I bought the 1/4" Bauer impact driver and its been great (I have a small engine repair side business). One of the biggest savings is on the 20v batteries. 3.0 amp hour batteries I got for something like $24 each with a coupon; a fraction of the cost for my DeWalt and so far after about 5 months I have had zero issues.
Industrial maintenance technician for 35 years, I use the 3/8" impact at work every day. Use it for light duty things like tear downs and panel removal it works very well. It saves wear n tear on my snap on. I think there well worth the money.
I think the thing that bothers me the most about the higher end Harbor Freight cordless tools (Bauer, Hercules and Earthquake) is that they're all 20v (18v) tools but none of the batteries are interchangeable. There's zero reason to do this. They could have made the batteries without any branding and then you just choose the level of quality of your tool. But right now I may want a Bauer drill, a Hercules grinder and an Earthquake impact. But then I have to buy 3 different batteries and chargers. Just so short sighted.
That's because HF is just rebranding tools from other companies, and they are not HF owned, so HF has no control over them. For example, Earthquake XT lineup is from AC Delco. They make tools for pros, so they are usually considered good. Earthquake XT 12V ratchet is AC Delco G12 ratchet, model number ARW1208. And, AC Delco has a lot more tools than what HF is offering, so it looks like HF could only bring select few tools for them. I DO think it could be a lot better if HF could make just one battery design that works for all of their cordless tools, but looks like it won't be possible,
@@ksong1496 HFT probably didn't get the tools from Delco, more likely they BOTH order them from the same chinese supplier. There's only so many factories that make these things.
@@thegalli Yeah, to be exact, that is right. The name of the company is called Durofix. While AC Delco is not the name owned by Durofix, all the AC Delco's cordless tools are from Durofix. Just remove the front 'a' from the model number of AC Delco cordless tools, you will get Durofix model number. I used AC Delco name as it's more known, but yeah, I think I had to be more specific. Still other than the brand, things are pretty much the same. FYI, Durofix offers more tools than what AC Delco brand offers. Only automotive related tools are released as AC Delco AFAIK.
They would sell more tools if all you needed was one 20V battery and charger for the entire store. Also have too many names. They should have just three, good better and best regardless if it an air tool, wood working tool etc.
I have the 1/2 inch cordless Bauer impact wrench. I'm not a pro but I am a DIYer and I also do some automotive work on the side. I use it primarily for removing lug nuts. I've had it for around a year now. I haven't had any issues with it yet but if I run into a similar problem now I know what to do. Appreciate the video.
Chinese Bearings always arrive with the minimum amount of grease. I recently replaced bearings on the cutting deck of my tractor. All new bearings needed to be packed with grease. And the grease they use is low quality grease. Great video!
I’ve noticed poor greasing is an issue with many harbor freight tools. It’s to the point where I tear any tool down before use if it comes from harbor freight. After this, I’ve actually been very happy with the bulk of HF tools and their value.
I personally really like the Bauer lineup. And for the price they're actually pretty good tools overall probably not quite professional quality, but I did have a problem with my half inch impact it had fallen out of the back of my truck and must have gotten damaged. I went into Harbor Freight that weekend told them it wasn't working properly and showed them. They then just let me switch it out for a brand new one no questions asked Note: I did get the 2-year replacement plan (that if you are interested you can renew every two years) expecting that they would not last more than a about a year under constant use.
20 something years ago I bought a made in USA table saw for $20, it had a similar bearing to yours that failed. But back in the day you had to order bearings from Sears as it was a Craftsman saw, and the bearing was $5, and the shipping was $10. But 20 years later the saw is still in operating condition so I guess it was good value even though the $10 shipping killed me
Kyong Song same here, would never invest in bauer, because then youre stuck not knowing the quality of the other tools in there line.. plus who buys single tools only? Combo kits are the way to go
I’m a retired caterpillar mechanic and we have the same problem with snap on, Matco, Mac . Once a year we replace the bearings, and sometimes the trigger mechanism on those impacts. So it’s not the brand, it’s the abuse of use every week. Once you replace the damage parts life goes on as usual. I’m still have my old Matco and ingersoll rands 🔥🔥🔥. My advice is to buy and extended warranty. Worth every penny.
I had a question for you, if somebody was to purchase one of these from harbor freight either the Bauer or the Hercules, would it be a good idea to disassemble it while it's new and add grease to the bearing and to the hammer and the gears? thank you for your time your videos are awesome!
Super Lube is a good general purpose grease. I also have used fully synthetic moly wheel bearing grease, but it's a little sticky for hammer mechanisms.
I learned a long time ago to open and lubricate cheap tools where applicable. The lack of lubrication from the factory is one of the ways they guarantee that it will fail sooner rather than later, the faster it fails the more money they make selling replacements.
any multi-purpose grease will work, just don't get carried away and pack it full of grease...same goes for the hammer mechanism, the less grease the better, too much and your impacting blows get absorbed by the grease packed in the case.
i got a model 1782C-B1 ,unfortunately i used that several times but recently it didn't seem to tighten a bolt ,so i was even able to grab the socket and held it with my hand from turning..i don't know i guess it's time for an autopsy on it to see if i can fix it ,if not it's going in the trash.
The Bauer Hypermax Lithium Impact Driver Kit comes with 1/4 in. 20V compact impact driver, 1.5AH battery, charger, 2 impact bits, and a rugged tool bag and is currently (one week after this video was posted) retailing for $69.99.
I have had mine for almost 2 years and it has worked fine. I have over loaded it many times no problem.the one thing that I believe is you should not try to use it if its below half a full charge.
I would, for home use, still open it up and check for grease coverage and take the bearing out for inspection, as well. Possibly just buy a name brand bearing for peace of mind. That would be cheap insurance against aggravation and save a trip back to Harbor Freight.
anyone using harbor freight tools for anything more than casual use, should not expect them to last more than 3 months i'd say! i mainly only buy consumables from them, or for something where quality is not a big issue for me. they have lots of decent stuff
Excellent video, and like always very informative! Because of the warranty, I stay away from HFT (except for Hercules). But otherwise, I do buy tools, and other items, for my DIY projects.
I like my Bauer, had it 3+ years now. I've ran mine through hell and to the point the motor was hot to the touch. Starting to make that sound now, but outside of that I like it.
I have used this daily as an auto mechanic. Warrantied it twice they lasted 4 months each for me. The anvil is soft and you get a lot of play from sockets after awhile. Last warranty I asked for my money back.
I can not justify buying these HF cordless tools when the name brand competition is roughly the same price. The average homeowner doesn’t have a friend like you that can fix their broken tools and this most likely would have ended up in the garbage if this person didn’t know you. Great video. Edit and it’s brushless too
Harbor freight will give you a brand new one if you walk in there with that drill ... I bought the Bauer hammer drill about 6 months ago ... as an hvac profession I use it a lot! Feels pretty darn good for only 75 bucks
I think a tool like this is fine for a homeowner who wants it to back out lugnuts on their car, but for a professional setting I'd get something better. I hear the Earthquake version is pretty decent.
Bauer's is a good brand, a worn bearing could affect any brand impact driver, especially one used heavily such as your friend's in a dirty environment. Because moving components such as bearings are most prone to failure, it would be interesting if you tore down some competitor's products (Craftsman, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Ryobi, etc) to see if their bearings are name brands. It would be interesting also to compare lubrication levels of these tools as new.
Exactly. Literally today my buddy had to warranty his Milwaukee high torque impact for a similar reason. Bearing was going out and he did use it a lot at work (scrapyard)
Josh Lampe I agree, I haven’t had any problems with my makita’s except the 1/2 high torque. Stripped the gears out, sent it to repair shop and had it back within 7 days. They had a bad batch of gears, but since resolved the problem. Fit and finish it’s better than my Milwaukee 1/2 high torque. Battery’s fit tighter etc on the makita. To me makita is more of a long lasting tool better fit and finish, where the Milwaukee is more performance based. Out of makita , Hilti, Milwaukee 12/18v the Hilti is built the best, second being makita then Milwaukee. Just my opinion
What kind of grease would you recommend for the hammer assembly part this impact driver? Thinking about buying one soon, but will take it apart, replace that no-name bearing and re-grease the hammer assembly. Cheers
To be honest, I wouldn't bother doing either one unless you run into a problem. I don't see a need to do them preemptively, because there's a chance you might not have a problem.
This is not a knock on the quality of Bauer tools, but I can't see spending that much on a tool that only has a 90 day warranty. Ryobi currently has their 1/2" plus their 3/8" impact wrench for $99, that price is for both units sold together, and they carry a 3 year warranty. They also currently have their 1/2" impact wrench with a 4Ah battery and charger for $99. I own both the 1/2" and the 3/8" and would not hesitate to use either in a professional environment. By today's standards, neither one is a torque monster, but they are both well built tools with good warranties. Add to that the enormous One+ 18V tool selection and I don't see any value in buying Bauer tools.
Definitely. I happened to get the rigid drill with two batteries and a charger for 99 bucks with a lifetime service agreement. Harbor freight is lagging behind the competition.
That 3/8 impact has no power and considering it uses an 18v battery it's sad. The 1/2 is acceptable, has enough power to do most things and it's not terribly expensive. Between Bauer and Ryobi I choose Ryobi because their batteries are cheaper, the line of tools is MUCH bigger, and so too are the battery options. Ryobi gives you several sizes of batteries you can buy, Bauer gives you two.
@gothicman03 Sorry, but Ryobi and Ridgid were at those prices before H.F. started selling Bauer and Hercules. Also, Lowes used to sell Kobalt 24V batteries for $10 or 2 for $15 on sale. You're kidding yourself if you think that H.F. is seen as a threat to Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, etc.
HF is the best semi pro cordless tool line line-up I've had the pleasure of owning I've had Porter cable,b&d,ryobi burnt a 139$ ryobi got that for more power 6 inch wood lags burnt it up 20 of them my 10 year old b&d" b&d chain saw is a beast 3years and 5 cords 10 inch is still running so that b&d saw is tops" set is still running so I can't recommend ryobi.Bauer is good the string trimmer took out pinky finger waist high weeds highly recommended as well b&d chainsaw and Bluetooth speaker the rest of b&d is ok just drill bottoms out very easily just the base drill not a hammer or variable just 12 speed and a driving setting good for light work😎
I’ve basically run my Bauer 1/4”hex impact through the gauntlet for just about two years now issue free. I also have the 3/8” & 1/2” impacts as well, so far so good. I have a rule of thumb, that anything I purchase at Harbor freight that’s over $50 I will insure it for two additional years. That’s why they have insurance. I also mark the inside of the battery connector on the tool itself with the date I purchased it in sharpie so I know when I am coming to the end of the insurance. At that point I’ll completely check out the tool and even if one LED light is out I could trade it in for a brand new one, but as I’ve stated I haven’t had a problem with Bauer. To date I have 19 Bauer tools, only two aren’t the 20volt cordless, the 4 1/2” grinder and a tin shear. (Theres approx 70 more tools coming out in that line including 5&8ah batteries)They all perform well, even the chainsaw for yardwork and firewood. Great work on that troubleshooting and repair. That’s why I’m not afraid to buy returned tools at a huge discount because I too do my own repairs as well😉 I love me some yard sales and flea markets🤪 Happy holidays brother✌🏼
All my 20V stuff is yellow, but I've been thinking about picking up some of the Bauer line to have a kit I can just throw in the truck and leave there for the trips to Pick A Part yards and such.
Good idea William, I take my 1/2” & 3/8 & 1/4” hex impact when I hit what’s called “pick n pull” in my area. If you bring them, they will come LOL. I don’t know how many times somebody has heard the RatatatTat of my impact and come over to ask me if they could use it or would I help them break a rusty bolt or nut. I keep those in a go bag at the door of my garage, so when I do hit the road on the fly I know exactly where they are. Also bought a set of each, SAE and metric impact sockets strictly for road trips so I don’t have to take any from my impact socket drawer. $19 each rack so it didn’t break the bank and I’ve NEVER broken one either. Sure beats breaking knuckles with a four foot breaker bar😉. I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the power in Bauer... I bet you can’t buy a three amp hour battery for your yellow toys for under 40 bucks? Coming up next year they’re going to launch the five amp hour and eight amp hour Bauer batteries too so I’m looking forward to that. I only use the three amp hour on my impacts and especially on the cordless angle grinder. They can only improve with added ooomph... Good luck, Merry Christmas!🎄🎁
So you paid for insurance which puts it up to around the same price as a ridgid tool? Except its brushed, has no resale value, have no option to buy it cheap in a combo kit? And still has a year less warranty, and doesnt come with a lifetime service agreement?
Joe D Actually no. A Bauer 1/4” impact and two years insurance cost $79 And that includes the case, two bits, a belt clip, battery and charger. $119 for the rigid TOOL ONLY. I already have a lot of the Bauer line so that’s what I’m building on because it’s been very dependable for me. $16 every two years for insurance for that whatever happens to it , an led light goes out or even if I simply don’t like it because of it simply being dirty I can replace it with a brand new model. That’s battery and charger too brand new. Try that with rigid, or any other line and they’ll laugh you out of the store. I’m just sticking with what I know works. I’ve tried and still do own the other red brand, the yellow brand and that god awful lime greenish or orange brand that I’ve bought over the years and I just like the way the Bauer line feels in the paw. So I say more power to you brother if you found something that works and it makes sense to you then go for it. Any of the tool reviews can change from day to day as I’ve also seen, so again I just go with what I know works for me✌🏼
Joe Deveau actually yes its 69.99 and plus 16 makes it 86 bucks. The ridgid brushless with 2ah battery and charger is 79.00.. you actually paid more for a harbor freight tool with one year less warranty.. let that sink in.. but like you said more power to you, I just want to know why someone would buy bauer with a better tool around for cheaper and better warranty, even comes with a lifetime service agreement. Also ridgid has kept the same battery since 2003, who knows when “bauer” will switch the battery up on you making those tools worthlessAnd in the end you can resell the ridgid if you wanted, you’re stuck with the bauer. It’s no offense, just a question/thought.
I stopped watching AvE maybe two years ago, but this video is everything I liked about his stuff with none of the annoying in-jokes and rambling. In every way superior at least for me
I have this same impact and i do tractor work with it on engines. So, its around oil and coolant and other liquids that you find in a tractor. Im glad i out a warranty on it because after 3 days of work it looks worse than this one
You don't want the hammer mechanism packed with grease, it doesn't need much, if any. You want it to be impacting hard, not having the blows absorbed with grease. A very light film is all you need.
I have all the bauer tools going pretty well 9 months in I use them in my frame shop every day my big machine is 36 inches off the ground so truck are 8feet up if you loose a pro tool it may be toasted or not but 69 bucks no deal the batterys seem pretty good the 1/4 is the best 3/8 is just ok the 1/2 works on lug nuts just fine tough bolts forget it the drill has drilled thousands of holes pulling off panels the 1/8 bit slipping a little now I would probably buy them again just because Hf is so handy for me
Yeah, Hercules are good tools, but they're pricey and there aren't many available in the line to make it worth owning. I noticed that the price of the batteries has gone up 50% from the beginning of the year. Between Hercules and Kobalt, it's tough not to go Kobalt. They have brushless tools, the best prices on batteries, a larger tool line, and I believe a better warranty. Kobalt also has a really good impact wrench for the money.
@@DickTickles agreed! When the herc kits were 89 bucks and the batteries were priced way below most others it was a decent deal but now it's basically the same price with older tech and a 90 day warranty
@@aaronporter2180 Yeah, it's nice that HF offers better cordless tools now, but the market is saturated with better low cost options like Ryobi, Kobalt, etc. Heck, even the 12 volt Milwaukee stuff is cheap if you buy on sale in a kit and those get an automatic 5 year warranty. Harbor Freight's bread and butter was the cheap stuff. Right now all I want them to start doing is sell ammo and give Walmart the middle finger.
Notice those dovetails in the overmolding? The fact that you can use DeWalt batts with a little modification to the tool handle, tells me these are made by the same company in China.
Harbor Freight uses a "good, better, best" tier model for their tools. Drill Master, Chicago Electric, Warrior (good for simple household or small DIY projects). Bauer, Banks, McGraw, Titanium, and Earthquake are in the "better" category. (Better quality for more usage than small DYI projects and needing some more oomph than the cheaper brands.) Hercules, Earthquake XT, Vulcan, Pierce, are in the "best" category (even better quality, more power, and made for everyday professional work and projects). 🤓🌱🔥💨
It's not a commercial grade tool. It's a homeowner grade tool. Its pretty obvious that the reason of why it only lasted 6 months was bc it was used heavily for 8+ hours a day for 5+ days a week for that time period. Considering it was built with the mindset that its probably be used maybe a couple hours a week or two I'd say he got his use from it. And Ive had the 1/2" bauer impact for a good year & a half with some pretty heavy usage for being used at home. not a single issue with it or the small 1.5ah batteries I run it on
Hayyyy, I bought this 3/8" impact and used it at work for a whopping month before it bit the big socket in the sky. I uploaded a video of it's decline into oblivion on my channel! I think you're right on though, it's probably good enough for the guy working on his own car at home, but it's not quite good enough for a professional. The M18 3/8" impact is better in basically every way, but it's about 2x the price. It's smaller, more powerful, more reliable, better batteries, faster charger, much better warranty, but it's $250 with 2 batteries and a charger, vs $100-120.
Sealed have some limitations. The seal increases drag and typically lowers the top speed, for example. But in an application like this sealed would generally be better.
I still have my dewalt dcf889 type 1 from 2013. Although not used every day, I've used it to the point of smoking. I never rebuilt or greased it either, although its about do for a rebuilt & this will last me another 6 years.
Pull the seal on the new bearing and grease it. I've gotten many brand new sealed bearings that had less grease than that old bearing. Even pilot bearings for a heavy truck twin disk clutch. I always pull one of the seals off
hey man can you get a 1/4 brushless driver and go on aliexpress get a 1/2 converter anvil and show us how to remove the 1/4 anvil. I couldn't figure it out how to remove that stupid thing. It'd be interesting to see the conversion. All of my tools are heavy, for some applicaitons like taking off lugs I don't need massive torque so an impact driver will do just fine. That's my theory and they make the conversion anvil. Havne't seen a 3/8 but there are plenty of 1/2 for very little money and some even comes with a builtin 1/4 driver
These are actually well made.I have a few.Some have lasted for years and some have not..Buy the extended warranty and get a new one ever couple years for free even if its not broken.
Nice to watch a teardown without all the cussing and blaspheming. People who think it's funny to say "Jes-less" but God won't be mocked, trust me on that one.
I'd say only use HF power tools professionally(where your income depends on your productivity) if you buy their warranty and work 5 minutes of a HF store so you can get quick replacements. Well.....no need to warranty any of their lines already with lifetime warranties, e.g. Pittsburgh and Icon. Edit: That being said, I eagerly await a coupon for their Bauer hammer drill starter kit to start my personal cordless tool collection.
For home user like me that barely use it twice a year, this is good choice...your friend is the one that suppose to invest more to get a Milwaukee or DeWalt...
what i think is that quality control is just non existent if you buy one take it apart and grease it really good including the bearing and it will be a good tool buy cheaper stuff expect to do extra to take care of it and it will last
I've had my 3/8 that for about 8 months. I'm a Chevy dealership technician. and use it daily, but I don't take off wheels with it, although it will. it's great for a diyer but I wouldn't recommend it for a daily use technician environment. spend the extra money and buy Ridgid or Milwaukee.
I don't know what I think about your tool, but I love how you inform us about the details. Your knowledge of tool construction is admirable.
I bought the 1/4" Bauer impact driver and its been great (I have a small engine repair side business). One of the biggest savings is on the 20v batteries. 3.0 amp hour batteries I got for something like $24 each with a coupon; a fraction of the cost for my DeWalt and so far after about 5 months I have had zero issues.
Industrial maintenance technician for 35 years, I use the 3/8" impact at work every day. Use it for light duty things like tear downs and panel removal it works very well. It saves wear n tear on my snap on. I think there well worth the money.
If you're not using your snapon then it is not making you $$$ . Might as well throw it away .
I think the thing that bothers me the most about the higher end Harbor Freight cordless tools (Bauer, Hercules and Earthquake) is that they're all 20v (18v) tools but none of the batteries are interchangeable. There's zero reason to do this. They could have made the batteries without any branding and then you just choose the level of quality of your tool. But right now I may want a Bauer drill, a Hercules grinder and an Earthquake impact. But then I have to buy 3 different batteries and chargers. Just so short sighted.
Rob Gibson Theres a though!
That's because HF is just rebranding tools from other companies, and they are not HF owned, so HF has no control over them.
For example, Earthquake XT lineup is from AC Delco. They make tools for pros, so they are usually considered good.
Earthquake XT 12V ratchet is AC Delco G12 ratchet, model number ARW1208. And, AC Delco has a lot more tools than what HF is offering, so it looks like HF could only bring select few tools for them.
I DO think it could be a lot better if HF could make just one battery design that works for all of their cordless tools, but looks like it won't be possible,
@@ksong1496 HFT probably didn't get the tools from Delco, more likely they BOTH order them from the same chinese supplier. There's only so many factories that make these things.
@@thegalli Yeah, to be exact, that is right. The name of the company is called Durofix.
While AC Delco is not the name owned by Durofix, all the AC Delco's cordless tools are from Durofix. Just remove the front 'a' from the model number of AC Delco cordless tools, you will get Durofix model number. I used AC Delco name as it's more known, but yeah, I think I had to be more specific.
Still other than the brand, things are pretty much the same.
FYI, Durofix offers more tools than what AC Delco brand offers. Only automotive related tools are released as AC Delco AFAIK.
They would sell more tools if all you needed was one 20V battery and charger for the entire store. Also have too many names. They should have just three, good better and best regardless if it an air tool, wood working tool etc.
I have the 1/2 inch cordless Bauer impact wrench. I'm not a pro but I am a DIYer and I also do some automotive work on the side. I use it primarily for removing lug nuts. I've had it for around a year now. I haven't had any issues with it yet but if I run into a similar problem now I know what to do. Appreciate the video.
Chinese Bearings always arrive with the minimum amount of grease. I recently replaced bearings on the cutting deck of my tractor. All new bearings needed to be packed with grease. And the grease they use is low quality grease. Great video!
I’ve noticed poor greasing is an issue with many harbor freight tools. It’s to the point where I tear any tool down before use if it comes from harbor freight. After this, I’ve actually been very happy with the bulk of HF tools and their value.
Which grease would you recommend?
Geo Logic the good stuff is super lube! They actually sell it at harbor freight too
I appreciate your unbiased view and detailed breakdown. Good video, thanks for uploading.
I personally really like the Bauer lineup. And for the price they're actually pretty good tools overall probably not quite professional quality, but I did have a problem with my half inch impact it had fallen out of the back of my truck and must have gotten damaged. I went into Harbor Freight that weekend told them it wasn't working properly and showed them. They then just let me switch it out for a brand new one no questions asked
Note: I did get the 2-year replacement plan (that if you are interested you can renew every two years) expecting that they would not last more than a about a year under constant use.
20 something years ago I bought a made in USA table saw for $20, it had a similar bearing to yours that failed. But back in the day you had to order bearings from Sears as it was a Craftsman saw, and the bearing was $5, and the shipping was $10. But 20 years later the saw is still in operating condition so I guess it was good value even though the $10 shipping killed me
CRANK ER UP
Repair old stuff cuz the old stuff actually was made out of something 👍
@lilbbbbbbb Look up survivorship bias.
While I wouldn't buy HF cordless tools considering the price, it's good to know possible failure points since it might apply to others. Thanks.
Kyong Song same here, would never invest in bauer, because then youre stuck not knowing the quality of the other tools in there line.. plus who buys single tools only? Combo kits are the way to go
Great video as usual. I always look forward to your content.
I’m a retired caterpillar mechanic and we have the same problem with snap on, Matco, Mac . Once a year we replace the bearings, and sometimes the trigger mechanism on those impacts. So it’s not the brand, it’s the abuse of use every week. Once you replace the damage parts life goes on as usual. I’m still have my old Matco and ingersoll rands 🔥🔥🔥. My advice is to buy and extended warranty. Worth every penny.
I had a question for you, if somebody was to purchase one of these from harbor freight either the Bauer or the Hercules, would it be a good idea to disassemble it while it's new and add grease to the bearing and to the hammer and the gears? thank you for your time your videos are awesome!
Is there a specific type of grease you had success with using on bearings and Hammer mechanisms?
Super Lube is a good general purpose grease. I also have used fully synthetic moly wheel bearing grease, but it's a little sticky for hammer mechanisms.
I picked mine up for $60 with a coupon. It has been a fantastic tool for me.
I learned a long time ago to open and lubricate cheap tools where applicable.
The lack of lubrication from the factory is one of the ways they guarantee that it will fail sooner rather than later, the faster it fails the more money they make selling replacements.
What type of grease did you use to lubricate the gear case?
any multi-purpose grease will work, just don't get carried away and pack it full of grease...same goes for the hammer mechanism, the less grease the better, too much and your impacting blows get absorbed by the grease packed in the case.
i got a model 1782C-B1 ,unfortunately i used that several times but recently it didn't seem to tighten a bolt ,so i was even able to grab the socket and held it with my hand from turning..i don't know i guess it's time for an autopsy on it to see if i can fix it ,if not it's going in the trash.
The Bauer Hypermax Lithium Impact Driver Kit comes with 1/4 in. 20V compact impact driver, 1.5AH battery, charger, 2 impact bits, and a rugged tool bag and is currently (one week after this video was posted) retailing for $69.99.
First time finding your channel, and am impressed, nicely done!
Thanks for the kind words.
Any idea on the part number and place to get a trigger for the Bauer impact driver with brushes?
Had my 1/2 Bauer for 3 years still going like it so I got the 3/8 impact for smaller jobs my 3 amp battery fits both so pleasantly surprised
I have had mine for almost 2 years and it has worked fine. I have over loaded it many times no problem.the one thing that I believe is you should not try to use it if its below half a full charge.
I would, for home use, still open it up and check for grease coverage and take the bearing out for inspection, as well. Possibly just buy a name brand bearing for peace of mind. That would be cheap insurance against aggravation and save a trip back to Harbor Freight.
What is the make and model of those smooth jawed pliers you used to pull the bearing out at 2:18? Thanks for an interesting teardown.
I actually don't know. I got them used somewhere. They're only marked "EROP 44A1"
@@ToolTeardowns Thank you so much for looking. I'll get to doing some research.
Nice troubleshooting andexcellent explanation.You are very meticulous.Happy hollidays.
anyone using harbor freight tools for anything more than casual use, should not expect them to last more than 3 months i'd say! i mainly only buy consumables from them, or for something where quality is not a big issue for me. they have lots of decent stuff
My new favorite channel. Great work 👏
I feel like I'm logically getting deeper into the onion of understanding tool manufacturing and repair. Thanks
Another great video! Keep them coming, I really enjoy how you go into such detail!
Excellent video, and like always very informative! Because of the warranty, I stay away from HFT (except for Hercules). But otherwise, I do buy tools, and other items, for my DIY projects.
I like my Bauer, had it 3+ years now. I've ran mine through hell and to the point the motor was hot to the touch. Starting to make that sound now, but outside of that I like it.
Are the batteries interchangeable with the drills and impacts or are they different have the drill and 1/4 driver
I have used this daily as an auto mechanic. Warrantied it twice they lasted 4 months each for me.
The anvil is soft and you get a lot of play from sockets after awhile.
Last warranty I asked for my money back.
I can not justify buying these HF cordless tools when the name brand competition is roughly the same price. The average homeowner doesn’t have a friend like you that can fix their broken tools and this most likely would have ended up in the garbage if this person didn’t know you. Great video.
Edit and it’s brushless too
Gee don't just GIVE him a new business idea.
Harbor freight will give you a brand new one if you walk in there with that drill ... I bought the Bauer hammer drill about 6 months ago ... as an hvac profession I use it a lot! Feels pretty darn good for only 75 bucks
name brand the same price? what planet are you living on?
Dewalt 3/8” impact with 2 batteries a charger and a bag for$99. Open your eyes pal you maybe surprised by what you see
@@truckerpeterose Dewalt is not a huge leap from HF imho.
I think a tool like this is fine for a homeowner who wants it to back out lugnuts on their car, but for a professional setting I'd get something better. I hear the Earthquake version is pretty decent.
Could you do a video on the Harbor freight 2-cycle generators and any modifications to make them better?
Bauer's is a good brand, a worn bearing could affect any brand impact driver, especially one used heavily such as your friend's in a dirty environment. Because moving components such as bearings are most prone to failure, it would be interesting if you tore down some competitor's products (Craftsman, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Ryobi, etc) to see if their bearings are name brands. It would be interesting also to compare lubrication levels of these tools as new.
There are a lot of teardowns on my channel. On the Craftsman impact I tore down there was a bearing from a recognizable brand.
Exactly. Literally today my buddy had to warranty his Milwaukee high torque impact for a similar reason. Bearing was going out and he did use it a lot at work (scrapyard)
Battery operated tools great and convenient but aren't capable enough to get beat like older tools did.Bearing shouldn't go bad
I think Bauer is better for home use, whereas their Earthquake brand is more suited for professional use.
But earthquake only has 1 cordless tool, the new 3/8 ratchet
You think??? It is bro!! Think think think think hahahahaha
The Hercules line is the “professional” grade cordless tool line. Js
Dewalt and Makita are better for all use, and you won't regret it a year later.
Josh Lampe I agree, I haven’t had any problems with my makita’s except the 1/2 high torque. Stripped the gears out, sent it to repair shop and had it back within 7 days. They had a bad batch of gears, but since resolved the problem. Fit and finish it’s better than my Milwaukee 1/2 high torque. Battery’s fit tighter etc on the makita. To me makita is more of a long lasting tool better fit and finish, where the Milwaukee is more performance based. Out of makita , Hilti, Milwaukee 12/18v the Hilti is built the best, second being makita then Milwaukee. Just my opinion
What kind of grease would you recommend for the hammer assembly part this impact driver? Thinking about buying one soon, but will take it apart, replace that no-name bearing and re-grease the hammer assembly. Cheers
To be honest, I wouldn't bother doing either one unless you run into a problem. I don't see a need to do them preemptively, because there's a chance you might not have a problem.
This is not a knock on the quality of Bauer tools, but I can't see spending that much on a tool that only has a 90 day warranty. Ryobi currently has their 1/2" plus their 3/8" impact wrench for $99, that price is for both units sold together, and they carry a 3 year warranty. They also currently have their 1/2" impact wrench with a 4Ah battery and charger for $99. I own both the 1/2" and the 3/8" and would not hesitate to use either in a professional environment. By today's standards, neither one is a torque monster, but they are both well built tools with good warranties. Add to that the enormous One+ 18V tool selection and I don't see any value in buying Bauer tools.
Definitely. I happened to get the rigid drill with two batteries and a charger for 99 bucks with a lifetime service agreement. Harbor freight is lagging behind the competition.
That 3/8 impact has no power and considering it uses an 18v battery it's sad. The 1/2 is acceptable, has enough power to do most things and it's not terribly expensive.
Between Bauer and Ryobi I choose Ryobi because their batteries are cheaper, the line of tools is MUCH bigger, and so too are the battery options. Ryobi gives you several sizes of batteries you can buy, Bauer gives you two.
@gothicman03 Sorry, but Ryobi and Ridgid were at those prices before H.F. started selling Bauer and Hercules. Also, Lowes used to sell Kobalt 24V batteries for $10 or 2 for $15 on sale. You're kidding yourself if you think that H.F. is seen as a threat to Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, etc.
@gothicman03 >If I had to pick a brand, it would be makita due to its Japanese quality and assembly.
Also made in China. You know that right?
Ryobi (TTI) is a geat product even used semi professionally.
I have seen very few sealed bearings that have proper lubrication.
What is the Catalog number/ Spec's. of the bearing that you replaced? Thank you
HF is the best semi pro cordless tool line line-up I've had the pleasure of owning I've had Porter cable,b&d,ryobi burnt a 139$ ryobi got that for more power 6 inch wood lags burnt it up 20 of them my 10 year old b&d" b&d chain saw is a beast 3years and 5 cords 10 inch is still running so that b&d saw is tops" set is still running so I can't recommend ryobi.Bauer is good the string trimmer took out pinky finger waist high weeds highly recommended as well b&d chainsaw and Bluetooth speaker the rest of b&d is ok just drill bottoms out very easily just the base drill not a hammer or variable just 12 speed and a driving setting good for light work😎
Great video and repair and I have never used buar
I got my 1/2 bouer when it first came out long time ago never had a problem with it and I use it about everyday
what kind of grease did u use?
Great video, well done! Thank you for the educational and instructional info!
Love the videos... Great teardowns....
Even a low cost tool today, is light years ahead of the ones that came out like 15 years ago.
I’ve basically run my Bauer 1/4”hex impact through the gauntlet for just about two years now issue free. I also have the 3/8” & 1/2” impacts as well, so far so good. I have a rule of thumb, that anything I purchase at Harbor freight that’s over $50 I will insure it for two additional years. That’s why they have insurance. I also mark the inside of the battery connector on the tool itself with the date I purchased it in sharpie so I know when I am coming to the end of the insurance. At that point I’ll completely check out the tool and even if one LED light is out I could trade it in for a brand new one, but as I’ve stated I haven’t had a problem with Bauer. To date I have 19 Bauer tools, only two aren’t the 20volt cordless, the 4 1/2” grinder and a tin shear. (Theres approx 70 more tools coming out in that line including 5&8ah batteries)They all perform well, even the chainsaw for yardwork and firewood. Great work on that troubleshooting and repair. That’s why I’m not afraid to buy returned tools at a huge discount because I too do my own repairs as well😉 I love me some yard sales and flea markets🤪
Happy holidays brother✌🏼
All my 20V stuff is yellow, but I've been thinking about picking up some of the Bauer line to have a kit I can just throw in the truck and leave there for the trips to Pick A Part yards and such.
Good idea William, I take my 1/2” & 3/8 & 1/4” hex impact when I hit what’s called “pick n pull” in my area. If you bring them, they will come LOL. I don’t know how many times somebody has heard the RatatatTat of my impact and come over to ask me if they could use it or would I help them break a rusty bolt or nut. I keep those in a go bag at the door of my garage, so when I do hit the road on the fly I know exactly where they are. Also bought a set of each, SAE and metric impact sockets strictly for road trips so I don’t have to take any from my impact socket drawer. $19 each rack so it didn’t break the bank and I’ve NEVER broken one either. Sure beats breaking knuckles with a four foot breaker bar😉. I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the power in Bauer... I bet you can’t buy a three amp hour battery for your yellow toys for under 40 bucks? Coming up next year they’re going to launch the five amp hour and eight amp hour Bauer batteries too so I’m looking forward to that. I only use the three amp hour on my impacts and especially on the cordless angle grinder. They can only improve with added ooomph... Good luck, Merry Christmas!🎄🎁
So you paid for insurance which puts it up to around the same price as a ridgid tool? Except its brushed, has no resale value, have no option to buy it cheap in a combo kit? And still has a year less warranty, and doesnt come with a lifetime service agreement?
Joe D Actually no. A Bauer 1/4” impact and two years insurance cost $79 And that includes the case, two bits, a belt clip, battery and charger. $119 for the rigid TOOL ONLY. I already have a lot of the Bauer line so that’s what I’m building on because it’s been very dependable for me. $16 every two years for insurance for that whatever happens to it , an led light goes out or even if I simply don’t like it because of it simply being dirty I can replace it with a brand new model. That’s battery and charger too brand new. Try that with rigid, or any other line and they’ll laugh you out of the store. I’m just sticking with what I know works. I’ve tried and still do own the other red brand, the yellow brand and that god awful lime greenish or orange brand that I’ve bought over the years and I just like the way the Bauer line feels in the paw. So I say more power to you brother if you found something that works and it makes sense to you then go for it. Any of the tool reviews can change from day to day as I’ve also seen, so again I just go with what I know works for me✌🏼
Joe Deveau actually yes its 69.99 and plus 16 makes it 86 bucks. The ridgid brushless with 2ah battery and charger is 79.00.. you actually paid more for a harbor freight tool with one year less warranty.. let that sink in.. but like you said more power to you, I just want to know why someone would buy bauer with a better tool around for cheaper and better warranty, even comes with a lifetime service agreement. Also ridgid has kept the same battery since 2003, who knows when “bauer” will switch the battery up on you making those tools worthlessAnd in the end you can resell the ridgid if you wanted, you’re stuck with the bauer. It’s no offense, just a question/thought.
I stopped watching AvE maybe two years ago, but this video is everything I liked about his stuff with none of the annoying in-jokes and rambling. In every way superior at least for me
Keep your dicken advice
I have this same impact and i do tractor work with it on engines. So, its around oil and coolant and other liquids that you find in a tractor. Im glad i out a warranty on it because after 3 days of work it looks worse than this one
What kind of grease are you using
Awesome video thanks a lot, can you add a link for a proper bearing.
It's just a 6902 bearing. Pretty much any brand would work. Don't worry about it unless yours is actually worn out.
You don't want the hammer mechanism packed with grease, it doesn't need much, if any. You want it to be impacting hard, not having the blows absorbed with grease. A very light film is all you need.
True, but this didnt have enough.
I have all the bauer tools going pretty well 9 months in I use them in my frame shop every day my big machine is 36 inches off the ground so truck are 8feet up if you loose a pro tool it may be toasted or not but 69 bucks no deal the batterys seem pretty good the 1/4 is the best 3/8 is just ok the 1/2 works on lug nuts just fine tough bolts forget it the drill has drilled thousands of holes pulling off panels the 1/8 bit slipping a little now I would probably buy them again just because Hf is so handy for me
Bauer is a good brand for home use, I like to compare them to Porter Cable. The Hercules Brand is Harbor Freights professional grade house brand.
Hercules has too few tools and they are too expensive
Yeah, Hercules are good tools, but they're pricey and there aren't many available in the line to make it worth owning. I noticed that the price of the batteries has gone up 50% from the beginning of the year. Between Hercules and Kobalt, it's tough not to go Kobalt. They have brushless tools, the best prices on batteries, a larger tool line, and I believe a better warranty.
Kobalt also has a really good impact wrench for the money.
@@DickTickles agreed! When the herc kits were 89 bucks and the batteries were priced way below most others it was a decent deal but now it's basically the same price with older tech and a 90 day warranty
@@aaronporter2180 Yeah, it's nice that HF offers better cordless tools now, but the market is saturated with better low cost options like Ryobi, Kobalt, etc. Heck, even the 12 volt Milwaukee stuff is cheap if you buy on sale in a kit and those get an automatic 5 year warranty.
Harbor Freight's bread and butter was the cheap stuff. Right now all I want them to start doing is sell ammo and give Walmart the middle finger.
Notice those dovetails in the overmolding? The fact that you can use DeWalt batts with a little modification to the tool handle, tells me these are made by the same company in China.
Harbor Freight uses a "good, better, best" tier model for their tools. Drill Master, Chicago Electric, Warrior (good for simple household or small DIY projects). Bauer, Banks, McGraw, Titanium, and Earthquake are in the "better" category. (Better quality for more usage than small DYI projects and needing some more oomph than the cheaper brands.) Hercules, Earthquake XT, Vulcan, Pierce, are in the "best" category (even better quality, more power, and made for everyday professional work and projects). 🤓🌱🔥💨
It's not a commercial grade tool. It's a homeowner grade tool. Its pretty obvious that the reason of why it only lasted 6 months was bc it was used heavily for 8+ hours a day for 5+ days a week for that time period. Considering it was built with the mindset that its probably be used maybe a couple hours a week or two I'd say he got his use from it. And Ive had the 1/2" bauer impact for a good year & a half with some pretty heavy usage for being used at home. not a single issue with it or the small 1.5ah batteries I run it on
You just perfected the tool buddy!
I think this is a great video tutorial
Hayyyy, I bought this 3/8" impact and used it at work for a whopping month before it bit the big socket in the sky. I uploaded a video of it's decline into oblivion on my channel!
I think you're right on though, it's probably good enough for the guy working on his own car at home, but it's not quite good enough for a professional. The M18 3/8" impact is better in basically every way, but it's about 2x the price. It's smaller, more powerful, more reliable, better batteries, faster charger, much better warranty, but it's $250 with 2 batteries and a charger, vs $100-120.
For applications like this, is a sealed bearing always preferable to an unsealed one?
Shielded bearing are a cost cutting measure. Sealed is always better.
Sealed have some limitations. The seal increases drag and typically lowers the top speed, for example. But in an application like this sealed would generally be better.
I may have to end up opening all my HF tools to grease them out based on your findings.
This guy at my job had a 3/8 snap on break after 16 months with no warranty. And to fix it is 199
Milwaukee and dewalt is the route to go for coreless impact. Not snap on my dewalt out last my snap on 3/8 impact
I still have my dewalt dcf889 type 1 from 2013. Although not used every day, I've used it to the point of smoking. I never rebuilt or greased it either, although its about do for a rebuilt & this will last me another 6 years.
Most manufacturers put little grease in the hammer section because grease absorbs the impacts.
Pull the seal on the new bearing and grease it. I've gotten many brand new sealed bearings that had less grease than that old bearing. Even pilot bearings for a heavy truck twin disk clutch. I always pull one of the seals off
milwaukee instead?
Nice loved the video best part is I can actually understand what you're say unlike Ave
hey man can you get a 1/4 brushless driver and go on aliexpress get a 1/2 converter anvil and show us how to remove the 1/4 anvil. I couldn't figure it out how to remove that stupid thing. It'd be interesting to see the conversion. All of my tools are heavy, for some applicaitons like taking off lugs I don't need massive torque so an impact driver will do just fine. That's my theory and they make the conversion anvil. Havne't seen a 3/8 but there are plenty of 1/2 for very little money and some even comes with a builtin 1/4 driver
These are actually well made.I have a few.Some have lasted for years and some have not..Buy the extended warranty and get a new one ever couple years for free even if its not broken.
My Bauer impact driver has a faulty trigger
Thank you so much for this video
Do you know how to say buy it and grease it yourself. Maybe like I did over 6 years ago and still working every day 🙃
Nice to watch a teardown without all the cussing and blaspheming. People who think it's funny to say "Jes-less" but God won't be mocked, trust me on that one.
Sweet repair!
I have that impact, so far, 2 months in used it about 6 times or so, no problums so far
Another great video!
Nice repair. Those may be better quality than people realize but need a little improvement.
Like a sober version of AvE, love it
I'd say only use HF power tools professionally(where your income depends on your productivity) if you buy their warranty and work 5 minutes of a HF store so you can get quick replacements.
Well.....no need to warranty any of their lines already with lifetime warranties, e.g. Pittsburgh and Icon.
Edit: That being said, I eagerly await a coupon for their Bauer hammer drill starter kit to start my personal cordless tool collection.
What kind of grace did you use? So i can pack my guns
El Panda Mechanic , grace?
@@pennysmith2012 yea regalar or high temp
El Panda Mechanic I believe it would be regular grease
@@stinkycheese804 ok whatever
Great tool you should see mine 100x more used and more abused left in the rain, just simple checks on the internals re lube and we’re good
For home user like me that barely use it twice a year, this is good choice...your friend is the one that suppose to invest more to get a Milwaukee or DeWalt...
He also uses DeWalt in his shop, but bought this to try out.
They need to upgrade the motor and other parts inside.
Some days you eat bear and somedays a bear eats you. That's with everything.
I buy the 2 yr extended warranty on Bauer tools. Affordable tool and warranty.
Since you are the kind of consumer that chases 'low price' above all else, you brought 'low quality' onto yourself.
Well, not exactly. My friend who bought this also uses DeWalt in his shop, but bought this in addition to try out.
what i think is that quality control is just non existent if you buy one take it apart and grease it really good including the bearing and it will be a good tool buy cheaper stuff expect to do extra to take care of it and it will last
They may have owned it for 6 months, but maybe they have literally used it for its rated service life already, if measured in # of cycles/impacts.
Funny, I just bought a lightly used one of these and it’s already starting to grind and walk like that.
Great video, New sub now
I've had my 3/8 that for about 8 months. I'm a Chevy dealership technician. and use it daily, but I don't take off wheels with it, although it will. it's great for a diyer but I wouldn't recommend it for a daily use technician environment. spend the extra money and buy Ridgid or Milwaukee.
That thing is for homeowner use man. I'm shocked it lasted that long at an auto dismantlers.
Great deal, buy the 2 year warranty for 20 bucks. Use them commercial if it breaks you can swap it as much as you want....
Exactly