Hitachi M12VC collet problem

[Jerome Hanby]

Anyone else have a devil of a time getting bits loose from one of these? Virtually every time, I end up loosening the collet then tapping it with the wrench for several minutes before it releases. Doesn't seem to matter if the bit has been in the router for a month or just a few minutes.

Hopefully I'm missing something silly...

[Brent Ring]

Yep - but for me it is just a couple of extra twists after it seems to break loose and then I am fine!

[Jerome Hanby]

So this collet is supposed to pop the bit loose? I've tried loosening the collet further and it gets to a point where I'm nervous about putting any more force on it. Should I just keep cranking until the bit pops loose?

[tody Brock]

I have the same problem, always have to take the collet off the router and tap on the end of the bit. There has got to be a better way. Got any ideas?

[Ray Dockrey]

So this collet is supposed to pop the bit loose? I've tried loosening the collet further and it gets to a point where I'm nervous about putting any more force on it. Should I just keep cranking until the bit pops loose?I thought these had the self releasing collet. If they do then yes it will seem to tighten up and you just keep going and it will release the bit.

[Jerome Hanby]

I thought these had the self releasing collet. If they do then yes it will seem to tighten up and you just keep going and it will release the bit.

Anything in particular I can spot visually to confirm it's a self releasing collet? Or should I just gorilla it and see if it releases?

[glenn bradley]

Most of my routers have self releasing collets. You wrench them to get the nut loose, then unwind the nut 2 or 3 more turns and wrench it just as hard again, this frees the bit.

[Stephen Edwards]

I just had the same problem with the same router. Fellow Creeker Scott Spencer gave me a tip that solved the problem.

Machine oil: I cleaned the inside and outside of the collet with 0000 steel wool. You might even try some 320 or finer emery cloth. Also, clean out the "hole" in the router that accepts the bit. Once everything is clean put a little bit of machine oil on the inside and outside of the collet. The machine oil is what Scott recommended that I try and it sure did the trick. Bits now release as they should. Hope that'll work for you, too.

I think the collets for this router are just a tad bit too tight since I hear that lots of people are experiencing the same problem. Nevertheless, it's a good little router for the money, IMO.

[Alan Frazier]

Most of my routers have self releasing collets. You wrench them to get the nut loose, then unwind the nut 2 or 3 more turns and wrench it just as hard again, this frees the bit.

That's how my hitachi router always was.