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[ocd]

I decided to upgrade my trusted BHP453 (only needed more torque because it wasnt powerful enough for the >40mm Dewalt self feed aggresive bits) to BHP451 but it had some chuck problems (when tightening it, started like ratcheting somehow but in a bad way, while slipping, so you couldnt overtighten the bit, but i doubt it that it was a feature, more like a fault, and only had it for 5 days. It wasnt the clutch slipping in case youre thinking that was it, it was set in drill mode (not screwdriving mode) which bypasses the clutch. Since it was the most powerful 18v Makita with 80Nm torque, couldnt upgrade for something better, but instead got a Dewalt. Its got 55Nm torque, handles anything pretty well, but is this series good? Will it last?

Heres the new baby with my 453, now stored as a back-up drill in case the 985 goes wrong.

[Bingobelle]

Those torque number you should not pay to much attention to. There are different ways to messure it.

However, that dcd985 drill is one of the finest and best drill you can buy. I´ve the older dcd970 that is almost the same drill but this dcd985 have different batteries, thinner grip and more electric circuit stuff inside to prevent damage.

I´ve never tried or seen a stronger 18 v drill than my dcd970 and the 985 is like a upgrade of that.

I have also abused it beyond insanity but still after 3 years it is like new with original batteries.

[quig1984]

I also own that drill..The power is crazy. I love the feel of it. I'm not sold on the electronics saving the tool...I had an old hammer drill last a long long ti e without that stuff...when I need it to work...I need it to work. I it has cut out on me a Few times and I'm not a fan..I thought I broke it. Same Tranny as the older xrp. I'm ok to buy a new one in 3 years if I burn one up...I want to decide when my drill stops....I hope they read this and stop that and let Milwaukee go down that road.. It makes me wonder the new 20v sds drill do that to...that would suck????anybody know

[kjones]

It makes me wonder the new 20v sds drill do that to...that would suck????anybody know

I would assume that it is in there, but I have never had any of my 213's shut down.  I have 12 of them being demo'd out where I live at a HUGE job site, where they are being run all day long (12 hour days), and have not skipped a beat.

[ocd]

Thank you for your replies. I heard a long time ago about Dewalt`s nano batteries and thought it was marketing stuff, til i met a guy with a XRP DC988 that had those batteries. As i was working with him (he was my mate for a month), was absolutely blown away by the power that drill had, made my Makita 453 look like a toy. Thats when i decided to get the 451, thinking that 30Nm more torque would blow HIS drill away. It was more powerful indeed but nothing impressive.
After a few days, had the 451 acting up on me (with the chuck) so i said ill do some research this time before getting a new drill. Ive ran across an article praising Dewalts proprietary iron phosphate batteries, 2000 recharge cycles, insane power so ive had my mind made up within an hour that the next day ill get the best Dewalt i can find. Didnt want the DC988 as it only came with 2.0ah batteries, wanted something better. Returned the 451 as it was only 5 days old, and got this. I was very happy, but couldnt see "Nano" written anywhere on the battery packs. Later i found out that the nano phosphate batteries are discontinued, and even had i gotten the 988, chances are there would have been something else inside the back, not nano phosphate.
So now im a bit dissapointed in my new drill, and thinking of selling both the 453 and the 985 and getting something better with that money.

What are the chances of this drill still having nano phosphate cells inside?
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-xrp-dcd925l2-gb-18v-2-0ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill/63475

In case you havent guessed, im a cordless drill maniac, and i simply want the best. Please pardon my grandeur when it comes to cordless drills. I drive a 12 year old honda civic though.

[Bingobelle]

Thing is that those nano batteries you are talking about where made by a company called A123 and for what I know they do not made batteri for Dewalt anymore.

My DCD 920 ( same as 960 in the states, ) I wrote 970 in the first post to not confuse things because 925 in europe is 970 in the states and 920 is 960.

Anyway, even if you buy a 925 now I´m not sure that you will have A123 nano phosfate battery.

If I where you I should definately keep the 985 since that is the future and if you are going to buy more tools it is better to invest in the new platform with the slide battery. Do not buy the old platform if you are not heavily invested in the old platform allready.

And one more thing, maybee the new 3.0 A battery is not as Good as the old 2.0 A nanophosfate battery they are much cheaper to buy if the broke. And also, Dewalt gives 3 years warranty on the new battey chemistry so I really doubt that they are bad, I think they are great battery and cheaper to replace than the old nano phosfate battery.

3.0A gives some more runtime compared to the old 2.0 A battery so even if thay can not take as many recycles you do not need to recharge them as often as the old ones. Dollar per recharge I guess the new 3.0 battery is as Good as the old 2.0A battery.

So go for the xr DCD 985 drill that you already have.

And one more thing, Good to return that bhp451 makita because that drill have a worthless gearbox. The gearshifter is made of plastic and goes bad very quickly. And the first gear with 300 rpm you have very little use of.

[ocd]

3.0A gives some more runtime compared to the old 2.0 A battery so even if thay can not take as many recycles you do not need to recharge them as often as the old ones.

I dont know about that one. Look here http://dewaltownersgroup.com/index.php/topic,23.0.html
Even with the smallest ah rating, it still beat all of the other drills, including the 3ah makita.
I have a very very strong feeling that it would also beat the 985...easily.

Dewaltdude, test between 985 and 950/925?

[anadevi]

How did you come to that conclusion? My understanding is that 985 is just a different form factor, same motor & gearbox on the inside.

I have a very very strong feeling that it would also beat the 985...easily.

[kjones]

I have not run the two side by side for a full discharge cycle, but I would assume that the 985 will have better run time when compared to the DCD970KL.  The motor and transmission are the same, which equals the same/roughly the same efficiency.  Therefore larger "gas tank", longer run time.

[ocd]

Well...this is what happened after 3 weeks of using it.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Yg_eMokeB_o&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Yg_eMokeB_o&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0</a>

[golden valley const.]

I have not run the two side by side for a full discharge cycle, but I would assume that the 985 will have better run time when compared to the DCD970KL.  The motor and transmission are the same, which equals the same/roughly the same efficiency.  Therefore larger "gas tank", longer run time.

I haven't done the test either, but I suspect you're right.  On REALLY hard use, the nano battery might do better.  The Amp-hour rating of a battery is at a specific discharge rate and lowers at higher rates.

[DEWALTDUDE]

http://dewaltownersgroup.com/index.php/topic,247.0.html

[Bingobelle]

Well...this is what happened after 3 weeks of using it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg_eMokeB_o&feature=channel

That sound is because of the gearshifter hitting one of the planetary gears inside. If you put some small load on the drill ( it is enough to just lay your hand softly on the chuck ) the sound should go away. It is all metal inside and therefore it sounds worse than it is. However, if you do not like the sound you can take apart the drill and tune the gearshifter mechanism. The shifterring should be some mm to the back of the drill if I remember right. You could also take it to a service center to have it tuned but to be honest, A lot of the xrp 3 speed transmission have this sound but it is only when you have the drill upside down and with no load at all on the chuck. The parts float very freely with no presure on them.

Do not worry.

[ocd]

Well, i dont now. Ive read the other thread. But i took it back yesterday and got my money back. It was under the 30 days money back guarantee that the store i got it from offers, if you take it back within 30 days for whatever problem it may have. Since that wasnt a normal operating noise for a drill, they didnt argued for a second.
Im going tomorrow to get the same model.
But Im thinking, shouldnt the DCD927 be a better option? I mean, it has those delicious nano batteries (yes I know, not the A123, but the equivalent Sony cells, same thing). 2ah instead of 3, but 2000 cycles instead of what...4-500 for the 18v xr 3ah packs...

[tooljoe]

I have the 950 model and I don't experience that issue. Like someone already mentioned, it is probably a part of  the speed selector switch mechanism that rubs on something when point drill up. I don't believe that the gears are grinding. I have taken mine apart a lot of times and can tell that the switch cannot be put in between two gears. Further, the switch is not connected to the planetary gear rather it is connected to springs. The switch push/pull the springs and the springs push/pull the planet gear in place.

On a related note, for anyone that is wondering about the clicking noise when releasing the trigger slowly, the clicking is caused by some pins in the first planetary gear (normal)....



here is another example...



I am no expert but I believe those are there to stop the chuck when the trigger is released and those pins also prevent the chuck spin when tightening a drill bit, for example.  IMO