its maximum torque. In this video the label was covering the breakaway torque specs and that was the most important part to read but it was looked over
I saw video on Herc 1/4 inch impact driver doing about 500 Ft Lbs breakaway torque and you didn't have torque wrench to even measure it soo going with Herc specs are likely true
Even the over priced snap on and matco, which I've had both brands in all sizes play up their usage specs. Can't count on anything anymore but if it does what you need to, that's all that matters...and for the price, it is what it is. No need to make payments on a tool truck. Thanks for the video.
You were using the 2.5ah battery for your test this tool may perform better with the 5ah, 8ah or 12ah battery for those higher torque settings and it would be the same for Dewalt, Milwaukee, Makita or Flex tools the bigger battery pack the more power you have especially on these impact drivers so give a bigger battery a try and do your test again I suggest maybe the 8ah Hercules battery pack
It only makes 65 and 67 percent of the torque of the new mid torques from Ryobi and Milwaukee. In fact it makes slightly less torque then the brushless hart in best case scenario.
Not a good review. Your torque wrench maxed out at 250 (which YOU struggled with) and the impact loosened the nut with the small battery so what's your gripe?
I think that is a great and I don't that you are giving it a proper test, you only let it tighten for 2.5 - 3seconds... I would say minimum try 5 seconds and on Torque Test channel they say best case scenario is 15 seconds for maximum talk. Also i think companies get that max torque reading after i think 10-15 seconds and they grease the nut and bolt. I think for the price and size of the tool it's great for money.
Would turning the hitch sideways in receiver make it easier to apply torque at a downward force rather than pulling for torque. I know you can’t pin it but might make it easier for testing.
That’s too bad. They should not have exaggerated that much. Their credibility goes way down. I like Hercules but not happy they did that with the numbers on this one.
Is batteries on this line compatible with any other one that HF sells or other brands in market? I don't want to go for something when already have other brands' multiple battery and chargers so non compatibility is a major deal breaker for me.
I compared this Hercules 1/2" Compact impact driver with my Milwaukee M12 Fuel Stubby 1/2" impact driver and the Stubby is bit smaller w/o battery. I tested the speed on each mode and the Stubby was obviously faster and showed more power. The M12 Stubby is very powerful and it maxes out at 255ft-lbs. of breakaway torque. No way the Hercules with the 4amp 21700 battery can surpassed the Stubby on a 6.0ah.battery! Remember the 21700 cells are almost twice the power of the older 18650 batteries! So the Hercules 4.0ah battery is as equal to a powerful 7amp battery, no joke. Yet it still falls behind the powerful little M12 Stubby impact driver!
Milwaukee always going to have more power packed in smaller size tool. This is mostly budget tools batteries are really cheap that will get the job done.
One question with 5 ah battery using 1st mod with 1/2 HARBO R FREIGHT IMPACT WRENCH will b same tighining 77flb . I was watching video you were using 2.5 ah battery because I have 80flb on my car lug nut . If I use 5 ah battery with 1st mod should b fine
I've been wondering the same thing.. I just bought one of these last week and I have no idea how strong it is on each mode with the 5aH battery either.. have you found out by any chance?
not only this. but it literally says on the box to use a 5.0ah battery and up. your using half the battery size recommended for the tool. come on dude. don’t bash it when your not even using it properly. that’s like saying a truck is junk because your using a different key to start it and it won’t start. no shit. you need the right key to start the truck not just any key will work.
Just saw a Dewalt deal at Lowe’s. $249 gets you the 1/2” brushless XR, a 3/8” compact brushless XR, a 5 amp battery, charger and a carrying bag. Way better deal.
@@cygnus1965 so you saying they take a shit once a year? I like Hercules but I also know the kind of abuse we put Milwaukee and DeWalt through at the mine. Constant water and sand. Somehow they last. We dont have time to stop and make a return so we can get back to work.
Its rated correctly,u dont have the proper battery or the equipment to test its max breakaway torque. Dont talk shit on the specs cause u cant verify it.
Great video, Like the use of the torque wrench to see the facts. But I still think the tool is great, Id just use it take wheel lug nuts off, and looks like it would do great for that.
@@toolhead147I just bought the 3/8 in. Driver with 2.5 A battery and I can’t break my lug nuts free on my 2002 Lexus ES300. Which should be about 90-100 ft pounds. Do you think going to the 5 amp battery would break them free or should I return it for the three-quarter inch drive w 5 amp battery
@Stephen DiBari the 3/8 is designed for smaller bolts. It should do 100 ft lbs no problem. My guess those lug nuts are over tighten or rusted baked in. There is a new high torque from Bauer that just came out its $129 go with that instead one of the cheapest in its class. That beast is 1000 ft lbs break away torque. Should take off any lug or bolt 🔩 that is in your vehicle no problem.
@@toolhead147 thanks for your quick reply! I’ll be returning that one this week and getting the Bauer. I also bought the 3/8 in ratchet from Hurricane so I might as well upgrade to BAUER also so I don’t have 2 different battery packs/ charger. yeah last time those tires were installed had to be at least over 2 years ago before I bought my car. Probably with an air compressor tool so it’s baked on.
I don't want forward crazy amount of torque simple fact you'll bust off break off bolts but the take-off Rusty bolts and reverse you want max power long as it does the job and gets it done then it was all money well spent this is a decent tool not the most powerful sometimes to much power isn't always best but the quarter inch hex shank drill impact driver that thing surprised that Hercules brand and I got that for free for buying batteries for the half-inch drive impact go figure
I like yourreviews you don't doa bunch of stupid shit you show just the basics that we need to know. What it will tighten and loosen. No drop testing and hearing it upIn non-realistic situations
Under-power crap! Couldn't even take out my BMW lug nuts that are torqued at 103ft.-lbs. using their newest 21700 cell 4ah battery that is equal to a 6 or 7ah 18650 cell battery. Also tried it with the 8ah 21700 cell battery that I got with the Hercules Ultra Torque Impact wrench with the same results! Sue the fkrs for false advertising... Now the 1400ft-lbs. Ultra Torque Impact is a whole other story, build like a damn tank and delivers as advertised...
@@toolhead147 I torqued all my wheel lug nuts myself using a high quality precision 1/2" 250ft-lbs. Torque click wrench at 103ft-lbs. each nut. Unless the nuts self-torque by them selves magically in given time, then my wheels are the problem. But I'm not alone as many reported that this Hercules impact still couldn't loosen their lug nuts even on small cars... Yet my powerful little M12 1/2" Stubby impact wrench rated at 250ft-lbs. of breakaway torque easily removes my lug nuts which is half the torque power of the Hercules it claims to have.
This thing literally looks like the DeWalt mid-torque. Well it also looks a lot like the Milwaukee gen 1 mid-torque, this thing don't know what it wants to be.
By your logic, if you say Hercules looks like DeWalt and Milwaukee, then you could also say DeWalt and Milwaukee resemble each other. Meaning, they also don't know what they want to be. With the DeWalt, mid torque selling at around twice the price, and the Milwaukee Gen 1 now discontinued and my being invested in the Hercules battery platform, I think I'll give the Hercules a try. Though I find it hard to believe the 555 FT.LBS. breakaway torque, I don't need anything more than 250 FT.LBS.
@@josecortes9799 I see you're void of any sense. Your use of the term logic is being used incorrectly. You are merely stating a subjective opinion. An opinion that I don't care about. Why all the hate towards users of a particular brand of tools? You might be a DeWalt fanboy, but that doesn't mean those that don't use your brand are idiots. I have thousands$ invested in Makita commercial and retail tools and use some Hercules tools as my backup. Yes, they are cheap and inferior to my go-to Makita tools, and am in no way comparing Hercules to other brands, but with the use of HF extended service protection, I essentially have a tool for life. I can walk into any HF and exchange for a new one for whatever reason. Try doing that with your DeWalt. You'll be waiting for weeks for the return from their service center.
"Not correct" really means Lie! I wish Harbor Freight would have used the same battery on all their tools. Hecules, Bauer each use a different battery. For a drill I might want their best, but for something I rarely use, the cheap brand is what makes sense,, but now I have to buy a battery and charger.
