Killed my impact 🙁

Dropped my impact off my dad’s roof today. Fell about 15 feet on concrete and landed on the metal housing.

It still works, but it makes a funny noise and has less power. I’ll dissect it, see if I can fix it, and if not, it may be time to look into the fuel upgrade.

Which impact did you drop butterfingers?

That sucks Conductor! Well at least if it isn’t repairable you get to join team Fuel now! 🙂

Keep in mind Travis, if the M18 is under five years of age….WARRANTY!!!!!

It was the pre-Fuel model and turned 4 in February.

It’s lived a hard life and this isn’t it’s first fall. I doubt I’d get any warranty help. The big gash on the top of the housing screams “I’ve been dropped”.

After 4+ years of constant use I feel I got my money’s worth out of it. I’m also considering picking up an identical refurbished model from CPO for like $59

Atleast it went down fighting

Im thinking u accident… Was more like whispering “fuel time” when u thru it off the roof:)

If this had happened a couple of weeks ago before I shelled out $5K to Walt Fucking Disney for vacation I’d already have a new one in the mail, but between that and having to go to Florida once a month for work, Conductor is tapped out at the moment.

I’m stl thinking warranty then! I M not sure but I am pretty positive it is for anything. Anyways the two times I’ve used their warrant….new tool issued 🙂

And remember, Milwaukee pYs for the shipping label and everything. Theres a reason they kick butt!

I’m gonna try the warranty route. What’s the worst that can happen?

The worst that could happen is that they deny the warranty claim and send the tool back broken.

I’m glad it wasn’t you that fell 15 feet onto concrete Conductor.  Your my bud.

Conductor562 wrote:

If this had happened a couple of weeks ago before I shelled out $5K to Walt Fucking Disney for vacation I’d already have a new one in the mail, but between that and having to go to Florida once a month for work, Conductor is tapped out at the moment.

Dam family and work always getting in the the way. Just kidding just glad that it wasn’t you who fell.

Best of luck with the warranty work

Warranty first for sure. Just like Harold said, Glad it was the impact fell, not you. Impact can replace, but not the Conductor;)

I’ll echo what others have said, falling off a roof is no fun. This is just a …. forced Fuel upgrade.

If they do accept the warranty claim I would be very surprised because most warranties  only cover “manufacturer defects” not damage….then again you could always play the “of course it is defected, it jumped out of my hand!” card.

I’m printing out the label tonight and seeing how it goes.

I am hoping your pleasantly surprised Travis,

Thanks Chris!

Conductor562 wrote:

I’m printing out the label tonight and seeing how it goes.

So… How’d it go???

NERemodeling wrote:

So… How’d it go???

I got a Fuel impact as a gift and decided against warrantying it. It took it apart, ordered the parts, and fixed it. Works like new.

http://professional-power-tool-guide.com/power-tool-forum/index.php?/topic/4277-pre-fuel-impact-repair/

Get the fuel, it’s definitely worth it, and good luck with the warranty process

Conductor562 wrote:

It was the pre-Fuel model and turned 4 in February.

It’s lived a hard life and this isn’t it’s first fall. I doubt I’d get any warranty help. The big gash on the top of the housing screams “I’ve been dropped”.

After 4+ years of constant use I feel I got my money’s worth out of it. I’m also considering picking up an identical refurbished model from CPO for like $59

This is how I am with tools, I have a Hackzall that’s 2 years old that doesn’t run right any more.  I’ve used it more then it was probably ever intended to run and abused including accidentally dropping it into a bucket of water.  It fell from 20′ and the battery went flying 40′ and still worked but, I feel as though it served its money’s worth of time and Milwaukee isn’t responsible for me dropping it into water so I’m not trying to turn in a warranty claim.  

 I say you couldn’t find a better excuse to buy a FUEL so do it, pull the trigger 😀  As soon as I got mine I shit-canned the non-FUEL.  

I successfully repaired the pre-fuel impact and while I use the Fuel 8 out of 10 times, I keep the old one as a beater for working in shittier conditions

I know the feeling of using a beater in those type of nasty conditions, I come across this more with my sawzall than my impact but I know the feeling very well

Yea I wish I had a beater sawzall instead of using the Fuel, but the regular M18 sawzall was kinda crappy. I think the problem is that reciprocating saws just tend to get used more often in dirty jobs like cutting drainpipe with water in it too just demoing in dirty conditions.

I’m with you DR. I did not like my M18 recip. No adjustable shoe, not too powerful either. I’m really thinking about getting that M12 Fuel though!

Milwaukee had an updated m18 sawzall at the event this year. I haven’t heard anything about it though.

Yea I don’t know what happened there with the M18 Sawzall its a signature product of your brand and you kind of half assed it. You can’t be too hard on Milwaukee that came out right around the buyout by TTI. Say all you want about the brand being owned by a Chinese company now they have turned around the brand into a much bigger player in the tool market. Milwaukee was kind of like Apple in the mid 90’s floundering around and not being able to get things running right. The had solid products like the corded hole hawg and sawzall, but they couldn’t really thrive in new markets like cordless tools compared to Dewalt which at that time dominated the cordless market even corded tools. At that time Dewalt was the go to brand and still is for a lot of people.

NicholasShetley wrote:

Milwaukee had an updated m18 sawzall at the event this year. I haven’t heard anything about it though.

It makes sense Milwaukee hasn’t abandoned their brushed M18 tool lines all the drills and impacts got updates. They just don’t get much attention from the marketing people and the tool blogs. Heck Ozztool talk were the only ones that reviewed one of them.

Very valid point. I too though TTI would be doom for Milwaukee, but they kicked it into high gear and put Milwaukee back on the map.

I’d love to know what percentage of market share Milwaukee has picked up since 2010. I’d bet it’s staggering

DR99 wrote:

It makes sense Milwaukee hasn’t abandoned their brushed M18 tool lines all the drills and impacts got updates. They just don’t get much attention from the marketing people and the tool blogs. Heck Ozztool talk were the only ones that reviewed one of them.

Tool writing/reviewing is a funny thing. The latest and greatest items get the hits that generate the income that sustains the sites. The obscure articles like some of the ones I tend to write, while often revered by the hard core tool junkie crowd, don’t often generate the level of interest needed.

You have to find a balance that appeals to both crowds. I think we do a decent job of that.

I would love to see the market sharing statistics too Conductor. In cordless tools in North America it has to be a pretty staggering difference. 10-15 years ago the big players would have been pretty much Dewalt and Makita back then? I know Bosch was around too but I can’t really remember their cordless tools.

Conductor562 wrote:

Tool writing/reviewing is a funny thing. The latest and greatest items get the hits that generate the income that sustains the sites. The obscure articles like some of the ones I tend to write, while often revered by the hard core tool junkie crowd, don’t often generate the level of interest needed.

You have to find a balance that appeals to both crowds. I think we do a decent job of that.

I think tools like the updated Milwaukee stuff should still get a review, but I guess everyone needs to allocate their resources from TIA even too Milwaukee’s marketing dept. The latest and greatest might not be the most economical option. I think my Tool Deal posts help with that. I can’t believe the few M12 Fuel deals I found lately

If you go back 15 years I’d bet brands like Skill and B&D had more market share than they do now

B&D and Skill have been around for so many years its crazy!!

Have any of you guys considered the M18 Hackzall? Im not sure at the moment if it is fuel or not? I thought Fuel was for the brushless line right? My Drill and impact say Fuel on them. Brushless hammer drill and 3 speed impact kit with the 4.0s and I dont recall seeing it on either the hackzall or sawzall and having both the sawzall has been used maybe one time to try it out. It never comes out of the tool box. The hackzall is the go to for almost everything. Has been in the wet while plumbing and is just great. Smaller yet powerful great tool. Cabt wait to check out the new fuel M18 7 1/4 circular saw. And add it to the mix.

I have the pre-Fuel M12 Hackzall. The M12 Fuel is so much bigger than it’s brushed version you’re just about as well off with the M18