tions provided with this power tool. Failure to follow all in-
structions listed below may result in electric shock, fire and/
or serious injury.
Save all warnings and instructions for future reference.
The term "power tool" in the warnings refers to your mainsoperated (corded) power tool or battery-operated (cordless) power tool.
Work area safety
u Keep work area clean and well lit. Cluttered or dark
areas invite accidents.
u Do not operate power tools in explosive atmospheres,
such as in the presence of flammable liquids, gases or
dust. Power tools create sparks which may ignite the dust
or fumes.
u Keep children and bystanders away while operating a
power tool. Distractions can cause you to lose control.
Electrical safety
u Power tool plugs must match the outlet. Never modify
the plug in any way. Do not use any adapter plugs with
earthed (grounded) power tools. Unmodified plugs and
matching outlets will reduce risk of electric shock.
u Avoid body contact with earthed or grounded sur-
faces, such as pipes, radiators, ranges and refrigerators. There is an increased risk of electric shock if your
body is earthed or grounded.
u Do not expose power tools to rain or wet conditions.
Water entering a power tool will increase the risk of electric shock.
u Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord for carry-
ing, pulling or unplugging the power tool. Keep cord
away from heat, oil, sharp edges or moving parts.
Damaged or entangled cords increase the risk of electric
shock.
u When operating a power tool outdoors, use an exten-
sion cord suitable for outdoor use. Use of a cord suitable for outdoor use reduces the risk of electric shock.
u If operating a power tool in a damp location is un-
avoidable, use a residual current device (RCD) protected supply. Use of an RCD reduces the risk of electric
shock.
Personal safety
u Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use common
sense when operating a power tool. Do not use a
power tool while you are tired or under the influence
of drugs, alcohol or medication. A moment of inatten-
Read all safety warnings, instructions, illustrations and specifica-
tion while operating power tools may result in serious personal injury.
u Use personal protective equipment. Always wear eye
protection. Protective equipment such as a dust mask,
non-skid safety shoes, hard hat or hearing protection
used for appropriate conditions will reduce personal injuries.
u Prevent unintentional starting. Ensure the switch is in
the off-position before connecting to power source
and/or battery pack, picking up or carrying the tool.
Carrying power tools with your finger on the switch or energising power tools that have the switch on invites accidents.
u Remove any adjusting key or wrench before turning
the power tool on. A wrench or a key left attached to a
rotating part of the power tool may result in personal injury.
u Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at
all times. This enables better control of the power tool in
unexpected situations.
u Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or jew-
ellery. Keep your hair and clothing away from moving
parts. Loose clothes, jewellery or long hair can be caught
in moving parts.
u If devices are provided for the connection of dust ex-
traction and collection facilities, ensure these are connected and properly used. Use of dust collection can re-
duce dust-related hazards.
u Do not let familiarity gained from frequent use of tools
allow you to become complacent and ignore tool
safety principles. A careless action can cause severe in-
jury within a fraction of a second.
Power tool use and care
u Do not force the power tool. Use the correct power
tool for your application. The correct power tool will do
the job better and safer at the rate for which it was designed.
u Do not use the power tool if the switch does not turn it
on and off. Any power tool that cannot be controlled
with the switch is dangerous and must be repaired.
u Disconnect the plug from the power source and/or re-
move the battery pack, if detachable, from the power
tool before making any adjustments, changing accessories, or storing power tools. Such preventive
safety measures reduce the risk of starting the power tool
accidentally.
u Store idle power tools out of the reach of children and
do not allow persons unfamiliar with the power tool or
these instructions to operate the power tool. Power
tools are dangerous in the hands of untrained users.
u Maintain power tools and accessories. Check for mis-
alignment or binding of moving parts, breakage of
parts and any other condition that may affect the
power tool’s operation. If damaged, have the power
tool repaired before use. Many accidents are caused by
poorly maintained power tools.
1 609 92A 5PB | (01.09.2020)Bosch Power Tools
English | 5
u Keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly main-
tained cutting tools with sharp cutting edges are less
likely to bind and are easier to control.
u Use the power tool, accessories and tool bits etc. in
accordance with these instructions, taking into account the working conditions and the work to be performed. Use of the power tool for operations different
from those intended could result in a hazardous situation.
u Keep handles and grasping surfaces dry, clean and
free from oil and grease. Slippery handles and grasping
surfaces do not allow for safe handling and control of the
tool in unexpected situations.
Service
u Have your power tool serviced by a qualified repair
person using only identical replacement parts. This
will ensure that the safety of the power tool is maintained.
Safety Warnings for Impact Wrenches
u Hold the power tool by insulated gripping surfaces,
when performing an operation where the fastener
may contact hidden wiring or its own cord. Fasteners
contacting a "live" wire may make exposed metal parts of
the power tool "live" and could give the operator an electric shock.
u Use suitable detectors to determine if utility lines are
hidden in the work area or call the local utility company for assistance. Contact with electric lines can lead
to fire and electric shock. Damaging a gas line can lead to
explosion. Penetrating a water line causes property damage or may cause an electric shock.
u Hold the power tool securely. When tightening and
loosening screws be prepared for temporarily high torque
reactions.
u Secure the workpiece. A workpiece clamped with
clamping devices or in a vice is held more secure than by
hand.
u Always wait until the power tool has come to a com-
plete stop before placing it down. The application tool
can jam and cause you to lose control of the power tool.
Products sold in GB only:
Your product is fitted with an BS 1363/A approved electric
plug with internal fuse (ASTA approved to BS 1362).
If the plug is not suitable for your socket outlets, it should be
cut off and an appropriate plug fitted in its place by an authorised customer service agent. The replacement plug
should have the same fuse rating as the original plug.
The severed plug must be disposed of to avoid a possible
shock hazard and should never be inserted into a mains
socket elsewhere.
Product Description and
Specifications
Read all the safety and general instructions.
Failure to observe the safety and general instructions may result in electric shock, fire
and/or serious injury.
Please observe the illustrations at the beginning of this operating manual.
Intended Use
The machine is intended for driving in and loosening screws
and bolts as well as for tightening and loosening nuts within
the respective range of dimension.
Product Features
The numbering of the product features refers to the diagram
of the power tool on the graphics page.
Application tool
(1)
Tool holder
(2)
Hanging hook
(3)
Handle (insulated gripping surface)
(4)
On/off switch
(5)
Speed preselection thumbwheel
(6)
Rotational direction switch
(7)
A)
Accessories shown or described are not included with the
product as standard. You can find the complete selection of
accessories in our accessories range.
Technical Data
Impact wrenchGDS 18 E
Article number
Rated power inputW500
Power outputW270
No-load speedmin
Impact ratemin
Maximum torque, hard/soft
screwdriving application according to ISO5393
Right/left rotation●
Screw diameterM6–M18
Tool holder■ ½"
Weight according to EPTA-
Procedure 01:2014
Protection class
The specifications apply to a rated voltage [U] of 230 V. These specifications may vary at different voltages and in country-specific models.
A)
3 601 D44 0..
-1
800–1900
-1
1000–2600
Nm70–250/
50–160
kg3.2
/ II
Assembly
u Pull the plug out of the socket before carrying out any
work on the power tool.
Bosch Power Tools1 609 92A 5PB | (01.09.2020)
6 | English
Changing the Tool
u Pull the plug out of the socket before carrying out any
work on the power tool.
u When working with an application tool, pay attention
that the application tool is connected securely to the
tool holder. If the application tool is not securely connec-
ted to the tool holder, it may become loose and can no
longer be controlled.
– Slide the application tool (1) onto the square drive of the
tool holder (2).
Operation
Method of Operation
The tool holder (2) (with the application tool) is driven by an
electric motor via a gear and impact mechanism.
The working procedure is divided into two phases:
Screwing in and tightening (impact mechanism in action).
The impact mechanism is activated as soon as the screwed
connection runs tight and therefore load is put on the motor.
In this instance, the impact mechanism converts the power
of the motor to steady rotary impacts. When loosening
screws or nuts, the process is reversed.
Overloading the motor is impossible because the impact
mechanism disconnects when the rated load is reached.
Starting Operation
u Pay attention to the mains voltage. The voltage of the
power source must match the voltage specified on the
rating plate of the power tool. Power tools marked
with 230V can also be operated with 220V.
u Products that are only sold in AUS and NZ: Use a resid-
ual current device (RCD) with a nominal residual current
of 30 mA or less.
Setting the Rotational Direction (see figureA)
The rotational direction switch (7) is used to change the rotational direction of the power tool. However, this is not possible while the on/off switch (5) is being pressed.
– Right rotation:
Push the rotational direction switch (7) all the
way to the right.
– Left rotation:
Push the rotational direction switch (7) all the
way to the left.
Switching on/off
To start, press the on/off switch (5) and keep it pressed.
To switch off, release the on/off switch (5).
Adjusting the Speed
You can adjust the speed of the power tool when it is on by
pressing in the on/off switch (5) to varying extents.
A light pressure on the on/off switch (5) results in a low rotational speed. Increased pressure on the switch causes an increase in speed.
Preselecting speed
You can preselect the required speed using the speed
preselection thumbwheel (6), even during operation.
Practical advice
u Pull the plug out of the socket before carrying out any
work on the power tool.
u Only apply the power tool to the screw/nut when the
tool is switched off. Rotating tool inserts can slip off.
The torque depends on the impact duration. The maximum
achieved torque results from the sum of all individual
torques achieved through impact. Maximum torque is
achieved after an impact duration of 3–5 seconds. After this
duration, the tightening torque is increased only minimally.
Instead, the gearbox housing noticeably heats up.
Note: The consequences of excessive heating include increased wear on all parts of the impact mechanism and a
high need for lubricant.
The impact duration is to be determined for each required
tightening torque. The actually achieved tightening torque is
always to be checked with a torque wrench.
Screw applications with hard, spring-loaded or soft seats
When the achieved torques in an impact series are measured
during a test and transferred into a diagram, the result is the
curve of a torque characteristic. The height of the curve corresponds to the maximum achievable torque, and the steepness indicates the duration in which this is achieved.
A torque characteristic depends on the following factors:
– Strength properties of the screws/nuts
– Type of backing (washer, disc spring, seal)
– Strength properties of the material being screwed/bolted
together
– Lubrication conditions at the screw/bolt connection
The following application cases result accordingly:
– A hard seat is a metal-to-metal screw application which
uses washers. After a relatively short impact duration, the
maximum torque is achieved (steep characteristic curve).
An unnecessarily long impact duration only causes damage to the machine.
– A spring-loaded seat is also a metal-to-metal screw ap-
plication but uses spring washers, disc springs, studs or
screws/nuts with conical seats. It is also called a springloaded seat when extensions are used.
– A soft seat is a screw application of e.g. metal on wood or
a screw application that uses lead washers or fibre washers as backing.
For a spring-loaded seat, as well as for a soft seat, the maximum tightening torque is lower than for a hard seat. A much
longer impact duration is also required.
Guide values for maximum screw tightening torques
Figures given in Nm; calculated from the tensional cross-section; utilisation of the yield point: 90% (with friction coefficient
µ
=0.12). As a control measure, always check the tightening torque with a torque wrench.
Torsion bars have a shank with a precisely calibrated, reduced diameter. This means that they limit the torque. A torsion bar is slotted between the impact driver and the bit.
As a rule of thumb for application, the following applies:
Core diameter of the screw = effective diameter of the torsion bar. The impact duration is to be determined through
test screw applications.
In doing this, the thumbwheel (6) must be set to max.
A hanging hook (3) is attached to the power tool's centre of
gravity so it can be hung up.
At sub-zero temperatures, the power tool should first be operated at no load for approx. threeminutes to improve the
lubrication performance in the power tool.
The power tool, accessories and packaging should be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner.
Do not dispose of power tools along with
household waste.
Maintenance and Service
Maintenance and Cleaning
u Pull the plug out of the socket before carrying out any
work on the power tool.
u To ensure safe and efficient operation, always keep
the power tool and the ventilation slots clean.
In order to avoid safety hazards, if the power supply cord
needs to be replaced, this must be done by Bosch or by an
after-sales service centre that is authorised to repair Bosch
power tools.
After-Sales Service and Application Service
Our after-sales service responds to your questions concerning maintenance and repair of your product as well as spare
parts. You can find explosion drawings and information on
spare parts at: www.bosch-pt.com
The Bosch product use advice team will be happy to help you
with any questions about our products and their accessories.
In all correspondence and spare parts orders, please always
include the 10‑digit article number given on the nameplate
of the product.
Malaysia
Robert Bosch Sdn. Bhd.(220975-V) PT/SMY
No. 8A, Jalan 13/6
46200 Petaling Jaya