DeWalt cordless drill needs help with your hand

[Dawg]

I have a 14.4v DeWalt drill/driver that wasn't used for a couple of years.  When I try to use it now, it generally won't turn the first time I press the trigger.  If I try to rotate the motor shaft by hand - by grabbing the chuck and trying to twist it - I can get it to move just a fraction of a inch.  After that, the drill works.  If I stop for a while, I have to do it again.  If I switch between the drill's 3 speeds, I generally have to do the same thing again.  I have the impression that by trying to rotate the motor shaft, I might be breaking it loose from being stuck and then it works.  Sometime just shaking the drill vigorously for a second makes it work again.

 

Any ideas what might be the problem?  I'm going to dismantle it and see what's going on in there, but wanted to check a forum first.

Thanks.

[muzz3256]

Is it a brushed motor? If so, could be some corrosion on the brushes or bars. I'd try replacing the brushes.

[BMack37]

It will be brushed.

 

I imagine you have one or two things going on. One, a bad battery. Those Ni-Cad batteries die while sitting on a shelf, not just draining power but loosing the ability to hold a full charge. You can generally rebuild those pretty cheap at one of the battery places (if you have one). Or buy one from Lowe's.

 

Two: Before you spend money, pull out the brushes and give them a look. If they're radius-ed (they start square but wear down concavely) badly, change those and if you can clean the armature as best as you can to get the carbon off.

[DR99]

Great tips though I will add you would be better off investing in a new battery platform that repairing or buying new cells or packs for a Dewalt 14.4

[BMack37]

10 hours ago, DR99 said:

Great tips though I will add you would be better off investing in a new battery platform that repairing or buying new cells or packs for a Dewalt 14.4

 

I agree, depending on how many tools in that lineup they have. A new battery is probably a little over half the cost of a proper Lithium powered tool. Probably 25% more could get a lithium reconditioned tool.

[DR99]

15 minutes ago, BMack37 said:

 

I agree, depending on how many tools in that lineup they have. A new battery is probably a little over half the cost of a proper Lithium powered tool. Probably 25% more could get a lithium reconditioned tool.

I don't know your situation but your probably better off buying a Ryobi starter kit when they have them than trying to get the Dewalt drill running again sadly the performance is probably better on the Ryobi tool also and you have so many other tools to add on later. Sadly fixing tools unless its some high dollar tool originally like a big corded hilti sds is never really worth it.

[Mycrossover]

I disagree. Unless you are doing it for a living many do not see a broken tool as a good reason to run out and buy the newest goodie without making an honest attempt to fix the problem. I would still rather have a DeWalt than a Ryobi of any vintage. Ryobi is homeowner grade and not meant to stand up to abuse like DeWalt. I would start with the brushes, too. The OP asked for repair advice and I am amazed how many said to not even bother. I am sure he is aware of the benefits of newer technology but this might just be something minor. I have an old PC 14.4. One battery pack is a rebuild and the chuck was replaced but it still does the job. Top dollar tools are not always a guarantee. There was a thread recently about new Milwaukee drills with chucks with bad runout and the owners were looking for an alternate chuck as Milwaukee had no real solution.

I don't know your situation but your probably better off buying a Ryobi starter kit when they have them than trying to get the Dewalt drill running again sadly the performance is probably better on the Ryobi tool also and you have so many other tools to add on later. Sadly fixing tools unless its some high dollar tool originally like a big corded hilti sds is never really worth it.

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