Chuck - Stuck jammed.

[HOTFR8]

Ryobi drill. I can not undo the key less chuck. Have tried it in the vice and with vice grips and it will not open.

 

[rlitman]

Can you spray some penetrating lube in there?

Just to be clear, you're trying to open the chuck, not remove it, right?

 

[Michael_in_DE]

I JUST had this same problem. Bought a dewalt cheap off a yard sale, got it home to find out it was rusted/glued/magically F'n bonded to the jaws.

Tried soaking the chuck in vinegar, no go.
Filled it with and sprayed it with PB blaster, no go.
vice grips on large part, and vice grips on smaller part, no go. Even tried a hammer.
Watched one ******* youtube put a drill bit in the one of the chuck key holes (old style chuck) for leverage. On broken bit later, no go.

I got it unstuck by putting the smaller front piece in the vice and using vice grips on the bigger piece...and wrenching on it like I didn't care anymore.

 

[HOTFR8]

Can you spray some penetrating lube in there?

Just to be clear, you're trying to open the chuck, not remove it, right?

Yes open it. It is jammed in the fully closed position I can not put a drill bit in it.

I JUST had this same problem. Bought a dewalt cheap off a yard sale, got it home to find out it was rusted/glued/magically F'n bonded to the jaws.

Tried soaking the chuck in vinegar, no go.
Filled it with and sprayed it with PB blaster, no go.
vice grips on large part, and vice grips on smaller part, no go. Even tried a hammer.
Watched one ******* youtube put a drill bit in the one of the chuck key holes (old style chuck) for leverage. On broken bit later, no go.

I got it unstuck by putting the smaller front piece in the vice and using vice grips on the bigger piece...and wrenching on it like I didn't care anymore.

Tried WD40 RP7 type of products and still no luck. I am worried the plastic may break in the vice.

 

[1/2 Cup]

HOTFR8, I can't help you on this one as I have never had that happen..

 

[KnurledNut]

If all you else fails, clamp the drill and try breaking the chuck retaining screw. It is reverse thread. A pipe wrench, oil filter strap wrench, or chain wrench should do it.

Edit: Wanted to clarify, While the screw is LH, the chuck is RH threads. So if you go this route, lefty loosey is what youre after with the chuck.

 

[Michael_in_DE]

Yes open it. It is jammed in the fully closed position I can not put a drill bit in it.



Tried WD40 RP7 type of products and still no luck. I am worried the plastic may break in the vice.

Eh. You may be to that point now. Worst case scenerio, you do break it. Then get a new chuck from the store, or off another drill.

 

[HOTFR8]

HOTFR8, I can't help you on this one as I have never had that happen..

If all you else fails, clamp the drill and try breaking the chuck retaining screw. It is reverse thread. A pipe wrench, oil filter strap wrench, or chain wrench should do it.

Edit: Wanted to clarify, While the screw is LH, the chuck is RH threads. So if you go this route, lefty loosey is what youre after with the chuck.

Retaining screw ?

To add more the chuck looks like this >

To undo the chuck the bottom piece must slide down before the chuck will undo and at this time I can not move the bottom part down.

 

[Michael_in_DE]

Oh, wait... didn't see that it was jammed in the open position. That *****. Same advice. Vice and crank on it.

 

[HOTFR8]

Oh, wait... didn't see that it was jammed in the open position. That *****. Same advice. Vice and crank on it.

It is jammed in the fully closed position I can not put a drill bit in it.

 

[KnurledNut]

Retaining screw ?

The screw is inside the chuck. You cannot see it with the chuck stuck closed.
Typically you would open the jaws all the way and use a screwdriver to remove it, and then unthread the chuck. You cant do that with the jaws stuck closed.

So the option i mentioned is trying to break that screw head. This would mean getting a new screw.
It is hard on the drill, but you dont have many options. Make sure the drill is in first gear and reverse.

 

[rlitman]

... I am worried the plastic may break in the vice.

Probably will. But that chuck is also probably toast already. If the lube and wiggling don't help, even if you get it open, it's got a lot of frustration left in it.

Anyway, you don't want to use so much force that you damage the gearbox in the drill.

The last time I encountered this, I sliced right across the chuck with a cutoff wheel. At that point, the jaws (and everything else) fell out, and I was able to remove it and replace with a new chuck.

 

[PelicanPines]

Can you Chuck the Chuck in a lathe?...

 

[Dingleburry]

You need a 48" pipe wrench and 6 foot snipe.

 

[HOTFR8]

The screw is inside the chuck. You cannot see it with the chuck stuck closed.
Typically you would open the jaws all the way and use a screwdriver to remove it, and then unthread the chuck. You cant do that with the jaws stuck closed.

So the option i mentioned is trying to break that screw head. This would mean getting a new screw.
It is hard on the drill, but you dont have many options. Make sure the drill is in first gear and reverse.

OK.

Probably will. But that chuck is also probably toast already. If the lube and wiggling don't help, even if you get it open, it's got a lot of frustration left in it.

Anyway, you don't want to use so much force that you damage the gearbox in the drill.

The last time I encountered this, I sliced right across the chuck with a cutoff wheel. At that point, the jaws (and everything else) fell out, and I was able to remove it and replace with a new chuck.

Easier for me just to buy a new drill and I have done that any way but may try your ideas and see what happens as I have nothing to lose.

Can you Chuck the Chuck in a lathe?...

I may have to visit a mates work shop to try that.

You need a 48" pipe wrench and 6 foot snipe.

Sound aggressive but it sounds like it may be the way I have to attack it.

 

[bcradio]

Try a strap wrench

 

[peteco]

Hit it with some CRC Freeze-Off Super Penetrant. I have broken loose bolts that nothing else phased. Might work on the chuck. Worth a shot.

 

[Fretters]

Try tapping the ends of the jaws with a mallet or hammer, as you try opening the chuck.

 

[Dingleburry]

But on a more serious note.
Id hit it with penetrating fluid, from the jaw end. Then give her a few taps with a steel/brass hammer on the jaw end. Hit it straight on, left, right, up/down. Then re spray with pen fluid. Repeat. Inbetween try losening it AND tightening it too. All you need to do is "break" it free. And tightening it could also work. Try using a punch/chisel and hammer to twist the chuck again in both losening and tightening. Id also try a pneumatic hammer. "Shocking" stuck/frozen stuff works wonders. Just dont bend the chuck. I believe i seen the chuck was plastic? Could get some dry ice and differentially freeze the jaws.
Good luck!

Is it jammed up? As in its been used recently? Or frozen/corroded from not using it?

 

[HOTFR8]

Try a strap wrench

OK.

Hit it with some CRC Freeze-Off Super Penetrant. I have broken loose bolts that nothing else phased. Might work on the chuck. Worth a shot.

OK.

Try tapping the ends of the jaws with a mallet or hammer, as you try opening the chuck.

No luck with that. I found that idea on You tube.

 

[Fretters]

Couple of pieces of wood, approx. 1' long, and drill a hole in each near one end just a gnats larger than the chuck diameter. Slit both pieces down their length to the hole, then slide one over the bottom part of the chuck, one over the upper, and screw each piece of wood with a screw through the side, to close the slit. You should then have two tight fitting levers to work away at.

 

[HOTFR8]

Couple of pieces of wood, approx. 1' long, and drill a hole in each near one end just a gnats larger than the chuck diameter. Slit both pieces down their length to the hole, then slide one over the bottom part of the chuck, one over the upper, and screw each piece of wood with a screw through the side, to close the slit. You should then have two tight fitting levers to work away at.

OK........I think I could try that.

I had it in the vice but still can not make it budge.

 

[HOTFR8]

Thanks every one. A combination of many of the ideas and it is fixed. I locked the chuck in the vise and set it in reverse then forward and a gentle tap with the hammer as well and it is now working again.

This is what makes this forum a great place. Thank you all for the information.

Edit: We have a great Brains trust of knowledge on this forum.

 

[1/2 Cup]

HOTFR8, I have learned something today..

 

[SuperCat]

Great work everyone and thanks for the thread, HOTFR8, I learned a lot from everyone's suggestions and your solution.
However, this situation begs the question: How can we prevent this from happening? It never has occurred to me that a drill chuck could get stuck. Do you think oiling a drill chuck is a good idea? If so, which oil to use? If oil is a bad idea, what should we do as preventive maintenance?

 

[1/2 Cup]

Great work everyone and thanks for the thread, HOTFR8, I learned a lot from everyone's suggestions and your solution.
However, this situation begs the question: How can we prevent this from happening? It never has occurred to me that a drill chuck could get stuck. Do you think oiling a drill chuck is a good idea? If so, which oil to use? If oil is a bad idea, what should we do as preventive maintenance?

I try to keep mine clean, a quick blast with the air and with a light spray of CRC, it works for me.

Regards

 

[Ralf99]

Heat or cold can also be your friend - on an all metal chuck a heat gun can be a saviour, but even dunking in a mug of hot water on a composite chuck has been known to help.

 

[HOTFR8]

How can we prevent this from happening?

Now that is a great question. Care of your tools and how you use them would be one thing. Not sure how it came to jam like it did. I did let it soak with a product like WD40 RP7.

 

[B.S.A. (ret.)]

I suppose it would be futile to ask chuck manufacturers to imbed an appropriately-sized charge of C4 during the assembly process in order for us to avoid these nasty situations.

Just a thought...

 

[APEowner]

How can we prevent this from happening?

One thing thing that might help is to upgrade to a better chuck. A good one will probably outlast the drill.

 

[HOTFR8]

One thing thing that might help is to upgrade to a better chuck. A good one will probably outlast the drill.

An interesting comment and I can add this drill I have had for many years and never had an issue. I have found Ryobi a good quality product.

 

[APEowner]

An interesting comment and I can add this drill I have had for many years and never had an issue. I have found Ryobi a good quality product.

That's wasn't intended to bash Ryobi products. I was in a hurry when I posted and probably should have elaborated. What I was intending to suggest was that it might be worth investing in a machinist quality chuck. They tend to be quite expensive (like more than most cordless drills) but could be considered a lifetime investment.

I never liked the chuck on my Dewalt so I replaced it with an Albrecht that I had that was probably 30 years old before I put it on the DeWalt. They run about $250-$300 and are overkill for a cordless but I had it.

I've got a Jacobs brand on my Makita that cost about $150.00 that I bought new. That's what I was suggesting. When your drill dies then you can move the chuck over to another assuming the same mount.

 

[stikman56]

Tap it on the very end with a hammer, then try. Repeat until it comes open. Have had this a few times, this will get them open.

 

[HOTFR8]

That's wasn't intended to bash Ryobi products. I was in a hurry when I posted and probably should have elaborated. What I was intending to suggest was that it might be worth investing in a machinist quality chuck. They tend to be quite expensive (like more than most cordless drills) but could be considered a lifetime investment.

I never liked the chuck on my Dewalt so I replaced it with an Albrecht that I had that was probably 30 years old before I put it on the DeWalt. They run about $250-$300 and are overkill for a cordless but I had it.

I've got a Jacobs brand on my Makita that cost about $150.00 that I bought new. That's what I was suggesting. When your drill dies then you can move the chuck over to another assuming the same mount.

I did not read it as a bash on Ryobi. The comments on what you find good are appreciated.

Tap it on the very end with a hammer, then try. Repeat until it comes open. Have had this a few times, this will get them open.

Followed another post reply and put it in the vice as well as tapping it with a hammer. If you read back you will see it has been resolved.

 

[The Cobbler]

I had a makita corded hammer drill with keyless chuck that jammed . got it worked free but it jammed good again, only recourse was to cut the chuck off & replace it