Bosch cordless drill. . .fix or obsolete?

[jives]

Hi all:
My Bosch cordless drill (18V, model 34618) has a broken chuck and perhaps worse. None of my 3 batteries hold a good charge (NiCads?, not Lithium) Actually cannot get the chuck off; it appears that threads are stripped or something. Anyway, assuming I can get the chuck off, a replacement is $40, and a two pack of batteries is $65. I have no other tools for the batteries.

Worth to fix? If not, any use for the old drill and battery?

 

[1950mercury]

Fix it.

 

[cheechi]

your batteries have a 'stem' that goes into the handle right? If so they were good tools for the time but I doubt you will find a whole lot of value in buying replacement parts for it nowadays. The chucks were (are?) made by Rohm and on the 18v (and many corded) are 1/2-20 thread.

So basically if you take it apart you are looking to replace the threaded part from the motor shaft to the chuck which most likely is just a new motor, though you might get lucky. If threads are stripped assume they're stripped on both parts. So add another $40 to your estimate for the motor.

Me personally, I would invest in the M12 tools (or Bosch 10,8v if you like to stick with Bosch) as NiCad 18v tools had about as much power as current M12 drills & drivers do. If you need more power the Bosch 18v tools are still built like armored cars. I have a drill from the same era as you, mine is the fist gen Li Ion yours is the last gen NiCad they look almost identical. I could drop the thing from space and it would still run.

Or for the money find a HD that is clearing out an M18 combo kit or Ryobi combo kit you will wind up with at least as good in terms of specs, but probably won't be quite as durable (overbuilt) as the Bosch.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I don't think that it would be worth rebuilding plus replacing batteries.

 

[6PTsocket]

For starts there is a procedure for getting almost any chuck off. Open the jaws all the way there is a screw in there, inside the jaws. It is left hand thread, clockwise to loosen. After removing screw,chuck the short leg of the biggest allen(hex) wrench thst will fit in the jaws. Strike the long leg with a hammer. The chuck screws off in the normal counter clockwise direction. On the very rare occassion when it still won't come off, replace allen key with an allen bit on an impact wrench. That NEVER fails. Once off you will see the thread. 3/8 -24 and 1/2-20 are common sizes though Bosch might be metric. The thread size is often printed on the chuck. Any after market chuck with the same thread will fit. You might be able to do better. There are many chucks out there. There are also many places that rebuild NiCd batteries with new cells at a reasonable price and in the case of popular brands there are afternarket batteries that work pretty well. Just for the heck of it see if you can get the chuck off.

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[Superbec]

I think old nicad power tools don't even come close even to the 12v Lithium and brushless
I would scrap it, maybe reuse the motor and trigger for some project if that's your thing

 

[6PTsocket]

I think old nicad power tools don't even come close even to the 12v Lithium and brushless
I would scrap it, maybe reuse the motor and trigger for some project if that's your thing

The newest toy is always better but I have an old Porter Cable 14.4. Over the years I have replaced the chuck and replaced one battery and rebuilt another. The run time is good enough for me and it has enough power not to bog down and I have two batteries My next one will be lithium and have a brushless motor, be lighter, run longer and have more torque but I will not throw this one out just to have a newer toy. In the end, they both drill a hole with no trouble. In the OP's case it might be time for a new one but it is good to know how to remove a chuck.

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[kctyphoon]

A brand new dewalt 20v max drill with 2 lithium batteries, is like $89 or $99 . not a hammer drill, but a model comparable to what what you have. you'd be crazy to dump the money into something so outdated. I'm surprised you are even considering it when you have NO other attachment to the battery platform. Even if you did have 2 or 3 other tools, it would still be worth considering to upgrade. It's just time.. lithium batteries will hold full charge for almost a year without being used.. forget the days of saying to yourself - I need to use the drill tomorrow, let me make sure I charge the batteries again..

just curious, but what's the "pro" in the pro vs con column for spending the cost of a new drill to fix the old, with aftermarket batteries I'll assume? That would probably be a $35 drill in a flea market.. I think I actually have one too..

New dewalt 20v max drill/driver $99
http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-2...-Cordless-Drill-Driver-Kit-DCD771C2/204279858

Refurb m18 Milwaukee drill impact driver combo $149 - http://www.cpomilwaukee.com/factory...ormance-combo-kit/milr2691-82,default,pd.html

Refurb m18 drill driver - $129. http://www.cpomilwaukee.com/factory...rill-driver-kit/milr2606-82ct,default,pd.html

Fix it.

Why??? Just why??...

 

[jives]

For starts there is a procedure for getting almost any chuck off. Open the jaws all the way there is a screw in there, inside the jaws. It is left hand thread, clockwise to loosen. After removing screw,chuck the short leg of the biggest allen(hex) wrench thst will fit in the jaws. Strike the long leg with a hammer. The chuck screws off in the normal counter clockwise direction. On the very rare occassion when it still won't come off, replace allen key with an allen bit on an impact wrench. That NEVER fails. Once off you will see the thread. 3/8 -24 and 1/2-20 are common sizes though Bosch might be metric. The thread size is often printed on the chuck. Any after market chuck with the same thread will fit. You might be able to do better. There are many chucks out there. There are also many places that rebuild NiCd batteries with new cells at a reasonable price and in the case of popular brands there are afternarket batteries that work pretty well. Just for the heck of it see if you can get the chuck off.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I'm well-versed on how to take a chuck off, and every trick I have could not get it off. I removed the internal screw (yes, reverse thread), did the Allen key in the chuck and whack with a hammer trick. The chuck breaks free but then spins. It feels like the threads on the chuck or on the stub are stripped.

This surprises me because as one poster pointed out, the thing is a tank. I've dropped it, used as a hammer (yeah, in a lazy pinch), and it has keep on going. Not really sure what happened, but I think the final straw was that I was using a hole saw in an awkward position, slipped my grip, angled the drill which caused the hole saw to bind up and snap the pilot bit arbor.

 

[Superbec]

The newest toy is always better but I have an old Porter Cable 14.4. Over the years I have replaced the chuck and replaced one battery and rebuilt another. The run time is good enough for me and it has enough power not to bog down and I have two batteries My next one will be lithium and have a brushless motor, be lighter, run longer and have more torque but I will not throw this one out just to have a newer toy. In the end, they both drill a hole with no trouble. In the OP's case it might be time for a new one but it is good to know how to remove a chuck.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

tell me ... I have an old 12v Flex drill I paid 600Euros at the time (like 800$)

the last battery died a few years ago , It survived 3 moves around the country and the thing isn't even working.

Tried to source new batteries no luck , now I have a few Bosch li ... wow amazing I will probably never buy corded ever again.

 

[fourjeepin]

Junk it. For $140, you can get a Ridgid drill and impact. Two batteries and charger all with lifetime warranty.

 

[6PTsocket]

I'm well-versed on how to take a chuck off, and every trick I have could not get it off. I removed the internal screw (yes, reverse thread), did the Allen key in the chuck and whack with a hammer trick. The chuck breaks free but then spins. It feels like the threads on the chuck or on the stub are stripped.

This surprises me because as one poster pointed out, the thing is a tank. I've dropped it, used as a hammer (yeah, in a lazy pinch), and it has keep on going. Not really sure what happened, but I think the final straw was that I was using a hole saw in an awkward position, slipped my grip, angled the drill which caused the hole saw to bind up and snap the pilot bit arbor.

There ia always a problem when asked for help, not knowing what the OP knows or does not You don't mean to talk down to someone but you want to help. When you turn the chuck does it feel like it is connected to the gear train or is it totally loose like the arbor broke free inside the drill? An impact wrench might work if there is a little resistance. Sounds like there is a new drill in your future. I am very stubborn with this sort of thing and will mess with it until I get it off or wreck it. If you are totally sure that the arbor is spinning on the chuck, like a stripped thread, get the chuck off with a puller. If the left hand thread screw has a phillips head it provides a center for puller screw.

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[Monte]

just get a modern Li-Ion drill....I´m sure you will be happier

 

[jives]

There ia always a problem when asked for help, not knowing what the OP knows or does not You don't mean to talk down to someone but you want to help. When you turn the chuck does it feel like it is connected to the gear train or is it totally loose like the arbor broke free inside the drill? An impact wrench might work if there is a little resistance. Sounds like there is a new drill in your future. I am very stubborn with this sort of thing and will mess with it until I get it off or wreck it. If you are totally sure that the arbor is spinning on the chuck, like a stripped thread, get the chuck off with a puller. If the left hand thread screw has a phillips head it provides a center for puller screw.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Understood, and agree that the original posts don't often leave much for the responders to go on. At any rate, I broke down the chuck, ripped away the plastic shroud to get to the internals, and still nothing. I vise-gripped a knurled ring and tried to spin it off, but got the same action. It acted like the internal clutch would not lock.

So, I tried a different approach, more like the impact wrench approach as suggested earlier. Put on the vise-grips and gave a really hard smack to the vise-grips for a rapid torque impluse to break the threads free before the entire assembly began to spin. It worked. Got the chuck off, but given that the clutch is worn, it is probably not worth fixing.

 

[driftpin]

Now you're talking! A new quality tool will reassure your decision to be a new one.

 

[finn]

It's always easier to buy the new product when you understand the details of the failure in the old one.

Good job, and enjoy your new drill.

 

[kctyphoon]

I can't remember the last time I put so much effort into trying to convince myself to buy a new tool..

 

[6PTsocket]

There ya go. Got the damn thing off. Now go pick out a nice new drill.

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[6PTsocket]

There ya go. Got the damn thing off. Now go pick out a nice new drill.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I find that when I am trying to unscrew something that is mounted on something that rotates, there is no substitute for an impact wrench. If you are trying to lever it off or impact it off with a single strike, you often have to hold the part you are unscrewing from. The impact gun pounds so rapidly that the least inertia in the shaft is enough and you don't have to hold it. Very handy when there is nothing to grab. I never bother to restrain the blades on my lawn tractor. The gun spins the nuts right off.

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[hangfirew8]

It's a BlueCore NiCad, and not the big one but the compact one, and you say it's time for new batteries... junk it, Buy Litihum Ion, and move on.

Now is not the time to invest in more NiCad.

 

[jives]

I can't remember the last time I put so much effort into trying to convince myself to buy a new tool..

I do this a lot. Gotta try and fix it first, otherwise I feel like I'm trashing something useful. Makes my decision to buy new both logical and necessary. (Necessary, in part, because I mangled the thing while trying to fix it. See, honey, how broken this is. . . .?)