Dewalt's latest crappy switches

[silkman]

As per the video, Dewalt is fitting crappy switches on their tools. This may or may not apply to the USA. I'm in Europe.

I was looking to get a DCF921 impact and according to comments, there are more tools affected than those two drills. The switch on cordless Dewalts isn't available as a spare part, if you're out of warranty you throw the tool away.

Discuss.

 

[shoot summ]

They did it on the smapp 20v chainsaw too, only issue is the switch and winding assembly were all one part, so it was a $200+ fix. Fortunately mine was under warranty.

 

[The Cobbler]

I saw that video yesterday. seems Dewalt & Milwaukee are both running the same path... no repair parts that makes any sense .

 

[lastill]

Woow. It's just beyond my understanding why do big companies **** on their most devoted clients you can see this in automotive industry, in computer industry, tool industry... After a few of these, they will be like "but we used to have such a devoted customer base"... man this makes me angry!

 

[woody 73]

I n a strange way I have had a few tools in the past that the switches have gone bad, corded router, corded chop saw, leaf blower, and drill, seems like it must be a poor design somehow.

 

[finn]

Woow. It's just beyond my understanding why do big companies **** on their most devoted clients you can see this in automotive industry, in computer industry, tool industry... After a few of these, they will be like "but we used to have such a devoted customer base"... man this makes me angry!

Not surprising in the least. Repair people aren’t in overabundance anymore. It’s not 1960.

Most products are comprised of modular assemblies now to minimize assembly costs and promote automation. Keeping inventory of long out of production items is very expensive.

It is typically cheaper to provide a new unit for warranty requirements rather than ship broken items back and forth and do the diagnosis and repair.

That’s especially true on small, low cost consumer power tools that have become commodities. When was the last time you saw a television or radio repairman. Even appliance repairmen are rapidly becoming extinct.

Cars are the same way. Everything is modular, and more and more are being serviced at the module level.

Nobody makes money selling a two dollar switch that is part of a module.

If there’s truly a demand, the aftermarket willfitters will step up.

 

[Beerhippie]

Just reminds me of what absolute **** corded tools are. For instance, I had to replace the switch on my 30-year-old Skilsaw a few years ago. $30 for the part, five minutes for the job.

 

[zendriver]

Isn't the mothership, the same con-men, who groomed us into believing, that inexpensive, high quality American made Craftsman tools, were most certainly in our glorious future?

After the billions of power tools made, seems there is really no good reason for ongoing problem like this, other than they don't really give a ****.

 

[Beerhippie]

Isn't the mothership, the same con-men, who groomed us into believing, that inexpensive, high quality American made Craftsman tools, were most certainly in our glorious future?

After the billions of power tools made, seems there is really no good reason for ongoing problem like this, other than they don't really give a ****.

Y'reckon?

 

[zendriver]

Y'reckon?

I do and apologize for restating the obvious, but in writing my point, made me think of an old saying...

"fool me once, shame on you! - fool me twice, shame on me!"

It's funny people give Harbor Freight **** for selling Chinese tools, the best quality they can find for a reasonable price.

But here is a tried-and-true "brand name tool company", that almost appears to do the opposite - higher prices for crappier Chinese quality. if it fails they will repair it (with costs to purchaser) with the same crappy part.

Maybe some day we will wake up that these are not Grandpa's tool Companies

 

[liliysdad]

20+ yellow tools in my shop, many of them over a decade old, many of them bought used, never a switch issue.


Something else I won't worry much about.

 

[sk farmer]

20+ yellow tools in my shop, many of them over a decade old, many of them bought used, never a switch issue.


Something else I won't worry much about.

at least that many here as well with no issues.

not losing any sleep over a failed switch in a tool not available in north america.

 

[finn]

I do and apologize for restating the obvious, but in writing my point, made me think of an old saying...

"fool me once, shame on you! - fool me twice, shame on me!"

It's funny people give Harbor Freight **** for selling Chinese tools, the best quality they can find for a reasonable price.

But here is a tried-and-true "brand name tool company", that almost appears to do the opposite - higher prices for crappier Chinese quality. if it fails they will repair it (with costs to purchaser) with the same crappy part.

Maybe some day we will wake up that these are not Grandpa's tool Companies

The switch failed on my Makita 12” mitre saw. Replaced it, then it started eating brushes and ultimately fried the armature. Considered replacing the armature ($200?), but looked and thr bronze bevel gears were about shot, so I scrapped the saw.

Right now I have a Stihl chainsaw and trimmer, both with failed switches.

 

[Junkman]

I purchased a DeWalt leaf blower, and on the second use, the switch failed. The problem was that it was out of warranty. I have a DeWalt impact driver, and it also has a failed switch. The tools are cheap enough that they are throwaways. I should have bought Milwaukee instead of DeWalt, but now I am stuck since I have all DeWalt batteries.

 

[zendriver]

The switch failed on my Makita 12” mitre saw. Replaced I, then it started eating brushes and ultimately fried the armature. Considered replacing the armature ($200?), but looked and thr bronze bevel gears were about shot, so I scrapped the saw.

Right now I have a Stihl chainsaw and trimmer, both with failed switches.

Apparently, stuff wears out.

I just found this thread interesting because the switches failed and then they put new switches in and they failed as well Maybe the video by the guy who works on them was just fake bias as well as the gripes on the Internet.

It’s all good.

The only experience I have with Dewalt is I have a power miter saw used occasionally seems to have held up well other than the dust collector bag plastic connector cracking. It’s made in Mexico.

Perhaps this was much too-doo about nothing

 

[The Cobbler]

Maybe the video by the guy who works on them was just fake bias as well as the gripes on the Internet.

I have followed him for quite a while, I don't have the sense he's dramatizing.

 

[zendriver]

I have followed him for quite a while, I don't have the sense he's dramatizing.

I didn’t really think he was, as well.

Looks like there are plenty of other complaints about this issue out there.most annoyed that the same problem occurred after repairs

I’ve seen some of the dewalt cordless stuff at estate/business liquidation auctions. It seem a bit flimsy, nothing spectacular. It always sold sky-high, so none ended up in my pile of auction goodness.

Others state they get good performance and reliability, from them and it is a popular brand.

 

[neophyte]

On the Makita cordless drills, is the issue actually the “switch”, or could the issue be dome sort of flaw in the electrical design, which causes the directional switch, similar to how a microwave turntable may turn different directions each time you use it?
Older corded power tools, and early cordless tools used fairly simple switches, which were either off/on, and sometimes had variable speeds controlled by depressing the trigger more or less, or with a dial that limited this travel, sometimes with a reversing switch built into the trigger switch.
With those components, a number of manufacturers routinely made nearly identical switches, which could likely be interchanged deoending on region. (Eton in the USA was a huge manufacturer of these, and Marquardt in Germany).
If the issue is simply the actual switch, and it’s one of the “standardized” designs, then replacing the switch would likely be a possible fix, similar to replacing a crappy drill chuck, or short power cord.
If the issue is the actual electronics, then there is no easy fix, unless you can reverse engineer the problem, like people occasionally do with computer issues.
Dewalt isn’t a “cheap” power tool brand, but it’s also not Festool, and if a tool otherwise works fine, and you like the battery system, it might actually be worth checking if the issue is simply a cheap switch.

 

[bonneyman]

Yeah, I saw that vid on Youtube. Dean is pretty damn good at power tool stuff. Dude is like a cordless guru.

Sounds like SOP. Either don't carry spare parts, or make the parts so expensive it ain't worth the repair out of warranty and you just buy another tool. I've been holding off on getting anything cordless just because of that. I think Bosch or Makita would be my choice given the info I've seen.

 

[KnurledNut]

Yet another reason why I use Makita. When the switch crapped out in my 2016 brushless Japanese made impact driver after a million cycles, I just picked up one for $25 and installed it myself. That was two years ago and the tool still works like new, being used almost daily.

 

[Beerhippie]

Yet another reason why I use Makita. When the switch crapped out in my 2016 brushless Japanese made impact driver after a million cycles, I just picked up one for $25 and installed it myself. That was two years ago and the tool still works like new, being used almost daily.

View attachment 2428955
View attachment 2428956
View attachment 2428957

eReplacementparts.com... $21.11 for the switch, $35 for shipping.

 

[KnurledNut]

eReplacementparts.com... $21.11 for the switch, $35 for shipping.

Mine didnt come from there and was the total price stated. I add that screenshot just to show I can buy another today from any number of authorized dealers online or in person if I need it.
I have purchased other parts from them and shipping was reasonable.

 

[Beerhippie]

Mine didnt come from there and was the total price stated. I add that screenshot just to show I can buy another today from any number of authorized dealers online or in person if I need it.
I have purchased other parts from them and shipping was reasonable.

Lots of companies have handed off their parts sales to them. I haven't bought anything that I could find elsewhere in years due to their outrageous shipping.

Maybe it's gotten better?

 

[jd_1138]

I purchased a DeWalt leaf blower, and on the second use, the switch failed. The problem was that it was out of warranty. I have a DeWalt impact driver, and it also has a failed switch. The tools are cheap enough that they are throwaways. I should have bought Milwaukee instead of DeWalt, but now I am stuck since I have all DeWalt batteries.

Not stuck at all. Just buy the tools in another brand that you want. It will come with a charger and battery. Batteries need to be bought anyway.

Gives you more flexibility. I'm in Makita and Bauer/HF.

 

[willf650]

20+ yellow tools in my shop, many of them over a decade old, many of them bought used, never a switch issue.


Something else I won't worry much about.

I think worrying about a switch may not be a concern but every drill that failed me has either been dropped off a ladder and gotten jacked up or has had a failed switch. I’ve had a few failed switches and most of them have been Dewalts but that is probably because they were what I was using at the time.

If you have never had a switch issue you are lucky.

I had a M12 fuel with a failed switch just this year and parts pricing is insane. I was able to buy the current model of drill loose for about $15 more than just the switch for the old drill.

 

[KnurledNut]

Lots of companies have handed off their parts sales to them. I haven't bought anything that I could find elsewhere in years due to their outrageous shipping.

Maybe it's gotten better?

Since I have an account I just checked.
For 3-5 day shipping, its $11.99.
And it was even cheaper a few years ago.
One of my last orders of three parts had a $5.95 shipping charge.
Hardly outrageous then or now.

 

[Jay H 237]

I have 30+ Dewalt corded and 20v stuff now and used to have a few 18v, never a switch issue yet.

 

[Beerhippie]

Maybe I have the wrong website... but I'm sure I paid far more for shipping than the part last time I was forced to buy from them.

 

[bonneyman]

I've used ereplacement parts in the past for the old Makita 9.6v stuff. Good prices, fast shippping, and good availability at the time. (Though many parts for those have gone out of stock). But I have a lifetime of drills and flashlights!

 

[silkman]

My understanding of the video (and apparently not anyone else's) is that Dewalt has recently changed the switches with cheaper ones on tools currently sold on stores...

The poster of the video (a pro tool repairer for many brands) has showed many times a method to repair a sticking dewalt switch, despite said switches not available as spare parts..

Replying that your 5 year Dewalt drill doesn't have a switch issue doesn't add to the discussion IMO.

 

[Ohio Andy]

eReplacementparts.com... $21.11 for the switch, $35 for shipping.

My speed control on my very old DeWalt sander finally went out... The replacement part was not that expensive but given the shipping I purchased two of them, it was a pretty easy fix, but by then had already replaced it, so now I own three of that model. And two new versions.

It may not be the best. Sander, but I'm pretty happy with it