The drill chuck is what holds the type of the bit you will be using for the kind of job. The bit can be a twist bit, a pedal bit and/or a holesaw bit, really the choice is as unlimited as your pockets can get. The drill chuck usually has three teeth or claws that hold your bit in place whilst you are working. They are made of metal as is the Drill chuck (although sometimes it can be made of plastic.) Different parts of a machine or powertool like a Dewalt cordless Drill can have its fair share of problems caused by all sorts of benign things that can sometimes be worthy of being overlooked. Today we will be looking at problems that can occur on a drill chuck, specifically those on cordless Dewalt drills.
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Two Types Of Dewalt Drill Chucks
There are two common types of Dewalt drill chucks; key chucks and keyless chucks.
- Key chucks use special keys to unlock or release the claws that hold the drill bit. The special key is usually placed is a small opening on the side of the drill chuck, it has teeth that interlock with other teeth located on the drill chuck. Turning the special key counterclockwise tightens the drill chuck’s claws making them grip tighter to the drill bit. These types of drill chucks are stronger and last longer.
- Keyless chucks do not have a special key for the release and tightening of the drill chuck’s claws, instead they have a wheel or dial that surrounds (is part of) the entire drill chuck, such that when turned (in different directions) the claws either tighten or loosen up. It is easier to hold the keyless drill chuck and press on the drill’s trigger to rotate the drill chuck. These types of drill chucks are more likely to get damaged.
1. Drill Chuck Gets Jammed
When attempting to release or let a drill bit go from the drill chuck it can get stuck, one reason is the teeth of the drill chuck, those that keep a drill bit in place. Because they’re mostly made of mechanical parts that are meant to move together to effectively clamp and hold the drill but in place. When one part is faulty or stuck, the whole drill chuck will not work (or will be stuck.)
To Do
- One of the Dewalt cordless drill chuck’s tooth would have probably moved out of place, in which case you would need to put it back into place. To do this you’ll need a hammer and a long enough rod. Place the rod onto the out of place drill chuck tooth and tap the rod with the hammer up until you hear a metal click, this would be the tooth going back into place.
- Another solution would be to oil the drill chuck, righ on the nose where the teeth are holding the drill bit. And then try rotating the release dial again. Or hold the release dial and then press the trigger to drive the drill, this will also release the drill bit.
2. Chuck Loosens When Drilling
It is quite frustrating when you’re working on a big project and the Dewalt drill chuck starts to loosen up. This problem commonly happens when you start or are constantly applying torque by keeping your finger on the drill. Torque is the force of rotation you generate when you press the drill, so the longer your finger is on the drill, the more torque it generates.
To Do
- It would help to clean the internals of the Dewalt drill chuck with a toothbrush and metal friendly detergents.
- Use compressed air to push out any debris that may be stuck in parts that you may not reach with a traditional brush or toothbrush.
- In the case that the above solution doesn’t work and the loosening problem is still at large, then your Dewalt cordless Drill chuck may be damaged. In which case you would need to replace it because at such a point it is irreparable.
- To remove the drill chuck, there is a screw attached to the back (inside.) Simply unscrew the screw and unwind the drill chuck to remove it.
3. Drill Chuck Holds On To Bits
When you’re done using your drill bit for the particular job you wanted to use it for and now want to change to another bit. But it is stuck and everything is as loosened as it should be. Nothing seems to be wrong with the Dewalt drill chuck itself at all. This problem can be caused by debris accumulation on the inside of the drill chuck such that when everything else is loosened only dirt and debris is holding the Dewalt drill chuck. Another cause of this problem is in fact the oil you’d have used to oil the drill chuck. When exposed to high temperatures (heat from the drill’s motor) oil tends to thicken and get sticky to the point where it has similar adhesive properties as industrial glue. Sticking the drill bit to the drill chuck indefinitely.
To Do
- It is important that after every work day or project, you clean the inside of the drill chuck to get rid of any and all debris that might cause problems in future. Always use detergents specifically for metals.
- In the case of oil, it would be very beneficial to use some WD40 (spray) or Silicone spray to get rid of the sticky oil. Even after a couple of years most Dewalt drill chucks are prone to this stickiness, so it is important to remember that when dealing with drill chuck issues.
- WD40 is what’s known as a solvent, when activated it evaporates leaving no grease or oil behind.
- You can also use a spray called TriFlow.
4. Drill Chuck Wears Out
Unfortunately this Dewalt drill chuck problem is inevitable. That is how the drill chuck was designed, for easy and calm home projects and not some hard, often industrial level work projects. Overtime whether by the amount of work you generally do or the effect of time, the drill chuck will wear out (the teeth will become smoother making it hard to grip on bits.) Making it virtually impossible to use.
To Do
In which case you would need an immediate replacement. Fortunately most Dewalt cordless drill chucks are affordable, it is a small part after all so getting a quality replacement won’t set you back that far off.
