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Old 01-24-2012, 08:29 PM   #1
Banjoman
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Best Cordless Drill For Stabilizer Jacks

Just wondering what are the good and bad when it comes to cordless drills?
What brand and voltage drill have you used for putting the stabilizer jacks down? What would you reccomend? What junk to stay away from etc.
Any recommendation would be great.
Thanks
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Old 01-24-2012, 08:48 PM   #2
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I was wondering the same thing. I just bought a combo set from Harbor Freight. Tried it out the other day. If the jack was tight the drilll would not lower it. After starting the jack the drill put it down real fast and lifted it fine.

The drill is a cheap 18 volt and not really that powerful for 18 volts.


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Old 01-25-2012, 02:21 AM   #3
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I to went to Harbor Freight and bought a cheap drill. On sale with coupon was 9 dollars. Been using it for a year now for the satabalizers and small jobs. Works for me. Remember...you're not lifting the trailer with the stabalizers, just setting them.
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Old 01-25-2012, 06:27 AM   #4
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I bought a Skil brand 18 volt kit containing a drill and a large flashlight. The drill works just fine as does the flashlight, but the batteries don't hold much of a charge. I've seen workmen use just one or two batteries for a whole day's heavy work with the DeWalt and other pro units. One of the Skil batteries won't sustain a charge for more than a few drills or whatever. The other one is OK, but still runs down after an hour's use.

I'm sending a letter to Skil, and if they don't offer a decent solution, I may step up to the DeWalt or Ryobi pro drills.
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Old 01-25-2012, 09:46 AM   #5
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All my cordless tools are Dewalt 18v and they are used every day all day. When we travel the ½" drill/driver and the ½" impact driver are in the tool box. If you have ever changed a trailer tire on the side of a busy interstate you will appreciate an impact wrench to remove the lug-nuts. Granted, they cost a little more than $9 but they work when you need them to. As cheap as I am, if the only thing I needed them for was the stabilizer jacks I would probably still be using the hand crank.
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Old 01-25-2012, 10:12 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankpage View Post
If you have ever changed a trailer tire on the side of a busy interstate you will appreciate an impact wrench to remove the lug-nuts.
For the big jobs, I carry a Makita 110 vac impact wrench and the Honda generator. It'll pull the 8 lug nuts off one of the duallies in no time at all. No hand loosening or tightening required.

I've also got an adapter for the truck jack to spin it up and down with the Makita. Still looking for a couple of good scissors jacks with the 3/4" (or larger) hex heads on them. They work a lot better than the factory jack.
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Old 01-25-2012, 01:57 PM   #7
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Dewalt, i own several of each, drills, compact impact drivers, med. duty impacts, and heavy duty impacts. i go thru several compacts and med duty's a year for work. spend the money, get a good combo with the compact impact driver and a good hammer/drill, drill and two batts. it will knock out most any job you got around the house and then some. stuff you get from Habor Freight, is well, is what you pay for. it will do the trick, but with headachs. trust me, i know cordeless tools.
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Old 01-25-2012, 02:11 PM   #8
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I found you do want a reasonably powerfull drill with reasonable battery life. A dewalt 14V NiCad works real well. What I found it that Ace/HD etc have a nice kit with two batteries, drill and charger on sale periodically, so that's what I bought. Better than trying to remember to bring along my dewalt 18V/batteries/charger every time.

I've used Harbor Freight/Craftsman that neighbors had and some other cordless stuff and was not impressed. Dewalt/Milwakee/Makita stuff is good from my experience.

Personally I've stuck with Dewalt, mostly for commonality, and it takes lots of abuse and lasts a LONG time and the batteries last years, In over 10 years, I've only had one battery finally go bad and not hold a charge.
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Old 01-25-2012, 02:54 PM   #9
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Worked in the trades my whole life someone said spend the money and he was right. The little extra you spend will be worth it in the long run. 18 volt though is great at work has got the balls to do big stuff but for just putting down the stabilizers and most little stuff around the house you could get by with 12 or 14.4. And check out the Li batteries they are very light.
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Old 01-25-2012, 03:04 PM   #10
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I have a lovely DeWalt I’ve used for many years around the house. But I’m so far ok with hand cranking the jacks. At least more ok than packing a drill kit just to ease some manual labor. It’s part of my anti-clutter, weight watching regimen. Heck, I even still have a hand crank tongue jack.
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Old 01-25-2012, 03:08 PM   #11
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I like all the good feedback about DeWalt tools here. I am the service operations manager for the WV DeWalt service center. I have worked for the company for 16 years now so I may not be the best person to ask what drill is the best. But I use nothing but DeWalt
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Old 01-25-2012, 05:08 PM   #12
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Battery operated drill motors

I have a DeWalt 12 volt (I believe, it could be 14 volt) Lithium. I bought it to replace my old DeWalt Ni metal hydride unit. 2 new batteries cost almost as much as a new Li model.

It is great. It holds a charge almost forever and charges in 90 minutes or less.

I think I paid about $130--- a bargain.

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Old 01-25-2012, 05:37 PM   #13
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Hitachi gets my vote. I have the 18V kit, have put it head to head against many other models, nothing else is as powerful, nothing else holds a charge better.
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Old 01-25-2012, 09:15 PM   #14
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Dewalt for me too. I carry a Dewalt drill with the socket adapter for the rear stabilizer jacks. I bought a used impact drill carry that now too. I must own at least a dozen cordless dewalt products. I had craftsman for a long time but was getting tired of buying a new version and having a different battery pack to deal with.

How many of you guys carry an air compressor? I bought a Campbell Hausfeld 2 gallon air compressor last fall still new in the box at a swap meet. I got it for 55 bucks they are usually 80-100 in store. Fits perfectly in the basement hatch pretty compact unit, good for emergency or the odd football soccer ball bike tire..
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Old 01-25-2012, 10:06 PM   #15
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My big Dewalt works great for stabilizers.
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Old 01-26-2012, 09:50 AM   #16
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I still use the old hand crank but I do use a DeWalt around the house and had really never even thought about using it to raise or lower the jacks. Guess off to CW for a socket for the 5er.

Happy Camping everyone spring will be here before we know it!!
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Old 01-26-2012, 02:08 PM   #17
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Different option

I used a cordless drill for years with the jacks. At the beginning of last year, I switched to a cordless 1/2" drive impact wrench vs the cordless drill. Much happier now! Much more power and battery life, simply a better choice in my humble opinion.
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Old 01-26-2012, 02:19 PM   #18
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FWIW, i have a warning somewhere on the jack or trailer, that states it voids the warrenty if an impact is used for the jacks. i used a drill for about two trips, found i can run the jacks quicker by hand then it was to drag the drill around, and find someplace not wet to put it while i was doing something else. plus the batt was dead the last time, and that was the end of that.
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Old 01-26-2012, 03:31 PM   #19
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Jacks

Quote:
Originally Posted by cumminsdad08 View Post
FWIW, i have a warning somewhere on the jack or trailer, that states it voids the warrenty if an impact is used for the jacks. i used a drill for about two trips, found i can run the jacks quicker by hand then it was to drag the drill around, and find someplace not wet to put it while i was doing something else. plus the batt was dead the last time, and that was the end of that.
Wow, your pretty fast! Wrench or other, something needs to be dragged around to put them down.... At any rate, never seen that impact sticker warning. Again, just one persons perspective, you want to put those jacks down quickly, smoothly and without manual wrench..... cordless what-ever works really great.
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Old 01-26-2012, 05:05 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cumminsdad08 View Post
FWIW, i have a warning somewhere on the jack or trailer, that states it voids the warrenty if an impact is used for the jacks. i used a drill for about two trips, found i can run the jacks quicker by hand then it was to drag the drill around, and find someplace not wet to put it while i was doing something else. plus the batt was dead the last time, and that was the end of that.
I was told the same thing to not use an impack wrench. The hammer action from the impack causes damage to the gears.

IDK if thats true but thats the reason why I didn't get one.


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