Cordless Drill Repair

[JoeLee]

My Milwaukee 14.4 v cordless drill came to a slow stop today. Thought the batteries were fading and in need of a charge.
Checked the battery and the voltage was right up there, even put a fresh one on and nothing.
Opened it up and checked for power at the motor. Have variable voltage at the motor as I depress the trigger so it's the contacts in the motor.

Doesn't look like the back end of the motor is made to be removed, some small fold over tabs hold it in place. Not sure if I can come up with a fix.
From what I can see looking through the slots there is a small copper contact on each side of the com where normally there would be carbon brushes.

Doubtful any parts or a motor is available for this.



JL...........

[JRouche]

All that black dust looks like you got your money out of it. Here is one for $18.50, free shipping... JR

Milwaukee Driver-Drill Heavy Duty 0615-20 14.4V Tool Only No Battery No Charger
https://www.ebay.com/itm/18543400869...Bk9SR4CrttXVYA

Maybe take a trip to Europe..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264436823617?epid=2256201964&hash=item3d91a9b641:g:LQQAAOSwuxpZa3mK&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAwBaLFmjiq%2FM0uAMZtvn4yt7M0KdrEPpk%2BjynNSc6zLF%2FvTqoJwGbIA2kApi70NrnBzbODuX06t%2B8rrQQ%2Bn3xCpbkuWSbSA5TlyXXTC7S0u0Xr9TzOuPZTbklhfKmQyUxaIdMcYt%2FflDGr7JzXGbcqHyqoBce1%2BrsmLSzA%2B1LYGTz9zgIGhgoAGx5II7E%2Bium%2BKL5vHv36jAlgHvTN7iQAGUDIcSqe42rT4rJSc063IBkodzsdbFczElXPvntpNEk6g%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4CrttXVYA

[C_M_H]

You've got nothing to lose by trying to fix it, I'd go for it! I do admit I enjoy fixing stuff though.... Peel the tabs back and open it up, I bet it's nothing to bad.

I bought some large generic brushes from ebay and use these for fixes when I can't get the proper part. They sand down to size easily and are working in numerous machines;

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174847397841?hash=item28b5b78fd1:g:Hp0AAOSwNe5g9R39&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4EfeCRfh4BthHaPOrBFBOuvEH8sBYjzm6Bxf%2BQT137pFH1e89G0tDr5BC1hxfspoT9TryIeBX1NXaDB5crqWljKhWVvZmsdCrdaoBS1zxLea91nq3XHceYFw%2BS4lq1j4Ab1OgYFtA%2F3x9WesRHKae%2FIAn6BymvBXBQPGdk4WxjP6F%2BOP5qBzAOKF9lF35MRxaKoDkPK%2BRBlysnSSzZTwBsjsjVgnwV99wilUF5o6lXjCdZd7%2FEkJSO8V%2BaJ2nmTDIU7dmrnO9timkg3J7KWx9dhlCtBQCHUuIKXyA0XndYRr%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8qektjVYA

[old mart]

I have long since given up buying the well known brands and get my battery kit from Lidl. Their 20V 2AH batteries cost about £16 and a replacement 1/2" capacity drill driver with the plastic box, but less battery and charger is £19. I have 6 x 2AH and one 4AH battery and about 6 tools including a vacuum cleaner which is used for cleaning the swarf off the mills. Paying big money for top kit is fine if you are using it to make your living, but some of mine only get used occasionally. I have numbered the batteries and try to rotate them so they get used regularly.
My next door neighbor runs a buisiness using lots of cordless tools, he used to buy Milwaukee exclusively, but has changed brands because of noticing a drop in quality.

[JoeLee]

All that black dust looks like you got your money out of it. Here is one for $18.50, free shipping... JR

Milwaukee Driver-Drill Heavy Duty 0615-20 14.4V Tool Only No Battery No Charger
https://www.ebay.com/itm/18543400869...Bk9SR4CrttXVYA

Maybe take a trip to Europe..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264436823617?epid=2256201964&hash=item3d91a9b641:g:LQQAAOSwuxpZa3mK&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAwBaLFmjiq%2FM0uAMZtvn4yt7M0KdrEPpk%2BjynNSc6zLF%2FvTqoJwGbIA2kApi70NrnBzbODuX06t%2B8rrQQ%2Bn3xCpbkuWSbSA5TlyXXTC7S0u0Xr9TzOuPZTbklhfKmQyUxaIdMcYt%2FflDGr7JzXGbcqHyqoBce1%2BrsmLSzA%2B1LYGTz9zgIGhgoAGx5II7E%2Bium%2BKL5vHv36jAlgHvTN7iQAGUDIcSqe42rT4rJSc063IBkodzsdbFczElXPvntpNEk6g%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4CrttXVYA

That's pretty good detective work JR. That looks like the brush plate but a better design. Not sure if it would fit though. Perhaps a generic replacement.

JL.................

[JoeLee]

There was no prying the tabs back as they weren't tabs. More like the edges of the housing staked on the ends. Took the Dremel to them and the back came right off.

This is what I found.

This is the good side.



And this is the bad side. It's been running on the copper brush holder for several years and it finally wore to the point where it no longer makes contact.
I remember a couple years ago it started acting erratic and it let out a puff of smoke or dust out the side and then ran OK. That was probably when the carbon brush let go.



JL................

[reggie_obe]

Might still find a brush assembly at places like E replacements dot com or similar.

[eKretz]

Thought you were going to show us something like my recent repair. I found this one in the trash at a place where I do some repairs now and again. Same brand and model as the one I already used. The whole bottom battery section was broken away and hanging by the wires, but it still worked. Ground away the rubber around the break and used my plastic repair kit and fixed 'er right up. Gave it to my 10 year old as his first impact driver.

[JoeLee]

Might still find a brush assembly at places like E replacements dot com or similar.

I did check that place and they had a replacement motor but it's is discontinued.

JL...............

[JoeLee]

Thought you were going to show us something like my recent repair. I found this one in the trash at a place where I do some repairs now and again. Same brand and model as the one I already used. The whole bottom battery section was broken away and hanging by the wires, but it still worked. Ground away the rubber around the break and used my plastic repair kit and fixed 'er right up. Gave it to my 10 year old as his first impact driver.

That was a good fix.
I'm not about to give up. I'm going to solder a small copper strip the what's left of the brush holder and let that ride the com. Hey, it's been running copper on copper for a lot of years and I never noticed it. I'll tack weld the cover back on in a few spots.
I hate to trash it since I rebuilt both battery packs a few years ago and their still good.

JL.................

[JoeLee]

So, here's my fix. I soldered a small strip of copper to what was left of the brush holder.



Hooked it up and gave it a test run and it works just fine. Going to have to see if I can tap the top corner edges of the motor housing to lock down the back plate.
Thought I could tack weld it but the brush plate is plastic and it'll melt.



JL..............

[JoeLee]

Since I couldn't tack weld the top edge or try to peen it over enough to hold the plate in place I epoxied the two sides.



JL..............

[welderskelter]

Wat to go if man can build it man can fix it. My motto

[C_M_H]

Nice work. I was going to suggest safety wire to hold it on.

[JoeLee]

Nice work. I was going to suggest safety wire to hold it on.

Safety wire wouldn't work because the gear end of the motor is a tight fit going into the planetary gear housing. There is also those two little ribs you see in the plastic housing which are the cradles for the motor. I would have to cut grooves through them for the wire. And if the wire ever slipped off the side it may touch the terminal and cause a short. But thanks for trying to come up with some ideas.

JL...............