Motor brushes and tool noise

[Stephen Tashiro]

I can recall when the users manuals for most hand power tools contained advice and directions for replacing the brushes for their electric motors. In the tools that I've purchased in modern times, I don't see this topic mentioned. Is it assumed that the user will discard the tool before the brushes wear out or take it to a repair shop when the burshes need changing? Is is there some new technology in brushes that makes them last longer? Are tools using brushless motors?

The old manuals said that badly adjusted brushes could make tools noisy. I notice that some drills are noiser than others, even when relatively new. Is it likely that the brushes account for most of the noise?

[steve reeves]

The short answer is no.

The likely reason is loose and or miss fitting gears and bearings. Many of these tools are meant to be throw aways... The actual parts and labor costs to even affect a minor repair on many small hand tools (powered of course) would quickly exceed the value of the tool.

Some of the more expensive ones have easily accesable brushes...even on those, the clutches usually burn up before the brushes do...