It happens to all of us sooner or later: you has to change drill bits and the chuck won’t budge. Maybe you’re squatting down behind a cabinet or standing up on ladder. Your wrist begin to cramp as you twist and bit is locked into place.
It’s frustrating enough when this happens, which is often just when you’re running late for something. Add to that frustration the fact that Bosch hammer drills is built like tanks. That’s a good thing, but it also makes mechanism tight.
You cannot force your way out. So what’s happening? How does a hammer drill holds onto bit, and how can we use that knowledge to make removing bits easier?
How To Remove Drill Bits From Bosch Hammer Drills
Understanding Hammer Drill Chuck Mechanics
First of all, many people assume the chuck is just clamping device. It isn’t. A hammer drill use lots of mechanical force to lock down and keep bit from rotating while being hammered into something.
You need to understand this in order to remove one propery. When you try to grip harder, you’ll only exhaust yourself and risk damaging internal threads of the chuck. Think of it more as releasing tension than arm-wrestling a tool.
Checking Mode Selector and Trigger Lock
First look at mode selector located on side of your drill. Many times with a Bosch tool you will find switch for hammer, rotate, and chisel modes. In addition, some tools also has a lock function to prevent accidental triggering.
So make sure the trigger lock is off. Sounds silly, I know. But this is the mistake people makes most frequentley.
If trigger is engaged, the chuck might not open all the way and you want it free to go. A little switch can ruin everything. If you have a model that uses a chuck key, check that next.
Removing Bits from Keyed Chucks
Many old Bosch drills are keyed chucks meaning they needs a special wrench to open and close the chuck jaws. The key goes into notches in side of the chuck body. Turn the key counter-clockwise, steadily but not jerking it because you could break teeth out or even snap the key off.
It’s possible there is gunk in the chuck key mechanism making it hard to turn. Gently tap the key with a soft mallet to knock some gunk loose and try turning again. If you have a keyless chuck, they are spring loaded and rely off friction.
Loosening Stuck Bits in Keyless Chucks
With one hand grab the front of the chuck; hold drill by the back end with the other hand. Turn ring on the front of the chuck counter-clockwise as far as it goes. Keep twisting until jaws open wide.
You might of to twist while wiggling bit just a little sometimes if bit is stuck in there pretty good. The trick is that this breaks friction seal. Don’t use pliers on these chucks.
Pliers will scratches the jaws and cause them to jam in the future. Using your hands is better and won’t damage the chuck. The removal is mechanical and different than the SDS plus and SDS max bits.
Ejecting SDS Plus and SDS Max Bits
The SDS bits will slides into and out of a sleeve. They don’t twist out. To remove bit, press on the release collar located behind the bit, then hold the collar and pull the bit straight out.
It should slide right out. If it doesn’t, there may be some concrete dust jamming the collar. Use compressed air to clean it out or a brush.
Don’t try to pull it too hard as this can damages the balls that lock the bit inside. Keep the slot cleaned up and that will prevent most removal problems. After removing the bit, let’s keep it going for a while.
Cleaning and Maintaining Drill Chucks
Use a rag to wipe down the jaws and drop a little light oil on moving parts or threads. The mechanism will stay smooth and won’t rust. When you have a good chuck, bits comes off without any trouble and when neglected they seize up.
This is a simple step that can save you hours of trouble down the road. Keep your drill in a dry environment because moisture are the enemy of precision mechanics. It’s never as much about strength as it is knowing how to work the tool.
Summary of Chuck Removal Tips
No matter if your system use a key, a keyless grip, or an SDS system, keep these few simple tips in mind: use the tool, not against it. Clean up the parts; apply gradual force in the right mode; and let the mechanism do the work. If you works with how it is designed, it works for you.
Next time you have a bit that doesn’t want to come out, you’ll know just what to do. Save your project. And your wrist.