Harbor Freight Bauer Cordless Impact Broken After 6 months … and repaired

This Bauer cordless impact wrench from Harbor Freight broke after not even six months of use. I’ll show you why it failed, how I fixed it and some of the cost cutting in the production of this tool.

Is this Bauer impact any good? I also did a partial teardown review to find out.

[ACoustaDC]

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.

[regibson]

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.

[salmonslayer]

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.

[danelobe]

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.

[ksong]

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.

[CORVAIRWILD]

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

[Jony]

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.

[dr.feelgood]

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

[urbanlumberjack]

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.

[markmeli]

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.

[theopiner]

I think Bauer is better for home use, whereas their Earthquake brand is more suited for professional use.

[algorel]

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!

[KLartrandM]

I appreciate your unbiased view and detailed breakdown. Good video, thanks for uploading.

[truckerpeterose]

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

[ivanhernandez]

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.

[leesuschrist]

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.

[dw]

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.

[downsyndromebear]

I picked mine up for $60 with a coupon. It has been a fantastic tool for me.

[BMfins]

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.

[flashcraft]

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.