PDC 18/4 gear selecting issue

[ForumMFG]

So i picked up a PDC 18/4 and i noticed that its very hard to switch between the different gears, 1 thru 4.  So much so that lets say im in gear #1 and i want to move the selector to gear #2, i have to apply so much force to move it that i blow by gear #2 and #3 and end up on #4. This happens almost every time.  Is this common? Is there a easy fix for this if it is an issue so that i don’t need to mail it in?

 

[chrisrosenb]

Yes. I have 2 of them, both are the same way.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Normal for the PDC. I think 4 gears is a bit over the top, with so many gears in it you get this problem.

When you shift gears it helps if you rock the chuck a bit with your other hand.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

I've had my PDC for a couple of years now and the gear selector does get easier to change over time.....mine was stiff at first but now changes between gears easily.....

 

[Doug S]

It's a common problem, I was told to blip the trigger slightly when changing speed, it helps the gears mesh in. Never really got on with my PDC, it's just a big heavy lump that bleeps at me all the time [mad]

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

..... Never really got on with my PDC, it's just a big heavy lump that bleeps at me all the time [mad]

Really?....I love mine! For the work that I do the PDC fits nicely. I have a TXS, a C15, the PDC and a BHC...As soon as the Impact driver is released I'll have all the eventualities covered.

 

[ForumMFG]

Thanks for chiming in guys and letting me know this is normal and for the tips! I also have the T18, its my go to unless i need hammer action.  And i too will be getting the impact the day it goes on sale! Can’t wait. 

 

[ForumMFG]

And i hope thats in 2020!!

 

[ForumMFG]

Has anyone noticed a trend for when festool announces new products? Meaning what month or time frame they do it?

 

[peter halle]

Usually you will hear about a release in Europe first.  Then it can take some time for things to make it overseas to us.  Festool USA has done a bunch of April, June, August, October releases.  Just my observations.

Peter

 

[CumminsDiesel]

It's a common problem, I was told to blip the trigger slightly when changing speed, it helps the gears mesh in. Never really got on with my PDC, it's just a big heavy lump that bleeps at me all the time [mad]

This is not a problem, this is exactly how 4 gears should work.

 

[AlexThePalex]

It's a common problem, I was told to blip the trigger slightly when changing speed, it helps the gears mesh in. Never really got on with my PDC, it's just a big heavy lump that bleeps at me all the time [mad]

This is not a problem, this is exactly how 4 gears should work.

If this is how 4 gears should work then they should not make drills with 4 gears anymore because it sucks.

And I have an incling Festool won't anymore.

 

[CumminsDiesel]

It's a common problem, I was told to blip the trigger slightly when changing speed, it helps the gears mesh in. Never really got on with my PDC, it's just a big heavy lump that bleeps at me all the time [mad]

This is not a problem, this is exactly how 4 gears should work.

If this is how 4 gears should work then they should not make drills with 4 gears anymore because it sucks.

And I have an incling Festool won't anymore.

I don't see any problems here,the 4 gears jut works,and works great!

 

[AlexThePalex]

I don't see any problems here,the 4 gears jut works,and works great!

Good for you! Lots of people think differently. 4 gears is just overkill and needlessly complicated, technically. Just another one of those cases where Festool wants to show off their engineering skills and for nothing but the sake of technological superiority go beyond what's practical. They tend to do that sometimes. Nothing wrong with that, that's how progress works, and sometimes it goes in the wrong direction, like this one. Most people would be happy with 3 gears, or god forbid, only 2.

 

[Doug S]

..... Never really got on with my PDC, it's just a big heavy lump that bleeps at me all the time [mad]

Really?....I love mine! For the work that I do the PDC fits nicely. I have a TXS, a C15, the PDC and a BHC...As soon as the Impact driver is released I'll have all the eventualities covered.

Apart from a CXS and the PDC my cordless kit is Makita 18v.

Most of my drilling/driving is done by my CXS and a Makita sub compact drill driver which has a hex chuck instead of the normal Jacobs style, love them both. Once I need to drill into walls the SDS comes out.

The gearbox on my PDC has never liked going in to speed 3, I find the belt hook useless and it's super loud when drilling masonry. I also prefer the handles on Makita drills as they are thinner and feel to fit my hand better.

I do need to spend some time with a T18 as everybody seems to rave about them, I generally prefer old fashioned mechanical clutches as opposed to the electronic ones which just cut out but willing to give them another try.

I will be interested to see the new impact when it comes out as I need a new one, that could also swing me to get a T18  [unsure]

 

[andestriping]

To start with, I love good quality tools, and festool is absolutely quality. Love the flexibility of the 4 gears and the smoothness of operation. Love the batteries, the feel, all good. I had worked with a previous (equivalent) Protool Quadrive many years ago before getting mine, 1+ years now.

From the start it had a problem with the shifting of the 3rd gear. Not always, as it would depend on which gear and direction it was coming from, but a 1/4 of the time, before you could have it 3rd gear, you would have to bounce back and forward before it would set. Sometimes 3 or 4 times. At the time I thought it was just a matter of it breaking in on the gears, and it would fade out with use. I trusted Festool's warranty, and I bought it in the official distributor, whom I trust and know to be serious and professional and quality-minded.

For the record, mine has worked very little and has been absolutely babied around. Most of my work involves lighter 10.8v machines, and it is just used when more power is needed. But not abused in any way. Still, the problem never improved, and if it is not important in many situations, when you are in a workflow that demands you to constantly shift between gears, that becomes very annoying and time consuming. And it happens to be so bad that you have to change the grip of your other hand in order to do it (it passes the gear click-stop and stays in no-man's land..)

A couple of weeks ago I decided to have it fixed.. it is still on warranty, super good condition (like, mint-new) and took it to the dealership. One week after I passed to retrieve it, and it was exactly the same! They were as surprised as I was, apologised and  sent it back to repair, willing to have it fixed and explain it even better to the repair service...

Yesterday I got it back, and unfortunately, what they told me was that there is nothing they could do about it, that in fact they tried different ones and that this was a thing, they tried other news ones to compare it with, and others had it.

Well, that is just a major blow to festool in my eyes. First, not recognizing there is a problem. Second, refusing to honor the warranty and fix it, or if that is not possible, than replace it.

I know it is not a "feature" because not all items have it. THIS alone sets the argument.  Immediately after buying mine I went through Festool Owner's Group Forums (FOG) and spotted a few similar situations, not always with problems in the same gear, but yes, some mentions, so I was aware of the situation when I bought it. But..I trusted the warranty and the brand.

To say that (many, or) all pdc's exemplars have this thing, does NOT make it ok. If your manual transmission car had 4 gears but one failed repeatedly to shift a gear at first, second, third try, but eventually shifted, no one in their perfect mind would accept it. It should be no different. Saying that this is how they are suppose to work is absurd, because, not all do! Some work fine. I have had some like this in my hand.

Furthermore, as I see it, the 2nd hand value of my drill has just been compromised. Festool gear holds value rather well, especially well taken care of. Not like this, unless an eventual buyer would not notice it, but still, I could not Not mention it to him.

Also, I cannot in any honesty suggest their products to anyone, nor can I include some of them in the tool buying lists to some of the organisations that I work with.

Shameful and sad. I really wanted to say this is just a minor thing in the overall big view of it, but the truth is: it is not.

So, if you are reading this and wondering to buy one: please, go to a dealer and try the one you are buying. make some different testes: change speeds, direction of drilling, torque settings, .. try many times changing between all the gears. If you spot this issue, avoid it. Hope it helps.

 

[threesixright]

YT video showing how it should work (German). The guy seem to have no problems.

 

[ForumMFG]

To start with, I love good quality tools, and festool is absolutely quality. Love the flexibility of the 4 gears and the smoothness of operation. Love the batteries, the feel, all good. I had worked with a previous (equivalent) Protool Quadrive many years ago before getting mine, 1+ years now.

From the start it had a problem with the shifting of the 3rd gear. Not always, as it would depend on which gear and direction it was coming from, but a 1/4 of the time, before you could have it 3rd gear, you would have to bounce back and forward before it would set. Sometimes 3 or 4 times. At the time I thought it was just a matter of it breaking in on the gears, and it would fade out with use. I trusted Festool's warranty, and I bought it in the official distributor, whom I trust and know to be serious and professional and quality-minded.

For the record, mine has worked very little and has been absolutely babied around. Most of my work involves lighter 10.8v machines, and it is just used when more power is needed. But not abused in any way. Still, the problem never improved, and if it is not important in many situations, when you are in a workflow that demands you to constantly shift between gears, that becomes very annoying and time consuming. And it happens to be so bad that you have to change the grip of your other hand in order to do it (it passes the gear click-stop and stays in no-man's land..)

A couple of weeks ago I decided to have it fixed.. it is still on warranty, super good condition (like, mint-new) and took it to the dealership. One week after I passed to retrieve it, and it was exactly the same! They were as surprised as I was, apologised and  sent it back to repair, willing to have it fixed and explain it even better to the repair service...

Yesterday I got it back, and unfortunately, what they told me was that there is nothing they could do about it, that in fact they tried different ones and that this was a thing, they tried other news ones to compare it with, and others had it.

Well, that is just a major blow to festool in my eyes. First, not recognizing there is a problem. Second, refusing to honor the warranty and fix it, or if that is not possible, than replace it.

I know it is not a "feature" because not all items have it. THIS alone sets the argument.  Immediately after buying mine I went through Festool Owner's Group Forums (FOG) and spotted a few similar situations, not always with problems in the same gear, but yes, some mentions, so I was aware of the situation when I bought it. But..I trusted the warranty and the brand.

To say that (many, or) all pdc's exemplars have this thing, does NOT make it ok. If your manual transmission car had 4 gears but one failed repeatedly to shift a gear at first, second, third try, but eventually shifted, no one in their perfect mind would accept it. It should be no different. Saying that this is how they are suppose to work is absurd, because, not all do! Some work fine. I have had some like this in my hand.

Furthermore, as I see it, the 2nd hand value of my drill has just been compromised. Festool gear holds value rather well, especially well taken care of. Not like this, unless an eventual buyer would not notice it, but still, I could not Not mention it to him.

Also, I cannot in any honesty suggest their products to anyone, nor can I include some of them in the tool buying lists to some of the organisations that I work with.

Shameful and sad. I really wanted to say this is just a minor thing in the overall big view of it, but the truth is: it is not.

So, if you are reading this and wondering to buy one: please, go to a dealer and try the one you are buying. make some different testes: change speeds, direction of drilling, torque settings, .. try many times changing between all the gears. If you spot this issue, avoid it. Hope it helps.

Even after reading this i would still buy festool products and recommend them because i know what the quality and service has been like and every single company out there has problems and issues.  It becomes a problem when those issues happen time after time after time and thats not festool.  And, i don’t believe we have heard the full story from Festool’s side. 

No offense, just saying. 

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