Snap-on STUBBY CT9038 18V Impact Wrench Review

[@6.4DieselDoctor]

I got one when it first came out and it’s been awesome since day one. Yeah it’s pricey from snappy but……. Whenever you’re out of warranty and need a rebuild or something repaired, you’ll get a brand new impact for a $150 flat fee. Doesn’t matter if it’s 7 years later. Brand new, so that’s why you pay snappy prices. To some folks that seems ludicrous but for myself and other professionals it’s a great trade off!

[@billyboyd418]

Keep telling yourself that, M12 stubby just announced with 550ft lbs, 3000 rpm and smaller package. $199 bare or $350 with 2 batteries. You can buy 3 and still pay less, when have you gone through 3 impact wrenches? Snap On makes some good tools but their power tools are way overpriced and not usually the highest specs.

[@jonnychavez1879]

I have one and love it!

[@jaywelker5566]

Oh wow, $150 for a new impact, what a steal. Wait, nvm. I can get an entire new M18 Fuel compact or mid-torque for $125-$150 all the time because they're constantly on sale or the overstock sales are resold on eBay by kit promo resellers. Home Depot had M18 mid-torque with 2x 6.0 HO batteries just yesterday....for $250. Or if you just want the mid-torque you buy the $300 BOGO deal then return the batteries and keep the mid-torque for $135. I get a tool with 5 years warranty every time, and anything outside warranty I can keep and reuse for potential spare parts to combine with another. Plus you can always buy your own parts and rebuild them yourself easily enough for $150....or just have the Milwaukee service center do it if you're too incompetent to swap an electronics assembly or gear train in all of 3 minutes. Plus I don't get reamed on battery prices, SO doesn't even make slim packs for their compact 18V tools, let alone larger format 21700 packs. Just those $200 5.0 packs and their amazing 1 year warranty. I can get 2x 5.0s + a certain free Fuel tool every Nov/Dec BOGO for $200 at Home Depot. And SO's power tool platform is so god awful you'll end up buying Dewalt or Milwaukee power tools anyways if you actually want a comprehensive battery platform.... most professionals don't find that to be a great trade-off where you essentially pay SO even more money when your tools fail at years 3, 4 and 5 where Milwaukee would still be covering them because they actually guarantee their products to work 3-4 years longer than a SO. There's a reason Dewalt/Mac and Milwaukee cordless are used by far more professionals than SO. They don't suck, and you don't have to suffer a lifetime of battered wife syndrome to pretend you enjoy their paltry battery ecosystem and their pathetic warranty duration.

[@dieseldemon2197]

Why others hate on other people's preferences is beyond me

[@6.4DieselDoctor]

@@billyboyd418 I’ve been in the diesel industry for over 23 years and I have my own preferences. You do whatever you want but I’ve had more Milwaukee batteries and impacts go bad within 1-2 years than I can count. Dewalts are great and only had to warranty once but in my case I have a service truck and toolboxes at the shop so I have several sets of tools and duplicates. Yes Milwaukee has a vast line of products but I’m absolutely sick to death of having to warranty their products over and over. I’ve only had to warranty one snap on impact in 10 years so yeah I’ll pay more money for less downtime. Being a business owner downtime costs more than the tools.

[@Anonymous..VQ3.5Lg35]

Waiting for Milwaukee new stubbys!!

[@Shoptoolreviews]

We should have them very soon, and look for the review...maybe sometime next week. ;)

[@DarianDT]

I hear it is up to 520 lb compared to the old gen. I'll be grabbing two for my cars.

[@iCutWaffles]

​​@@DarianDT550 and its an m12 not an m18 so a real stubby. Not this snap on bs

[@THEBEARDEDTOOLGUY]

​@@Shoptoolreviewsgood have mine on Order from OHIO POWER TOOLS 1/2 PIN DETENT should have it END AUGUST

[@Peachymilk36577]

​@@iCutWafflesyep lol 😂😂

[@backalleybuddy6793]

$950 dollars for a kit? Yea, I'm gonna have to pass on this one.

[@Peachymilk36577]

Lol yea especially since the milwaukee gen 2 stubby 1/2 inch does the same for smaller and cheaper 200 dollars for the gun and 3 50 for the kit 🤣

[@Not.Your.Ordinary.Garage]

Literally just traded my snap on 1/2 and the 3/8 in for Mac/Dewalt and so much happier and more variety on tools for techs and home projects

[@Shoptoolreviews]

We can understand why you would make that change. We hope it works well for you. Thanks for watching.

[@RamboBlood-bw8ey]

For the price of one Snap On I could buy 3 Milwaukees. Sorry Snap On I'm moving on.

[@Shoptoolreviews]

This is probably very true. Thanks for watching.

[@2down4up]

I’ve always been a Snap On fan, and when it comes to many of their hand tools I still am! Hell my Snap On guy came to my wedding and it was not a cheap destination wedding. He truly is a friend even family. All that said, when it comes to their power tools and much of their other diagnostic and electronic tools, their prices are just completely indefensible! Especially given the length of warranty and that lack of innovation in batteries and other features. Plus it’s a very small eco system. They have some really nice power tools, they’re just too expensive. When I finally replaced all my Snap On power tools, I too switched to Milwaukee.

[@victorhoyt4352]

Not just 3 milwaukees, but 3 milwaukee kits, lol. You could get 3 milwaukee bare tools and some other things for that price. The only things worth buying from snap on are ratchets, wrenches, and pliers. Even those are overpriced for what they are. You can get Japanese, German, and even Taiwanese made tools that are still phenomenal tools for a fraction of the price. 20+ years ago, usa made tools were the way to go, but it doesn't have to say usa on it anymore to be a quality tool. Look at matcos pinless swivel impact sockets. They are made in Taiwan now, and the quality is no different from the older armstrong usa versions... I've got some sunex impacts I've been beating on for over a decade and broken only 2 of them. I've got chrome sockets from tekton that I'd put up against any chrome usa socket. Japanese pliers for under $20 that outperform basically every usa made plier I've ever had. Hell, project farm showed the Taiwanese made 90 tooth gearwrench outperform everything on 1 of his most popular videos ever. I could go on and on. Snap on is overcharging, and ppl pay it no matter how high it goes. It's just crazy to me!! Look at CAT. They sell snap on tools rebranded under the CAT name for half the price but are still making healthy profit margins, so why does snap-on charge nearly double for the same tool?

[@RamboBlood-bw8ey]

@@victorhoyt4352 simple it's in the name. They charge extra for the name.

[@mrpeeps003]

Fulltime mechanic in Wisconsin, this’ll do most suspension nuts and bolts, if it’s a rust bucket I don’t want to beat on this gun so I step up to 1/2” but this has been an amazing 3/8

[@Shoptoolreviews]

That's great to hear that it's working well for you. It is a powerful little impact. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@Captmorgann]

Snap-on is just so out of touch with their pricing. They're so behind on the power tools IMO. Milwaukee has the new 1/2 or 3/8 m12 stubby that does 550 nut busting torque for a franction of the price.

[@Shoptoolreviews]

We should be doing a head to head with the Snap-on and new Milwaukee in the coming days. Thanks for watching.

[@DA-zi6eq]

Can't wait to see that vid. Tim 👍

[@Silent-assassin559]

i just bought a stubby 1/2 inch snap on electric impact. it's actually not too terrible. there is a couple things i don't enjoy about it but so far it's treating me really well

[@rolandm9750]

Wow a Snap On battery impact that doesn't suck, lol. That said it's about the same performance as the Ridgid it seems, but costs like 3-4x the money...and more like 5-6x the money when the Ridgid goes on deals/promos. DCF921 also in this same league. BTW I think you guys should maintain some type of table or rank chart to display your results of similar tools in the videos to see how any given tool compares. I often find myself rewatching old STR videos to get a grasp of how a new reviewed tool compares to ones reviewed previously--a continually updated table/chart would help a lot with this!

[@iCutWaffles]

The new milwaukee stuby has 550 foot pounds of torque and comming out in september for a third of the price

[@rolandm9750]

@@iCutWaffles Yep well aware of the 2562 announcement, but "550lb*ft" is just a rating/advertised spec. We'll see what it does, *when* it does--i.e. when it gets reviewed. I don't have a doubt it'll beat this Snap-On but TBH it doesn't compete against the Snap-On since "tool truck ppl" will still be buying off tool trucks and ppl buying mainstream brands will continue to do that. The fact that Snap-On can keep making/selling these things at the prices they do...is because people-- those in that field/industry-- buy them. The terrible value proposition doesn't seem to sway them. OTOH there's no way that a "regular person" ever steps on a tool truck, so the price and existence of the Snap-On *to the general public* is irrelevant. It's not sold in regular retail stores so it'll never even be a thought in the mind of the everyday consumer.

[@kylevanwinkle2081]

Much more interested in that other red stubby than a snapon

[@Shoptoolreviews]

Very soon....very soon. ;). Thanks for watching.

[@kylevanwinkle2081]

@Shoptoolreviews I've got one on pre-order. I wanted the 250ftlb version so the new 550ftlb version is awesome considering my next step over a ratchet was the 1400ftlb high torque. We use alot of milwaukee and hilti in industrial construction and they just work. Amazingly well. No more drawing 1inch air hoses most of the time

[@2down4up]

Very interested to see how this compares the equally rated new M12 fuel 3/8” wrench.

[@robmey7254]

Solid review like always, but I do wish you got closer to its max power. Example if it can do 400 but can't 500, go down in 25 pound Increments until it can. Potentially a 100 off is huge But 25 is with in normal variation.

[@Iroc_twan]

Well when the new milwaukee stubby comes out in September it will probably beat it again

[@Shoptoolreviews]

We should have our hands on the new Milwaukee Stubbies pretty soon. Thanks for watching.

[@12askalHarry]

It’s nice to see a 3/8 impact wrench to have 500+ breakaway torque but in reality I would rather to use a 1/2 impact if I need that much power

[@Jasonitodd]

Well you are in luck! A certain red company offers one in 3/8 AND 1/2 drive. Oh, and it’s more powerful. Cheaper. And has a better warranty!

[@12askalHarry]

@@Jasonitodd Milwaukee yes

[@ZeGermanHam]

I'm ready to see this thing get smoked by the upcoming gen-2 Milwaukee M12 stubby, which claims to have 550ft-lbs breakaway in a much smaller footprint.

[@Shoptoolreviews]

We should be comparing them very soon. Thanks for watching.

[@victorhoyt4352]

This may be a "stubby," but it's a big impact overall. The battery is freaking huge, and the impact is short in one aspect, but overall, it's just big and bulky. I just pre ordered the new m12 milwaukee stubby. 550ft lbs of break away and in a 12v tool??!! Unbelievable!!! Also, this is ridiculously overpriced, as is everything else sold by snap on. I wish ppl would stop supporting a company like this. These tools are being purchased by blue-collar, hard-working Americans. The people who are the literally backbone of this country and you want to take advantage by charging ridiculous prices... You can still get quality tools, both USA made and others, for waayyy less. If we stop buying, they HAVE TO CHANGE!!

[@Froz718]

Milwaukee just came out with a 12v stubby with 550ftlbs for $200

[@Shoptoolreviews]

That is correct, and we will be reviewing it very soon. Maybe we'll even have a comparison head to head between the two. ;) Thanks for watching.

[@draytonPW]

Snap-on has a serious stubby for Milwaukee's designs

[@Nordman555]

Finally an actual test on this impact. Not much else on youtube. I just bought this and can say its awesome. Ripped of sierra caliper bracket bolts no problem. Alot more powerful than my stubby dewalts

[@lthegr81]

I'm kinda new to the tool but I never been a fan of snap on. They are way over priced when other tools have been proven to be better and half the cost, so what's the point? Of course, they may have 1 or 2 tools that are great, like other tool makes have that 1 or 2 tools that make them stand out. But, especially, when it comes to power tools, I would never choose snap on for my needs, but that is my opinion.

[@TrackstarBR]

Finally a real review of this. I want one but man that price makes me really stop.

[@sarcasticpanda84]

Yeah, really tough to justify it when you can get a DCF921 kit with a 1.7ah PS battery for about $300. You could add on 2 5ah PS for another $200 and you're set for a stubby

[@KosmicHRTRacingTeam]

Seriously looks like a prototype Milwaukee. So unfinished and stark looking. The handle reminds me of a Glock (not in a good way). Guess it’s a good thing that it performed well.

[@rolandm9750]

That's always been "the look" of Snap On power tools. They look super cheap (and a lot of them perform super cheap too lol) yet are invariably insanely priced. This one performs well but the price is laughable. But, it's not for regular folks anyway, it's for ppl that frequent tool trucks...which is not regular consumers.

[@kewlkidswag2064]

It’s not bad for other jobs but I wouldn’t use it for lugs I use the 9050 for lugs which works awesome

[@shawnb4234]

Please do a head to head when the gen 2 m12 stubby comes out.

[@2ndsam302]

September

[@kewlkidswag2064]

I got mine from my rep for 165 I already had the charger and batteries

[@justinvanburen8259]

Another great video!!! Thanks

[@luiscastillo530]

You should do a head to head against the new atomic dewalt and Milwaukee

[@krayzie281]

The new m12 stubby that’s about to come out is guna be the shit

[@33kingmajor16]

You got Dewalt, Milwaukee, way cheaper and gets the job done

[@james2042]

Still cant justify this or the m12 stubby when ridgid exist. Cheaper with an LSA and relatively similar performance, will handle anything automotive. I own a good chunk of m12, i wish i knew about ridgid and their lsa before investing in m12

[@DA-zi6eq]

Don't need to see the whole vid to know Over price, under power....am I right!! 💯

[@ChrisLandrum-dt4yd]

I am still waiting on a review of the porter cable high torque PCCF940m1. Why is nobody testing it ?

[@DA-zi6eq]

He said porter cable 😂😂😂

[@ElectroAtletico]

$922.95 in their catalog (with charger & 2 x 5ah batteries). So who's the first fool that's going to say ".....yeah, my Snap-On guy made me a really good deal" (ROFL).

[@bernitup6492]

This brand should just go away... too many others that can out compete them at a way lower price and better warranty...

[@cesarastorga1001]

New mid torque 1/2 kobalt cracks 1100 ft lbs

[@joshchamberlain9413]

Snap on - pay more for backwards setup. Why wouldn't it be red for reverse - green go? Also I'm sure it's sturdy, but it looks like it's gonna break into pieces the way the plastic looks

[@Shoptoolreviews]

I'm assuming they want Red to mean "caution" when tightening fasteners...I guess. It's actually pretty well built. Thanks for watching.

[@slingin_tires]

Why didn't you push the DCF961 that far?

[@Jaime7188]

Another overly expensive and underwhelming performance Snap-On. I'll stick to my dewalt dcf891

[@DallasEschete]

Junk bought this a year ago had to send it in around 3 months in to buying it went back to me Dewalt impacts

[@doofwop]

The Strap-On guys appear to have never heard of a company called Milwaukee that has been eating their lunch for years now. Hell their combo wrenches which used to be the only reason to buy anything from them have now been bested by Icon from Harbor Freight. So now there literally is no reason to buy from them. This is what arrogance and complacence bring you. The cheap brands have caught up.

[@DarianDT]

The entire tool and battery look like a Chinese knockoff item.

[@ToolsInAction4u]

Ryobi color?

[@wIzKid16100]

Till the new m12 stubby comes out

[@mnblkjh6757]

so you used 1/2 impact-green to break last nut👎☹️

[@Skwish6952]

Im surprised after how many years this channel has been using these welded sockets, that peoole still bitch about it. With it being welded solid like that, if you loose any torque, its so minimal that its not going to effect the outcome enough to matter.

[@Shoptoolreviews]

Thank you for the support. We are usually inundated with the peanut gallery complaining about the adapter. Thanks for watching.

[@falkirk8413]

And the milwaukee beats it for less than 1/2 the dime

[@davidnewman7689]

Yeah, it only cost $5000 😂

[@Shoptoolreviews]

Not even. It's just a mere $923 for the kit. lol. Thanks for watching.

[@ruebenwilson6325]

Overpriced. Won't break lugs huh?

[@richardm.661]

Now go to a junkyard to test this tools. Testing tools in a bench is not "testing" them.

[@Shoptoolreviews]

Your point has been brought up at least a few times, each time we test an impact wrench. While that may seem like a good idea, there are some questions. How do you ensure there will always be the same vehicle/hub/studs in the junkyard? How do you ensure that all the lugnuts have been torqued to any certain amount of force? How do you ensure that each hub/studs have been exposed to the same amount of salt/corrosion or certain environments? Since you can't ensure these answers will always be the same, then you can't expect your results to be of measure or scientific. The reason we test on a test bench is because we can perform a controlled test. Meaning, we know the threads are in good working order, we know that our torque tool is calibrated within 3%, and we control the time limit for each process. Doing these things give us the best opportunity to have qualitative and quantitative results that are repeatable. Sorry for the long explanation. Thanks for watching.

[@TooljunkieDave5215]

Having a hard time believing it will put out that much. It’s also probably 900 dollars

[@Thumper68]

The handles to manly 🤣 Jesus our society is in total decay

[@crisphol33]

Made in china