A question about Dewalt 20V drill chucks.

lazz · Nov 17, 2020

I recently upgraded my Dewalt stuff for the new 20V. I have been happy using Dewalt cordless for about 20 years.
I bought a 7 tool kit. The 20V stuff seems more robust... but cheaper at the same time.

The original drill a model DCD771 has strong enough braking that when you release the trigger the drill stops and the tool loosens in the chuck and often falls out.

After upgrading to a DCD996 the USA made drill. I find the chuck does not tighten. My drill index for cordless stuff has all the shanks up cause they wont fit shank down.

2 of my cronies who also upgraded recently are having the same troubles.

Is there a fix for these chucks? I cant find anything useful on youtube.

EPAIII · Nov 18, 2020

The 20V stuff seems more robust... but cheaper at the same time.

Do you think you may have answered your own question?

If you are going to keep the set, perhaps a key style chuck would be better. But then, after looking at a photo of the DCD996, I wonder if changing the chuck is even possible.

Frankly, from it's photo, I think it is a POS, designed to attract a first time tool buyer. I like a drill that looks like a drill, not a prop from a Star Trek or Star Wars movie.

true temper · Nov 18, 2020

Paul, have you ever used any modern 20volt tools? I love them they have a lot of power light weight don’t have to drag a cord around and are a pleasure to use. I hardly ever grab anything that isn’t cordless if I have a choice, that includes air tools.
But the drill chucks suck, I am having the same problem.

Turbowerks · Nov 18, 2020

Its not just dewalt i have Milwaukee same cheap chucks. Even my Snap On is only marginally better. For the price put a Albrech (wrong spelling I know) on , I’ve hade one on a air drill for 20 years still grips tight.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

eKretz · Nov 18, 2020

Got me on that one. I've got a DCD996 that's at least a couple years old, and it has no problem gripping the shit out of drill shanks. I have had the problem where the instant 100% braking on trigger release causes trouble with the chuck loosening up though. Whoever thought that was a good idea deserves a good kick in the ass. The ratcheting chuck models (so-called hammer drill - more like vibrating drill!) have always gripped good for me, even though the hammer drill function itself is about worthless compared to a good rotary hammer.

awander · Nov 18, 2020

I bought a DeWalt DCD777 last year, and I really like it.

With my 18V DeWalts, I would tighten the chuck by holding on to the chuck and running the drill.

If I do it that way with the 20V drill, it doesn't hold as well. I find that I can snug it up by running the drill, but then I have to twist the drill chuck sleeve with the drill off, and it holds much netter.

Don't know if that applies to your model, Ron.

Steve in SoCal · Nov 19, 2020

I have a 20 volt Dewalt drill with the same issue, it seems to work better if you tighten the drill static vs running the drill. The drill itself is impressive but, the chuck is pretty cheesy.

Steve

Strostkovy · Nov 19, 2020

I don't know exactly what model 20V drill I have but it's the brushless one. The Chuck won't slip at all, even with a reduced shank spiral tap in an undersized hole. Hell, I wish it slipped because I snagged a piece of metal while drilling through plywood and the drill spun around and make a big gash in my forehead. On low gear that thing has wrist breaking torque. Unfortunately the shape of the grip makes it so you tend to squeeze the trigger harder as the drill twists.

Milland · Nov 19, 2020

eKretz said:
I have had the problem where the instant 100% braking on trigger release causes trouble with the chuck loosening up though. Whoever thought that was a good idea deserves a good kick in the ass.

Strostkovy said:
Hell, I wish it slipped because I snagged a piece of metal while drilling through plywood and the drill spun around and make a big gash in my forehead. On low gear that thing has wrist breaking torque. Unfortunately the shape of the grip makes it so you tend to squeeze the trigger harder as the drill twists.

And here we are - the drill stops quickly in case of accident, but then the handle design makes you grip it and the switch harder.

What we need is the famous "pucker factor" auxiliary switch, which gives you the equivalent of the foot brake on a lathe, just, uhh, mounted in a somewhat less convenient spot.

eKretz · Nov 19, 2020

The chucks on these are not intended to be tightened using the old "trigger" method. If you're doing that they probably won't hold well. If you want to keep doing that, (I know it's convenient, I do it too) make sure to tighten the chuck further with the drill stopped afterward. With the automatic brake on you can really torque the chuck down tight by hand. I get at least 4 or 5 ratchet clicks on mine and it has a death grip on whatever is chucked up.

edwin dirnbeck · Nov 19, 2020

It seem as if their are 2 stages when these drills stop.It seems as if firtly.there is backward electromagnetic force applied similar to a skilsaw.SECONDLY their is an actual locking dog type engagement.This locking dog happens too quick and the chuck comes loose.It seems like a simple mater of timing, but no one has managed to solve the problem.This has been going on for years.Edwin Dirnbeck

edwin dirnbeck · Nov 19, 2020

The ENGINEERS HAVE SPOKEN. Don't let go of the trigger so fast.Why didn't I think of that? Edwin Dirnbeck

metalmagpie · Nov 19, 2020

lazz said:
My drill index for cordless stuff has all the shanks up cause they wont fit shank down.

When a drill's shank won't go back into the drill index, chuck the drill up by the flutes and spin it up and hold a medium India stone against it. In just a few seconds the burrs will again be small enough to allow proper storage.

I haven't moved from 18V to 20V on the DeWalt cordless stuff mainly because my 18V tools all still work fine and I don't see spending several hundred dollars just to stroke my own ego. In the 18V tooling line, you can buy drills that have cheap terrible chucks characterized by plastic on the tightening ring. Or you can buy drills with much better quality which have proper knurled metal tightening rings. I believe they first introduced the crap drills and only later came out with the better ones, trying to force everyone to buy 2 drills instead of one. My guess is they are doing the same thing at 20 volts.

Anyway, the old adage let the buyer beware applies here, as well as you get what you pay for.

metalmagpie

Scottl · Nov 19, 2020

See if they have a repair parts list/diagram online. That will tell you if the chuck is replaceable.

If not, I suggest using bits with flats on the shank such as the Triumph Trinado series. For serious drilling in steel that is all I use in a cordless.

eKretz · Nov 19, 2020

metalmagpie said:
In the 18V tooling line, you can buy drills that have cheap terrible chucks characterized by plastic on the tightening ring. Or you can buy drills with much better quality which have proper knurled metal tightening rings. I believe they first introduced the crap drills and only later came out with the better ones, trying to force everyone to buy 2 drills instead of one. My guess is they are doing the same thing at 20 volts.
metalmagpie

They are doing the same thing in the 20V line, but it has nothing to do with trying to get people to spend more. As I roundabout mentioned earlier, the "hammer" drills come with the metal knurled ratchet chucks. The plain drills don't. The ratcheting metal knurled chucks are far superior - as long as you tighten them correctly. After trying the plain drills once, I've bought the "hammer" drills ever since just for the chuck. I suppose you could buy the plain drill and slap a ratchet chuck on there but by then you might just as well buy the hammer drill.

kenton · Nov 19, 2020

I replaced the chuck on my Milwaukee 18 volt after I decided it was shit. There is a left hand phillips screw in the bottom of the chuck, after removing that tighten the chuck on a 3/8 allen wrench and give it a solid wack to twist the chuck off. I believe the thread on mine was 1/2-20. I replaced it with this cheapish chuck from amazon and have been happy despite my attempts to destroy it.

https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Ele...01857&sprefix=1/2-20+drill+,tools,146&sr=8-23

So I may have been stupid and was trying to tap some holes in a trailer where I had limited access. I clamped the chuck on the square on the end of the tap so I could reach. That went well until I found the other piece of steel behind the drilled hole and spun the square shank in the chuck making wonderful f'up glitter

I finished the job with that chuck and ordered another one to replace it but so far the remainder of the chuck jaws do a adequate job of holding. So the extra chuck is sitting in reserve.

Scottl · Nov 19, 2020

kenton said:
I replaced the chuck on my Milwaukee 18 volt after I decided it was shit. There is a left hand phillips screw in the bottom of the chuck, after removing that tighten the chuck on a 3/8 allen wrench and give it a solid wack to twist the chuck off. I believe the thread on mine was 1/2-20. I replaced it with this cheapish chuck from amazon and have been happy despite my attempts to destroy it.

https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Ele...01857&sprefix=1/2-20+drill+,tools,146&sr=8-23

So I may have been stupid and was trying to tap some holes in a trailer where I had limited access. I clamped the chuck on the square on the end of the tap so I could reach. That went well until I found the other piece of steel behind the drilled hole and spun the square shank in the chuck making wonderful f'up glitter

I finished the job with that chuck and ordered another one to replace it but so far the remainder of the chuck jaws do a adequate job of holding. So the extra chuck is sitting in reserve.

Next time get a set of Lisle tap sockets and a set of hex shank to square drive adapters.

AND set the clutch to slip when hitting a snag.

kenton · Nov 19, 2020

Scottl said:
Next time get a set of Lisle tap sockets and a set of hex shank to square drive adapters.

AND set the clutch to slip when hitting a snag.

I have those, they just weren't under the trailer with me in the gravel driveway.

I seem to break more taps when I screw around with the clutch. I don't know why but a trail of broken 6-32 taps agree with me.

eKretz · Nov 19, 2020

Probably because most drill clutches are sort of like a mini impact driver. They'd work a lot better for purposes such as driving a tap if they were a smooth friction type of slip, but would probably be a lot more expensive to make and wear out faster.

Strostkovy · Nov 19, 2020

Oh, on that note I don't spin the drill to tighten the chuck. I give it a twist by hand and it holds perfectly.

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