# Drill chuck removal



## Bill S (Dec 27, 2009)

I haven't seen this mentioned here before, So I would like to post a quick primer on drill chuck removal. This is for most cordless and many corded drills in the 1/4" to 1/2" range.

1 Open the chuck to its max and peer down the hole - you might need a light - and you will see a screw head. This is the retaining screw. I've seen them in straight, phillips, allen and torx versions. Regardless of type they will all be left hand thread. You need to remove the screw. Occasionally the head of the screw will be buggered up, then you will have to drill the head off. A 3/16" bit should do the trick. Use some lube and a slow speed, go easy you just want to remove the head. After the chuck is removed -step 3- you can remove the rest of the screw with vise grips. A corded drill with no reverse will probably not have a retaining screw. 

2 Find the largest allen key you have that will fit the chuck (1/4" or better and the longer the handle shank is the more leverage you will have) and chuck the short end in the drill - make sure the jaws are set on the flats of the key. 

3 Holding the drill firmly on the edge of your work table give the end of the key a mighty thwack with a mallet or hammer spinning the chuck counter clockwise - it is right hand thread. If the tool gods are smiling on you it should come spinning off as pretty as you please. Many times it will take many, many thwacks. I find going for speed instead of power tends to work better, and a wooden mallet seems to have the right balance of speed and power. If the drill has dual speeds you can make that work for you by shifting to the low speed setting. Before finding the allen key method and only on keyed chucks I would put a vise grip on the rigid part of the chuck and quickly spin the vise grip clockwise and let the end of the vise grip impact something solid to jar the chuck backwards (counterclockwise), again you are going for speed and setting a high speed range on the drill is better with this method. I've never damaged a chuck this way, but then again the only reason I removed them in the first place was because they were jamming and were trash anyway. 

4 Reinstall by screwing on the new chuck hand tight and install the retaining screw (remember CCW!) and your done. 

Bill


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## rake60 (Dec 27, 2009)

Great tip Bill! :bow:

I had one here that the mounting screw was stripped out as well.
I chucked up a piece of hex stock tight in the drill chuck then put a
suited size socket on my impact driver was applied to the opposite end.
If the impact driver doesn't spin the screw loose it will break the head 
of the screw off allowing for easy removal of what remains.

Rick


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## Deanofid (Dec 28, 2009)

Good tip, Bill. I never thought about that screw in there being LH. Never had to take one off yet.
Thanks!

Dean


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## Twmaster (Dec 28, 2009)

Same procedure as published by Jacobs with illustrations:

http://www.jacobschuck.com/hammer-drill-chuck-removal.asp


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## black85vette (Dec 28, 2009)

One word of caution when doing this with cordless drills: you are using the reduction gears and motor to counter the force you are applying to the chuck. You are not likely to damage the chuck but it is possible to strip the gear box. Be careful. Also, if you have a clutch just behind the chuck put it in the highest setting or it will just slip rather than unscrew.


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