Replacing the chuck on a M18 drill?

[MushCreek]

The chuck on my Milwaukee M18 drill is dead. It locks onto a drill bit so you need Channelocks to get it off, yet it also doesn't hold well. It's very tight; you can't close it all the way by hand. Take the screw out- easy, right? The rather soft screw head stripped right out. Anyone have an idea what size drill bit to drill it out with? AFAIK, it's a left hand thread, right? Pisses me off, as the drill isn't that old. My old M18 is about 8 years old, and the chuck is still fine.

 

[seber]

If you have access to a Milwaukee service center they are terrific at taking care of these problems. And they are cheap.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Yes, it's a left hand thread, if memory serves me, I think it's an M4. I used to have problems with getting the chucks themselves off, never with the retaining screw. When TTI bought Milwaukee from Atlas Copco they quadrupled the planned obsolescence staff. It sounds like you've fallen victim to their plan.

 

[Two Speed]

Yes, left hand thread.

Never had luck with milwaulkee chucks (personal drill & three at work), bits always loosened while drilling, primary reason I won't buy milwaulkee. Sounds like things havn't changed with their chucks.
I put a jacobs keyless chuck, bought at the Dewalt store (it was nearby) onto my milwaulkee drill. Made the drill 100% more useable since I didn't have to stop mid-drill to tighten the darn thing again.

 

[tarbellb]

Post either the model # or pull the bolt (yes, LH thread) from the chuck and determine size/thread.

Older pre 2018 had SAE 1/2"-20, newer are metric.

I wouldnt bother with a new OEM chuck, go find a decent Rohm, Llambrich, or older USA Jacobs.
Heres a nice Llambrich, $35, conflicting info on capacity, but looks like 1/2".
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007R62CDI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[MushCreek]

I'm not going to get an OEM chuck (they seem to have a lot of trouble anyway). I was told that it would be a 9/16-18 thread. My drill is probably around 2010 vintage. Rohm makes a replacement chuck specifically for it for $50. Once I get the screw out and the chuck off, I can measure the threads. I'm more worried about getting that screw out of there gracefully. Of course, I'll need a new screw, and I guess I'd have to get that from Milwaukee.

 

[tarbellb]

Typically just clamp the drill down, vise or table and clamps, then pop the screw loose. I then tightened the jaws on a large allen wrench and unscrewed the chuck itself.

I have had a M12 Fuel that the gear box slipped and I was unable to pop the screw loose, warrantied that one.

 

[pstemari]

The one good thing about a left hand screw is that you can drill it out with a normal right hand drill [emoji16]

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[MushCreek]

The one good thing about a left hand screw is that you can drill it out with a normal right hand drill [emoji16]

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But most easy-outs won't work.

I guess I'll start by drilling out the screw. It seems to be very soft judging by how easily it stripped. The problem is that it's down inside, so that much harder to work on.

 

[bcradio]

I'm not going to get an OEM chuck (they seem to have a lot of trouble anyway). I was told that it would be a 9/16-18 thread. My drill is probably around 2010 vintage. Rohm makes a replacement chuck specifically for it for $50. Once I get the screw out and the chuck off, I can measure the threads. I'm more worried about getting that screw out of there gracefully. Of course, I'll need a new screw, and I guess I'd have to get that from Milwaukee.

In your shoes, I personally would probably just buy a brand new M18 Fuel drill on ebay for just a tad more.

 

[MushCreek]

In your shoes, I personally would probably just buy a brand new M18 Fuel drill on ebay for just a tad more.

And hope it doesn't have another crappy chuck?

 

[MattT]

The problem is that it's down inside, so that much harder to work on.

Make a bushing and chuck it up to guide the drill If you use a 1/4" drill that should remove the screw head and leave enough screw sticking out to remove it with pliers once you get the chuck off.

 

[wafrederick]

another way to get the chuck off is take it off with an impact wrench put in the proper size hex socket in the chuck.Go in the right direction the chuck comes off after the screw is removed.I have a Dewalt 3/8 corded drill with a bad chuck and the drill is good.Chuck has 1/2 20NF thread,doesn't tighten up putting in bits.Jacobs has no 3/8 chucks with a 1/2 20NF thread.

 

[garageguy1]

Checkout Rohm they make quality aftermarket chucks and If I recall you can get ones that fit some of the M18's

 

[MushCreek]

I got it off. The thread is 9/16-18. Rohm does make a chuck for it. The screw is 8 mm LH. I'll have to get that from Milwaukee or a dealer.

 

[bcradio]

#GetSome

 

[LB-1911]

I'm not going to get an OEM chuck (they seem to have a lot of trouble anyway). I was told that it would be a 9/16-18 thread. My drill is probably around 2010 vintage. Rohm makes a replacement chuck specifically for it for $50. Once I get the screw out and the chuck off, I can measure the threads. I'm more worried about getting that screw out of there gracefully. Of course, I'll need a new screw, and I guess I'd have to get that from Milwaukee.

But most easy-outs won't work.

I guess I'll start by drilling out the screw. It seems to be very soft judging by how easily it stripped. The problem is that it's down inside, so that much harder to work on.

I got it off. The thread is 9/16-18. Rohm does make a chuck for it. The screw is 8 mm LH. I'll have to get that from Milwaukee or a dealer.

Your on a roll, go drop those trees.

 

[MushCreek]

I got the Rohm chuck from Amazon. It fit great, and runs much better than the original Milwaukee chuck. The old chuck was OK; this one runs very true.

 

[Bretny]

You got 9yrs out of a plastic chuck and are complaining? My 9yr old m18 drill chuck works fine. Guess it could be the operator if they cant figure out how to remove a drill chuck.

 

[MushCreek]

My bad; the chuck went bad on my newish Fuel drill. The old drill I've had for 9 years still works fine. The new drill is only about a year old, and has had light usage. The chuck isn't plastic, but thin sheet metal over the guts. I probably could have gone to Milwaukee with a warranty claim, but it's probably not worth the trouble.

I bought a replacement for my old drill because I stripped out low gear mixing thinset. Still works on high speed, though.

 

[Brazen Bull]

Im not surprised China fumbled the ball again building a decent drill but putting a trash heap of a chuck on it.
I have the same M18 Fuel drill and im having chuck slippage woes too.
Way to go China.