Tools, Tradie Tough Tests

AEG 18v ½ Fusion High Torque Impact Wrench

Let’s get one thing clear from the get-go: we are not talking about an impact driver here.

The 18V ½” Fusion High Torque Impact Wrench is a different beast altogether. This bad boy has serious muscle and an attitude to match. Especially when you put on the black moulded protective rubber boot which protects the unit from damage from solvents, drops, and general onsite abuse. And it’ll do way more than a standard impact driver, too.

Being physically bigger than an impact driver, the High Torque Impact Wrench is packing a pile more power, with market-leading 18V, 2100Nm, Nut Busting torque (meaning it releases and fastens quicker than the competition). We are talking about working on heavy-duty machinery and being able to effortlessly drive a coach screw into hardwood, which we did numerous times during our run with the tool.

To touch on some other key features, this impact wrench is packing a powerful 18V Fusion BL motor which provides max power, better fastening efficiency and longer runtime. I was also happy to see the six optimised firmware modes, three-speed/ torque settings and three auto-tight modes for a wider range of controlled applications.

  • No-load speed 0-1800rpm
  • Max impact rate 0-2300ipm
  • Max torque 1550Nm
  • Nut Busting torque 2100Nm
  • Weight (not including battery) 2.85kg

What’s In The Box

  • 1 x 18V Fusion HT Impact Wrench
  • 1 x Protective rubber boot
  • 1 x Belt hook
  • 1 x Boom hook

Toffee to warm up your fingers.

Test #1: Wheel Nut And Trailer Test

In our first test I decided to turn my attention to a boat trailer that had been giving me a bit of grief.

First of all, the rusty wheel nuts had been problematic for a while, and the standard impact driver wasn’t breaking them free. The 2100Nm of Nut Busting torque freed up all of the stuck wheel nuts in no time. There were also a few other rusty nuts on the trailer that saltwater had locked up, and the 18V ½” Fusion High Torque Impact Wrench made short work of all problem areas.

Test #2: Mini Excavator

I have been working on a site lately with a Kubota mini excavator sitting in the front grass area. There were more than a few gunked-up nuts that hadn’t been released since the purchase of the machine—possibly 2 or 3 years. I wasn’t sure if I had a ½” socket big enough in the toolbox, but I lucked in and found a big dog to do the trick.

Again, with the first good squeeze of the trigger in max power ‘3’ Nut Busting mode, the torque kicked in and the nut was released almost instantly. I repeated the test on speed/ torque setting 2 as well. Both did the trick, but speed 2 did have to work harder for a little longer to get the same result. To clarify, Max Torque is for tightening and Nut Busting torque is for break-away power to release difficult nuts.

Auto Tight Means No More Snapped Or Over-Tightened Nuts

The feature that jumped out to me was the 3 Auto tight modes. The Auto tight settings cut out on impact to reduce the risk of over tensioning the nut or bolt which can result in snapped fixings.

Auto tight 1 produces 200Nm of torque and is designed for the upper level of car wheel nuts. Auto tight 2 generates 790Nm and is perfect for the pre-tensioning of truck and heavy-machinery components. Auto tight 3 produces 1230Nm and is your go-to for truck and heavy-machinery applications.

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

There are a lot of excellent features and points for this impact wrench, and I even used it to smash in some coach bolts and bugles into hardwood without predrilling, which was a success.

The bad…well I wouldn’t call it bad at all, but it’s a decent-sized unit.

But with the size comes the power. You wouldn’t send Jeff Fenech in to fight Tyson Fury. He wouldn’t have the power. Power is precisely what this torque wrench is all about.

It delivers in spades.

For more information visit www.aegpowertools.com.au

Send this to a friend