4.5" grinders (1 Viewer)

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duggy

duggy

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I've killed 2 Makita 4.5" angle grinders in the past 6 weeks doing garage fab work. It seems like there is a clutch or bearing system inside that fails and locks up after a while. To my knowledge, there is nothing that needs to be greased in these grinders. Is Dewalt in my future upgrade path or is there another hotness? What are you guys using?
 
I don't recall if I ever did a Makita, but I've greased several grinders. And they were sorely needing it. There is bound to be some sort of gear train that needs lubes in all/most of them I would think.
I kind of doubt that Dewalt tools are better in general than Makitas FWIW.
 
Interesting. I've never looked at them in depth. I only made mention of greasing hem because when they start to die they get really loud
 
I have had dewalt tools for a while now and they have treated me well. I am only running Makita because my dad ran them for a long time before he passed.
 
it took well over a decade of abuse to kill the dewalt. the milwakee isn't holding up as well, but I've beat it for over 3 years now, and aside from it deciding to take a chunk of my leg one day, it's still spinning- even after I decided to let it learn to fly...
 
Metabo is supposedly the best.
I have not killed my Craftsman Professional, about 10 yrs old but not using it for long durations.
Check out 3M Cubitron 2 Flappers and Discs; they are spendy but durable.
We have good luck with Dewalt grinders at work and use Millwaukees as well. We buy them buy the 20's :).
If you want a cheapy the Ryobis aren't bad.
 
Weird. My Makita Home Tech 4.5" grinder has held up just fine for the last 30 years. The Home Tech line was the 'cheaper' all plastic housing too.
 
It looks like I have an authorized Makita repair shop around the corner who will repair my grinder. I will ask them about greasing up the heads. If they still die, I think I'm going with Dewalt next as I have had good luck with their power tools.

For what it's worth, I am doing fab work in my 2-car garage but it involves a lot of grinding, flap disc, and cutting action. I expect the equipment to last longer than 2 months, but maybe I am using it beyond it's intended use.
 
not at all. 2 months is harbor freight life expectancy...
 
LC, from what I've read and experienced myself, the better one of the HF (mine is orange) 4.5"grinders is/was actually quite good and reasonably long lasting. Mine did definitely need a good lube job, though. From memory there was another cheaper one (blue?) that was not as good.
 
ferg said:
Weird. My Makita Home Tech 4.5" grinder has held up just fine for the last 30 years. The Home Tech line was the 'cheaper' all plastic housing too.
Click to expand...

This. I’d have to look at the exact model, but I am still using my first Makita grinder from the late 1980’s and a second one from the late 1990’s.
 
Here is some carnage for you guys. I've found that when I was cutting off brackets from my 100 solid axle swap, the heat tends to start killing the gear system inside of the head of the grinder. I'm sending these off to get fixed and will most likely grease all grinders from now on.

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Interesting how the grinders use a ring and pinion system just like our differentials. Maybe if I regear I can gain some more strength? :hillbilly:
 
If you want one that will last and has the smartest designed guard ever - Metabo , hands down . I like the two Bosch ones I have since their newer motor housing design is a lot smaller in diameter , way easier on arthritic hands especially with gloves . But , they have by far the dumbest F***** guard design - and I've more than let their engineering department know it .
Tool engineers just piss me off , I'd bet most of them have never used what they are designing .

Sarge
 
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