Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Dewalt). This thread is read-only.
I was in lowes today looking for some impact bits and they have all new Dewalt bits on display called Flex Torque Impact Drive, never heard of them. They are black and look similar to the Millwalkee Shockwave that got a bad review a while back if memory serves me right. I wanted to get more info on these before I buy any. Went to Home Depot and they have all new bits also but theirs are grey. They call them Max fit. I asked the sales guy were the impact bits are and he said those are them. He told me the older style were black and they had a lot of them brake so the were made special for Hone Depot by DeWalt. Anyone know if this is true or BS. No where on the package does it say impact ready but they show a picture of a drill driver and impact gun. He said you can’t buy these at Lowes. He said they have a hardened steel mid section to help them from breaking were the ones from Lowes flex by twisting to help absorb stress from impact to prevent breaking. Which ones are better?
Most impact rated bits tend to be black except for the crazy Makita Impact gold bits. The standard non impact bits tend to be grey. I don’t know what the ones from Home Depot are about. I did pick up a set of the Flex Torque bits and have been pretty happy so far. I will admit Milwaukee impact bits are complete garbage at least the Phillips bits.
Take a look at this review I just saw today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fai7Q_TSGGU
My understanding is the ones that home depot carries are not impact ready. (they may carry another brand that is impact ready). But they are still cut using the same CNC machine to ensure a good fit in most screw heads.
Like DR99 says, if it’s black then it’s impact rated.
Just got a email from DeWalt about this very thing. here is the link
Man, I don’t know what’s going on but Dewalt is really (whatever Dewalt guys) stepping up in several areas and this seems to be one of them. I have the old black impact ready bits and have stripped out quite a few and have blown the line off but maybe it’s worth taking another look.
I think its a supplier branding thing. They don’t want you to be able to cross shop items. The home depot bits look very similar to by torque flex bits.
So it looks like the guy at Home Depot was half right. They are definitely made for impact duty only have a better fit but they are not made specifically for HD like he said. Why they are gray and not black who knows. So I’d like to know why they offer the flex torque type also. What’s the advantage or is there any. Two years ago neither HD and Lowes carried a impact ready T25 bit in 2″ which is what I need with my 18V impact the chuck doesn’t have a magnet for 1″ bits like the 20V has. Anyway I ended up buying the gray regular duty T25 and am still using it today and I have driven nearly a 1000 3″ and 3 1/2″ deck screws and that bit has never broke or worn out. I bought a 2 pack and one is still new unused. They carry the impact T25 finally.
I wish I could find a T-20 in 2″ because it is rare that I use a Phillips anymore.
I’ve been doing a lot of reading about these two types of bits and I’m thinking the Fkex a Torque without question is designed for impact duty. It’s printed all over the packages and still retains the black finish which has always meant impact ready. However, these new Max Fit bits I’m willing to bet are meant for drill drivers like all the previous gray colored bits were. There strong enough that they can probably handle impact use. No were on the packages does it say impact ready. It does mention on the link to the Max Fit lineup that they are a precision fit and sutible for drill drivers and impact use. It could also be a marketing error. I’ve seen mistakes on DeWalts web site several times describing their products and they are not the only ones guilty of this. I wish a DeWalt employee would chime in on this topic.
regopit wrote:
I wish I could find a T-20 in 2″ because it is rare that I use a Phillips anymore.
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Follow this link to download the catalog that has all of the black Flex Torq bits listed:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wwjxffwwtf0an88/2013%20New%20Accessories.pdf
roadhog96 wrote:
I wish a DeWalt employee would chime in on this topic.
I did:
Gatorb888 wrote:
Take a look at this review I just saw today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fai7Q_TSGGU
My understanding is the ones that home depot carries are not impact ready. (they may carry another brand that is impact ready). But they are still cut using the same CNC machine to ensure a good fit in most screw heads.
Like DR99 says, if it’s black then it’s impact rated.
I’ll shoot an e-mail to the product manager and get some more info. I’m in a different distribution channel that only sells the black bits so I don’t know much about the silver ones. More to come…
Gatorb888 wrote:
DWA2TX20IR2 Qty 2
DWA2TX20IRB Qty 50
Follow this link to download the catalog that has all of the black Flex Torq bits listed:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wwjxffwwtf0an88/2013%20New%20Accessories.pdf
Thanks for the info seems like everyone around here carry’s T-25
I got the email also and says the max fit ones (home depot) are impact rated- too bad though because I almost bought a set months ago when I first seen them in HD but I don’t remember seeing anything about impact rated. I won’t buy bits unless they’re impact rated. If I would have known at the time they were impact rated I would have bought them right then and there.
I also assume that if they’re black theyre impact rated
I bought a +2 black bit and I also bought a set of the gray one and guys I went threw the black fast! It didn’t brake but it wore really fast and started slipping. I really like the gray one a lot I’m still on my first gray bit and it’s still goin strong
If you follow the link regopit posted it says right at the top of the page that the Max Fit are impact rated. What don’t make sense is why would they make two styles of impact rated bits with one set black and one set gray. The black ones have impact ready all over them were as the gray ones say nothing about being impact ready but have a picture of a drill driver and impact driver on the packaging and they mention this on the Max Fit page. I hope someone at a Dewalt has an answer on this. I’m confused and no one so far has any clue what’s up with these either, good job with this one DeWalt . I’ll wait and see what you find out but right now I’m thinking about returning the Max Fit and picking up the black Flex Torque bits just to be safe.Gatorb888 wrote:
I did:
I’ll shoot an e-mail to the product manager and get some more info. I’m in a different distribution channel that only sells the black bits so I don’t know much about the silver ones. More to come…
I’m usually team red, but I tell you what. Makita gold bits are they best ones I’ve ever used.
Bigmikez wrote:
I bought a +2 black bit and I also bought a set of the gray one and guys I went threw the black fast! It didn’t brake but it wore really fast and started slipping. I really like the gray one a lot I’m still on my first gray bit and it’s still goin strong
So that’s interesting because I have said all along that the black “impact ready” bits from Dewalt SUCK! I’ve chopped up all my Phillips bits and I know how to drive. The blades on the bits just get chopped up. I haven’t tried any other brand but had been hesitant to buy the Red ones on account of the negative reviews. This might be a line to try.
Protool Reviews has some info on the Maxfit screws they are impact rated bits. I think Dewalt is trying to kill off cross shopping so you can’t get the 10% off if you find the price cheaper at another store. I bet we might see store exlusive sku’s on power tools next. The same tool but one sku is for general retailers the next is for the big box retailers like Home Depot and Lowes. I don’t think SBD wants to make Dewalt a one store exclusive brand. I think it hurts Makita and Milwaukee a little you have to go to Home Depot to get their tools in you shop in brick and mortar stores.
Yeah theyve been doing that for some time now some identical items have different packaging from hd to Lowe’s. I always thought it was so you couldn’t buy it at one store like Lowe’s and then return it at home depot. There’s a ton of people that are banned from making returns at certain stores so they may try to take their returns to the competing store.