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changing drill chuck

Rusty Kustoms

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Litchfield, MN
So I bought a makita 14.4v cordless drill a while back and it was supposed to have a decent keyless chuck on it. I got it and it has the same cheap plastic chuck like all of the $30 wal-mart drills. Fast forward to last week when I was using the drill in a tight area and shredded the plastic chuck. I would like to change the chuck to a nice jacobs one but I cannot get the old one off. I took the screw out of the center but there is no way to screw the chuck off of the shaft as there is no way to hold the shaft so it does not spin. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get this piece of junk chuck off??
 
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Avgas

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Aug 7, 2009
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"Strike it sharply 2 to 3 times"

There might be a nut between the chuck and the drill in which you can get to with a very thin wrench
 
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Rusty Kustoms

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I have the motor out of the drill body, there is nothing, no flats, not even room for a small vicegrip to grab, I am afraid I will have to tear the motor down and maybe I can find a way to hold the shaft.
 
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Rusty Kustoms

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This is absurd, the is usually a way to hold the shaft from spinning. I called makita and they told me that the chuck is not replaceable and there is nothing I can do short of buying a new drill.
 

alex71

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Its all about the impact. Put a big allen key in the chuck, clamp down the drill (with your hands is fine) and give the key a few sharp blows. Eventually it will come off.

I've used this method to remove chucks from many old, abused drills, and it has never failed.
 

DHS

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File three sides of a bolt and then tighten into drill chuck then use air impact to loosen the chuck.
 
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LeadDoggy

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Jun 13, 2007
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Thousand Oaks, CA
When changing the chuck on my Dewalt, I checked their website for directions prior to removing chuck. Like others said, 2 to 3 blows with a hammer on the chucked allen wrench should do the trick....
 
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Rusty Kustoms

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File three sides of a bolt and then tighten into drill chuck then use air impact to loosen the chuck.

^^^^This is a bad idea! I tried the allen wrench trick but the because the motor turns freely this did not work. 3/8" impact with 40psi and a feathered trigger ended my problem once and for all! The plastic motor case shattered and the gears fell out. On the "bright" side though, I now have a $175 flashlight:confused:
 

Merkava_4

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What about the little screw down inside the chuck - did you get that out? I think on my Makita, it's left hand thread.
 

wreckercologist

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cyber-tool hell
Its all about the impact. Put a big allen key in the chuck, clamp down the drill (with your hands is fine) and give the key a few sharp blows. Eventually it will come off.

I've used this method to remove chucks from many old, abused drills, and it has never failed.

I do something similar. I took a long "L" allen wrench and cut the "L" part off. Then I chuck the allen in the drill after removing the center lock screw and hit it with a 3/8" impact. Works great!
 

Merkava_4

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Wait!! I remembered!!

After I get the left hand screw out, I put a 3/8 Allen key in there and dial the jaws down on it. Then I rap on the key with a hammer. :)
 
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bowtie3

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Nov 11, 2007
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Dang, sorry about your busted drill. I've never had the allen wrench method fail, you have to whack the **** out of it several times though.
 
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Rusty Kustoms

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With the drill in low gear there was not enough resistance, I would hit the allen wrench and the drill would just spin. I thought all quality drills had a break like the dewalts do. All in all I am actually glad to see this pos finally die, the drill was just one big let down, for $175 I got a stupid flashlight and a less than black and decker quality drill.
 

Merkava_4

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You're using the wrong hammer ... you gotta' shock it off with some quick blows from a small hammer. I used a 12 ounce on mine and it only took four quick blows. :)
 

kf4zht

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I hate cheap chucks. For a replacement look at the bosch 14.4v it has more power than some 18v and the chuck is a high quality 1/2" unit, locks very securely.
 

stock z/28

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Dec 17, 2006
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Sorry to hear about your drill.

I have had a couple of similar experiences with cordless drills and I basically gave up.

I change a lot of chucks and I generally just install a rather large Allen wrench and smack it a couple of times, no bog deal.


These cordless ones seemed to have a gear train that I was afraid to hit much harder. I dont know of a way to change them.

Jeff
 

caper

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If your drill has reverse you can clamp something in the chuck and then clamp that in a vise.Give the drill short sharp bursts in reverse and they usually come off.
 

Kevin54

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I just replaced some the other day and you have to give it several quick hard raps with a hammer (on the Allen wrench) Once you do one, then the concept is relatively simple.
 

scottg1952

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Happy Camp
Really sorry to hear about your drill.
Really
But for next time, the allen trick does work. Even seemingly free spinning, sharp raps from a small hammer onto the long leg of an allen wrench, always works.
yours Scott
 

Kurn

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Ravenna, Oh
I use a small dead blow hammer.Seems to work a little better.I just changed the chuck on my air grill this way.
 
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Rusty Kustoms

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Now I feel bad, sorry for the bad advice. :(

Don't feel bad, this was the worst drill I have ever owned and I am not at all sad to see it go. To those who continue to tell me to use the allen wrench trick, I tried it, many many times. I saw a rockwell 18v at menards that may follow me home next time.
 
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