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ToolGuyd > Power Tools > Cordless > Milwaukee M18 Fuel Surge – a Brushless Hydraulic Impact Driver (Quiet Pulse Driver)

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Surge – a Brushless Hydraulic Impact Driver (Quiet Pulse Driver)

Aug 29, 2016 Stuart 42 Comments

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Milwaukee M18 Fuel Surge Hydraulic Impact Driver

The other day, when we posted about the new Ryobi Quiet Strike cordless pulse driver, Noah asked in a comment: So when does the Milwaukee version come out?

Just because Ridgid came out with a Stealth Force quiet pulse driver, and then Ryobi, it doesn’t mean Milwaukee will too. Right?

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But over at Home Depot, a search for hydraulic impact driver, which someone mentioned as being around for a long time before Makita and Ridgid models came along, turned up something interesting – the Milwaukee M18 Fuel SURGE hydraulic impact driver, model 2760-20.

Yep, Milwaukee is also coming out with an oil pulse driver. And it’s brushless. And more compact than the other models on the market, except for maybe the Makita. And it’s got 4 power and speed modes.

It’s not too expensive either – $149 for the bare tool.

Shoot, I want one, like now.

Milwaukee SURGE Features

  • Fluid-drive hydraulic power train
  • Powerstate brushless motor “outperforms all leading competitors”
  • 4-mode drive control
  • Self-tapping screw mode for reduced walking and reduced overdriving
  • 0-3,000 RPM
  • 450 in-lbs max torque
  • LED worklight

Milwaukee says that their new fluid-drive hydraulic powertrain, aka oil pulse driver, results in up to 50% quieter operation, 3x less vibration for smoother operation, and faster driving speeds compared to standard impact drivers.

This is all because you have less metal-on-metal impact contact within the tool, and a faster gearbox ratio.

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Here’s the trade-off: the max torque spec is 450 in-lbs.

Price: $149

Buy Now(via Home Depot, in stock… soon?)

First Thoughts

So why not just use a drill? Well, for one, an oil pulse driver, while not as reactionless as a traditional impact driver, twists far less than a drill/driver when a drill or bit jams up. And there’s the quick-change chuck, not to mention the shorter length of the tool, allowing it to fit in tighter spaces.

Compared to a standard impact driver, you should experience quieter operation, and faster application speeds, at least when working with low to medium torque fasteners. This isn’t the tool to sink giant lag bolts.

I think that a LOT of users can benefit from a tool like this, especially in residential and commercial work. Impact drivers are loud, and can be very disruptive. Drills are longer and slower.

We don’t really see cordless screwdrivers as much these days, at least not in 18V product families. 12V-class cordless screwdrivers are still reasonably popular, although far less so than drills or impacts.

This Milwaukee M18 Fuel Surge driver, and other oil pulse drivers, are in a weird gray area, but I think they’ll catch on really quickly.

As mentioned earlier in the post, I want one, like RIGHT NOW.

There are tradeoffs with tools like this, but I can live with 450 in-lbs of max torque, which is still quite a bit. The faster application speeds isn’t a big deal for me, but it will be for pros tasked with driving in dozens or hundreds of fasteners. It’s the quieter operation and small (impact driver-like) size that I am most after.

How many of you will be buying a Milwaukee SURGE once it’s released?

Related posts:

Milwaukee Tool New Cordless Power Tools 2020 Pipeline Episode 1New Milwaukee Cordless Power Tools for 2020 – Pipeline Rundown 1

Sections: Cordless, Drills & Drivers, New Tools Tags: brushless impact drivers, impact drivers, Milwaukee M18, Milwaukee M18 FuelMore from: Milwaukee

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42 Comments

  1. Travis

    Aug 29, 2016

    I absolutely love my Makita XST01M Oil-Impulse driver. I use it 90% of the time for my fastening tasks. This is great news for Milwaukee users. I am looking forward to a head to head comparison.

    Reply
  2. Nathan

    Aug 29, 2016

    wonder when dewalt will make one. That’s looks like a nice tool – and it makes me sort of want one – hydraulic pulse driver that is.

    honestly that same setup with a touch more torque wouldn’t be so bad for automotive application in say a 3/8 or 1/4 square drive. quick – but small fasteners for things like lights, interior R/R and the like. sub 50 ft/lb – smooth motion – compact body – decent speed control.

    Reply
  3. ...Steve

    Aug 29, 2016

    I will buy this I mean everyone who screws in screws or does metal siding or metal to metal applications Need One!
    thanks Stuart for the review.

    Reply
    • Stuart

      Aug 29, 2016

      Agreed, but this wasn’t a review.

      Reply
      • Bremon

        Aug 29, 2016

        More of a preview.

        Reply
      • ...Steve

        Aug 29, 2016

        ahh thanks for the correction, I also wonder if its going to have 450 lb in torque? and if they would eventually get one of these in the One-Key category then they would be set

        Reply
        • Derek

          Aug 29, 2016

          One key was a flop…oops sorry, my future buddies said that I shouldn’t tell you people that, they said it would tear the space time continuum.
          Oh, also Trump Wins! lol jk ….or am I?!

          Reply
          • K2

            Dec 7, 2016

            You aren’t!

  4. avi

    Aug 29, 2016

    what i am most curious to know is how it will compare in size to milwaukee’s fuel impact driver, specifically the length of the head – for in how tight quarters it can drive a screw,
    and the radius of the head – for how close to a wall it drive a screw parallel to said wall, specifically a phillips head who always like to cam out if you’re not directly lined up behind it.

    Reply
    • Adam

      Aug 29, 2016

      Get a bit adapter that swivels. Dewalt makes a set for 1/4 to 1/2 sizes. And you can throw a bit into the 1/4 size

      Reply
  5. Adam

    Aug 29, 2016

    I was about ready to drop the $ for the ‘standard’ fuel impact driver (2753), but I think this will be a better option. I rarely drive large fasteners, and the quieter operation really appeals to me.

    Reply
    • Travis

      Aug 29, 2016

      You will absolutely love this. The quieter operation is amazing. I have not put down my Makita oil-impulse driver since I got it. They are absolutely worth the loss in torque for the noise reduction. Honestly, I don’t even notice a loss in torque. I feel it is just as powerful as my other impacts and it never has trouble with and fasteners.

      Reply
  6. Drew M

    Aug 29, 2016

    Something I was wondering this weekend is just how much torque do impact drivers have when it is just the motor spinning the screw. I got a Bosch 25618 impactor and it seems to have MUCH more torque even without impact when compared to my IDS181.

    So, with the announcement of this tool, I wonder if my new Bosch has 450in*lb directly from the motor and then maybe hits the full 1500in*lb when it starts impact driving.

    Reply
  7. James C

    Aug 29, 2016

    I just commented the other day in the Ryobi Quite Strike post about how a driver like this would be a deciding factor for me when I soon begin investing in 18v tools. I was leaning towards the orange brand, but it looks like I may be staying red!

    Reply
  8. Matt

    Aug 29, 2016

    No clue in release date?

    Reply
    • Stuart

      Aug 29, 2016

      Working on it.

      Reply
  9. Seb

    Aug 29, 2016

    I can’t really make my mind on this one, I have a m12 impact driver and the numbers seems wrong, my m12 is rated at 135nm and that oil striker after conversion seems to be rated at around 50nm.

    I could have messed up my conversion but if that’s not the case the weight to power ratio means this one is out for me. Anyone could confirm my conversion from in-lbs to nm?

    Those imperial measures makes no sense to me (as am sure the opposite is true for you guys).

    Reply
    • Nathan

      Aug 29, 2016

      I get the following.

      450 in/lbf – 37.5 ft/lbf – 50.8 Nm

      so yes that’s about right.

      Reply
    • Koko the Talking Ape

      Aug 29, 2016

      You did the conversion correctly. But as another commenter points out, that rating might be of the motor’s torque in continuous drive, not the torque created when it impacts.

      Reply
      • Guy

        Aug 29, 2016

        I saw a review somewhere of a pulse impact where it was rated low but blew the doors off competitors (might have been the Ridgid unit?). Very interested to see how they compare in actual performance outside of specs.

        In other news, I’m worried about the new marketing spin to come “Torque Strength” like “Horsepower Strength” or HPS that my new garage door opener has. Doesn’t say the HP anymore, but the HP equivalent or something.

        Reply
      • Jonathan

        Jan 10, 2017

        I was talking with our local Milwaukee rep back in early November , he said something to the same effect, that it wasn’t apples to apples more like coconut to equal sized block of wood, the liquid in a coconut retains residual energy of intial impact and but pulses with slower continuesous energy i.e. crashing wave on a beach vs a branch crashing down from a tree onto the sand below higher impact energy.

        Perhaps a better analogy is a plate compactor (pulse) on soil vs a sledge hammer (impact) to compact soil, the sledge will have higher energy in a smaller spot.

        I digress , he brought in a personal demo unit in from his rig and I got to run a few screws and some lags bolts in some wood at one of the demo stations, I was quite impressed,

        I hope that they bring it out in the M12 Fuel line (now that I’ve abandoned all hope and my DeWalt 12V max tools in favor of the M12 series- if it wasn’t for the recent Sawzall/hole Dozer saw blades with the free M12 Sawzall promo I doubt I would have invested in the M12 FUEL combo with Hammer, Impact and free bare tool (got the 3/8th cordless rachet).

        Its heavier than the DeWalt but packs more power, is brushless and has hi/low settings and batteries have on tool fuel gauge.
        The 3/8th is a little under powered but will be nice for R&R of nuts , screws and bolts.

        Reply
    • Matt

      Aug 30, 2016

      I believe, and correct me when if I’m wrong, that these impulse drivers are built for speed fastening. Not power/torque.

      Upping the rpms in a sense makes them seem more powerful than the actual torque rating as they drive quicker.

      I wouldn’t pay attention to torque on any oil impulse guy. Unless you plan on pushing lags all day

      Reply
  10. Davidaa1

    Aug 29, 2016

    I clicked on the link and HD says “This product is not available”. I searched their website for “Milwaukee surge” and some random products show up. I’m wondering if it’s my browser or the whole thing was a mistake and wasn’t supposed to be on their website yet?.

    Reply
    • Stuart

      Aug 29, 2016

      Judging from the email I received from Milwaukee earlier today, Home Depot’s product listing went live a few weeks early.

      Reply
  11. Satch

    Aug 29, 2016

    Well, follow the leader is alive and well in the power tool market! I commented in the Ryobi thread that this would likely be a popular option and it looks like it may be so. As many here have noted it is usually not necessary to have maximum torque. Particularly for guys driving Tek screws, removing fasteners from hardware and appliances. Now automotive? Well that is a more demanding animal and different parameters will surely apply. Still, I think there is a huge potential for this type of devise in the skilled mechanical trades like HVAC, electrical, structured wiring installers, and anyone(like me) who does maintenance work that can entail removing anything from motor control cabinets to commercial appliances. Good catch Stuart.

    Reply
  12. Sam

    Aug 29, 2016

    I’m getting one. I’ll keep my reg m18 gen 2 impact around for a mule an big fasteners. I do alot of steel to steel an steel to wood an sounds awesome. Will be my 3rd impact I own. Lol.

    Reply
  13. André

    Aug 30, 2016

    Makitas new oil impulse driver is “only” 0-2700 rpm and 40nm, compared to this one so on paper this one should be better…

    Reply
    • André

      Aug 30, 2016

      edit:
      Milwaukee – 450 in-lbs max torque
      Makita – 355 in-lbs max torque

      Reply
  14. Nathan

    Aug 30, 2016

    the whole purpose of the “oil impact” or “hydrolyic impact” systems is to reduce noise and vibration in the hammer/anvil torque box – they do this by absorbing some of that shock. IE just like a shock absorber on your car but in rotation. Similar idea to lovejoy couplers or the like.

    therefore they take away energy from the system and disperse it in the oil – again that’s the point. so it will by nature have less applied torque to the bit – than a hard impact system. It can however tolerate spinning faster because you lose the risk of fracturing the torque box – and they run cooler.

    the torque and rpm values seem about in line if not purposely cut down a tick to have more impressive speed.

    Reply
  15. DGriffin

    Aug 30, 2016

    Strangely the Rigid Stealth Force Oil Impulse driver may be FAR stronger than this one and is only $50.00 more. The Rigid Stealth force blows the Makita Oil Impulse out of the water…. so A Milwaukee will release a higher end Impulse Driver later or they just want something to compete with the Makita and there daughter brand Ryobi and sister brand Rigid.

    Reply
  16. Matt

    Aug 30, 2016

    Just curious how much money does Milwaukee pay you to write this stuff?

    Reply
    • Adam

      Aug 30, 2016

      Milwaukee doesn’t pay him anything, and neither does any other manufacturer.
      If you’re complaining that there are too many Milwaukee related stories, I’m not sure what you’re talking about, as exactly two of the last thirty posts have been about their tools.

      Reply
    • Stuart

      Aug 30, 2016

      What part of my non-paid-for opinions do you have disagree with?

      Reply
  17. Thomas

    Aug 30, 2016

    I would like to see an M12 version of this…..?

    Reply
    • William

      Nov 15, 2016

      That I would buy

      Reply
  18. Mike

    Aug 30, 2016

    Only new to retail level customers. Panasonic, Hitachi, Bosch, Makita and others I’m sure have been selling this to industrial and manufacturing sector companies for years and years. As an end-user consumer from the USA I’m in a similar position to many who post here regarding Bosch tools seeming scant and slow, EC motors, battery voltage etc…but just want to point out that the USA and Home Depot are not the whole world. Example Bosch(Rexroth) 36v brushless tools have been available to commercial users for quite a few years. Makita is similar, offering advanced tools to other corporations first, consumers later. Most technology and R and D is done for the state sector, US DoD especially, then applied commercially at a later date. Lasers, batteries, satellites, polymers, medicines, GPS, internet, and countless others all stem from subsidized high tech projects.

    Marketing is not always…honest. FlexVolt for example is not really the “first”. In Germany/EU Metabo sells 36v brushless grinders that will likely remain performance leaders even against Big Yellow and Big Red “innovation”. Of course, Metabo 36v tools are not on the shelves at the local Home Despot.

    Reply
  19. Nick

    Sep 1, 2016

    Home Depot took off the M18 surge as of 9/1 . Why ? It is no longer available.

    Reply
    • Stuart

      Sep 2, 2016

      My guess is that the listing was put up too early, so they took it down?

      Reply
  20. K2

    Dec 7, 2016

    Any news on a one key variant?

    Reply
  21. Tony lupo

    Mar 30, 2017

    What about Maintinence?

    Don’t you have to change the fluid like other hydraulic systems? Will this be covered by Milwaukee? Will it last forever?

    Reply
    • Stuart

      Mar 30, 2017

      https://toolguyd.com/milwaukee-m18-fuel-surge-hydraulic-driver-things-you-should-know/

      No maintenance required.

      Reply
  22. Gregg

    Dec 20, 2018

    The surge is junk it will not stand up to one after another type work, I blew the seals out of 3 surges in 60 days, it’s a better fit HVAC work or the guy that uses it on limited basis

    Reply

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