Dewalt DW131 1/2" Spade Handle Drill - Stripped Gears?

larry4406 · Dec 17, 2017

Used my drill today for the first time in about 2 months, chuck nice and tight, well the drill motor spins, but zero RPM's on the tight chuck. Forward or reverse, the chuck does not spin. Last time used it worked great.

This thing is a beast and I hope to fix it. Found it on the job site about 15 years ago, so no investment other that it has balls and is the go to on large holes.

Any thoughts? Pushed it aside for now.

The Cobbler · Dec 17, 2017

parts here https://www.ereplacementparts.com/dewalt-dw131-type-electric-drill-parts-c-1009_2276_2511.html

larry4406 · Dec 17, 2017

The Cobbler said:
parts here https://www.ereplacementparts.com/dewalt-dw131-type-electric-drill-parts-c-1009_2276_2511.html

Thanks - I saw that before posting here.

larry4406 · Dec 24, 2017

Futzed with the drill a little bit yesterday.

Found that the Woodruff key Item 52 that joins the spindle to its key is sheared, thus the power from the motor is not transferred to the chuck. Also found that the front bearing Item 46 feels "crunchy". Found sources for a new bearing ($9) and new key ($3-5).

Not having much luck in getting the chuck off as there is no good way to hold the spindle from turning. There is an unmachined portion of the spindle which I have tried grabbing with vise grips so as to not marr the bearing surfaces. The head of the retention screw Item 76 appears to have been broken off.

Found a picture of the spindle on line, and from the thread pattern it clearly looks like the chuck should spin counter-clockwise as viewed from the chuck end. However, this is in direct contradiction to the manual instructions I found (Figure 7). I'm inclined to believe the spindle thread picture.

Currently all is Soaking in PB Blaster. Later today I may chuck some hex stock in the chuck then use an impact wrench while holding the spindle with vise grips.

Reese · Dec 24, 2017

Did you remove the chuck retaining screw? I assume you did, in which case the technique is whack sharply on the chuck key as shown in the illustration. Most chucks I have seen are right hand threaded. The retaining screw is left hand threaded.

larry4406 · Dec 24, 2017

Reese said:
Did you remove the chuck retaining screw? I assume you did, in which case the technique is whack sharply on the chuck key as shown in the illustration. Most chucks I have seen are right hand threaded. The retaining screw is left hand threaded.

Reese - thanks for the response.

As explained, the head of the retaining screw appears to have been broken off prior. So yes it is effectively removed. Yes this is/was a left hand retaining screw.

Which direction to whack the chuck key? The manual itself has verbiage to whack the key "counter-clockwise" yet the included manual Figure 7 clearly shows "clockwise". Meanwhile the threaded nose of the spindle from an Ebay identical part shows that counter-clockwise would be the proper direction.

I am still inclined to whack it counter-clockwise based on the spindle thread form from the Ebay part. This appears to also be consistent with other drill chucks.

The Cobbler · Dec 24, 2017

I would put a large allen key in the chuck, give it good fast sharp whacks counterclockwise.

larry4406 · Dec 24, 2017

The Cobbler said:
I would put a large allen key in the chuck, give it good fast sharp whacks counterclockwise.

I tried this to no avail. The problem is the spindle is loose and the gearing is not in place to help react the blows/whacks to loosen the chuck. So it just spins instead of challenging the chuck/spindle threaded connection.

I used a vise grip on an unmachined portion of the spindle, tightened a piece of hex in the chuck, held the vise grips in a vise, and used a 1/2-inch pneumatic impact wrench - all that happens is the vise grips slip.

The retaining screw is a left hand cap screw near as I can figure for this model based on the part number. Looking in the chuck, the counter bore is visible as is the sheared off shank/former cap screw head.

larry4406 · Dec 24, 2017

Well....

Gave up on trying to remove the chuck. Said screw it and decided to just fit a key and move on. The suspect condition of the front bearing will just have to be. Maybe later I will try to remove the chuck so as to replace the bearing. Until then, oh well.

Went to Ace Hardware and found the closest Woodruff Key to try and match the OEM key 007027-00.

The OEM key is fully rounded at the bottom, the ones Ace had have a flat spot at the bottom, so found the closest one, and starting grinding. These are steel keys, sheared key is magnetic as is the replacement.

larry4406 · Dec 24, 2017

Packed the gear box with grease, and called it done.

KnurledNut · Dec 24, 2017

Try chucking the shaft in another drill?

The Cobbler · Dec 24, 2017

I have actually cut chucks off of drills to get them off.the LH bolt is probably holding tthe rh threads from turning , but you have a good fix for now.

KnurledNut · Dec 24, 2017

With the chuck screw broken, if you use the drill IN REVERSE under load, there is nothing to prevent the chuck from coming off.

larry4406 · Dec 24, 2017

KnurledNut said:
With the chuck screw broken, if you use the drill IN REVERSE under load, there is nothing to prevent the chuck from coming off.

Agreed.

However seeing how I was not the one to do the damage with the broken retaining screw and found it this way 10-12 years ago I think I will be ok. Especially since 175 psi on a 1/2” impact wouldn’t shake it loose.

Edit: if it comes loose in reverse then I can change the bearing.

6PTsocket · Dec 24, 2017

larry4406 said:
Reese - thanks for the response.

As explained, the head of the retaining screw appears to have been broken off prior. So yes it is effectively removed. Yes this is/was a left hand retaining screw.

Which direction to whack the chuck key? The manual itself has verbiage to whack the key "counter-clockwise" yet the included manual Figure 7 clearly shows "clockwise". Meanwhile the threaded nose of the spindle from an Ebay identical part shows that counter-clockwise would be the proper direction.

I am still inclined to whack it counter-clockwise based on the spindle thread form from the Ebay part. This appears to also be consistent with other drill chucks.

The chuck is screwed on with a regular right hand thread only the little screw inside the chuck is left hand.. Whack the chuck key CCW. Now to get serious. If that does not do it, and I have come across a few, get out rhe impact wrench. Put on the largest allen (hex) bit that fits in the drill chuck, tighten chuck on hex key and "impact" off. That never failed to do the trick. After you get it off, be careful getting that broken screw stub out of the end of the spindle. You don't want to mess up the spindle. Add that LH thread screw to your shopping list; you won't get one in the hardware store. Reverse is still worth having, just to get a stuck bit out of the hole.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

larry4406 · Dec 25, 2017

6PTsocket said:
The chuck is screwed on with a regular right hand thread only the little screw inside the chuck is left hand.. Whack the chuck key CCW. Now to get serious. If that does not do it, and I have come across a few, get out rhe impact wrench. Put on the largest allen (hex) bit that fits in the drill chuck, tighten chuck on hex key and "impact" off. That never failed to do the trick. After you get it off, be careful getting that broken screw stub out of the end of the spindle. You don't want to mess up the spindle. Add that LH thread screw to your shopping list; you won't get one in the hardware store. Reverse is still worth having, just to get a stuck bit out of the hole.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Tried the impact gun trick with hex stock - no dice.

Remember - in my case the spindle was free wheeling due to the stripped key, and no way to grip the spindle to stop it from rotating. Thus, using a wrench, whacking the key, using an impact gun, etc, just made the spindle go roundy round instead of challenging the chuck-to-spindle thread. Perhaps now that the key is restored and gear train engaged, chuck could now be removed via these methods; however I have declined to proceed down this path as the drill is back in business, no worse than its been for the 10-12 years I have had it.

I now have $1.06 invested in the drill, not counting my time. I bought 2 keys, one as a spare/contingency.

Dewalt DW131 1/2" Spade Handle Drill - Stripped Gears?

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