The new Bosch IWMH182 18V 1/2″ Impact Wrench comes in as a bit of a curiosity. We’ll get to that in a moment. Let’s take a look at what it’s made of before coming to any conclusions.
The newest Bosch cordless impact wrench is built around their EC Brushless Motor. These have proven to be tough and have withstood some serious work that we’ve put it through. Temperature management has certainly been a high point for the motor.
The drive is a 1/2 inch square with detent ball rather than a hog ring. That’s great for keeping the socket secure. Three LED lights illuminate the work space.
Ergonomically, the Bosch IWMH182 looks solid. The 3.6-pound weight is certainly on the low end for a cordless impact wrench. The handle is a smaller diameter which will help the feel of the grip. With a length of 6.4 inches, the driver is both lightweight and compact. That should open up some spaces where a normal 18V impact wrench can’t go.
It’s in the specifications where curiosity sets in. This is a 1/2 inch impact wrench with just 184 foot pounds of torque available. With that kind of muscle, I’d expect to see a 3/8 inch square drive or perhaps a 12V platform. So what should we make of it?
If you’re fully invested in the 18V battery platform, the Bosch IWMH182 Impact Wrench doesn’t force you into the 12V platform. It should also mean that you get excellent run time between the brushless motor and the 18V batteries.
Like Metabo’s SSW 18 LTX 400, this could be a valuable go between for your impact driver and heavy duty impact wrench. A $6 adapter will put a 1/4″ hex bit driver on the front and give you an outstandingly powerful impact driver for working with lag bolts. The trade-off is dealing with the extra length. At the same time, you’re ready to go on light and some medium duty impact wrench tasks. I’d like to see this move to a 3 speed motor to be really effective in that roll though.
Some trade-offs are expected once you see the price. The bare tool is expected to run $169 and you get the brushless motor out of the deal even though it’s single speed.
Bosch IWMH182 18V EC Brushless 1/2 Inch Impact Wrench Specifications
- Models: IWMH182B (bare tool), IWMH182-01 (kit)
- Power Source: Bosch 18V Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
- No Load Speed: 0 – 2600 RPM
- Impact Rate: 0 – 3500 IPM
- Maximum Torque: 184 foot pounds (2213 inch pounds)
- Drive: 1/2″ square w/ detent ball
- Length: 6.4″
- Weight: 3.6 pounds
- Price: $169 (bare tool), $289 (kit)
- Warranty: 1 year, 3 years with ProVantage
