Bosch
Bosch 18V GDS18V-330CN Impact Wrench
This 1/2-inch Bosch mid-torque trades headline numbers for control: 330 ft-lbs fastening and 590 ft-lbs breakaway from a 6.6-inch, 3.5 lb body. Three speed/torque settings sit alongside two assist modes, one that stops when the fastener seats and one that stops spinning once a nut breaks loose in reverse so it doesn't drop into the wheel well. The anvil has both a friction ring and a thru-hole, so you can run quick-change sockets or pin them for overhead work. It's connected-ready, but the module that unlocks custom presets in the Bosch app is sold separately.
Specifications
Features
Written from the maker's spec sheet and independent reviews, not from owner reports.
Strengths
- ✓Auto Bolt Release stops rotation the moment a nut spins free in reverse, which keeps lug nuts and bolts from being flung or dropped during removal.
- ✓Friction ring plus thru-hole on the same anvil: quick socket swaps for lug work, or a detent pin when a socket must not fall off overhead.
- ✓At 6.6 inches long and 3.5 lbs bare it's short enough to get behind a strut or into a wheel-well without a long extension.
- ✓Three torque-limited speeds give a genuine low setting for smaller fasteners, not just a slower top speed.
- ✓Auto Stop mode in forward helps keep from over-driving lag screws and smaller bolts.
Drawbacks
- ✗330 ft-lbs fastening and 590 ft-lbs breakaway sit at the low end of the current mid-torque class; Ridgid, Metabo HPT and Flex all claim more for similar money.
- ✗Pro Tool Reviews rated its power on the lower end of the mid-torque models it had tested, so rusted suspension bolts can call for a breaker bar or a high-torque gun.
- ✗Custom presets and app control need the connectivity module, which is an extra purchase on top of the bare tool.
- ✗Around $229 bare, it costs more than the higher-torque Ridgid R86012B.
- ✗Bosch's cordless automotive lineup is thinner than Milwaukee's or DeWalt's, so there are fewer matching ratchets and specialty tools on the same pack.
Common Questions
Why does the GDS18V-330CN anvil have both a friction ring and a thru-hole?
Is the GDS18V-330CN strong enough for lug nuts?
What does Auto Bolt Release do?
Should I buy the Bosch GDS18V-330CN or Ridgid's R86012?
Is the $449 GDS18V-330CN kit worth it over the $229 bare tool?
Compare the Bosch 18V GDS18V-330CN Impact Wrench
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