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  1. Repair Parts Home
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  3. Drain-Cleaner
  4. Cable Won't Recoil Properly

Drain Cleaner: Cable Won't Recoil Properly

If the cable won't recoil properly on your handheld pistol grip drain cleaner, inspect these parts for signs of wear and tear: the cable, bearing, gears, and drum. Allow us to walk you through your own repair by providing expert advice on how to fix the issue in the most efficient way possible. The fix could be easier then you think, and much cheaper than hiring someone else to do it.

Drain Cleaner: Cable Won't Recoil Properly

Bearings

Bearings allow a shaft to rotate inside of a stationary housing. Bearings can operate at high speeds, under heavy loads in various conditions. As a result, some do require regular maintenance as they wear over time. Not only can a bad bearing cause a coil not to properly recoil, but it is more likely to impact the entire operation of the drain cleaner. When bearings are worn, they tend to give off a grinding, whining or gling sound. Any of these symptoms require a replacement.

To check the bearings inside your drain cleaner, start by removing the cable from the drum, then remove the perimeter screws on the drum. Separate the front half of the drum from the rear half. Remove the cn nut, washer and the rear drum. Next, take out the screws on the gear case and proceed to remove the gear case. For this step, you may have to gently tap it off, or use a puller. Now, separate the two halves of the handle and then locate the brush caps and remove it along with the brushes. Pull the armature out of the unit and place it in a vice. Use a bearing puller to take out the bearing. Install the new bearing with a socket big enough to go on the outside of the race, which is located on the bearing. Gently tap in place with a hammer.

Reinstall the armature back inside the housing, along with the brush holders and brushes. Put the handle back together and reinstall the gear case. Reinstall the rear drum, the cn nut (with washer), then reattach the front portion of the drum. Reconnect the cable by pulling up on the power grip shield, inserting the cable in the drum. Use an up-and-down motion until the cable begins to bend and starts to install in the drum. Install the entire cable with the grip shield in the “up” position.
Drain Cleaner: Cable Won't Recoil Properly

Gears

A gear is a rotating machine part that has cut teeth, which meshes with another toothed part to transmit torque. If the gears are binding up inside the gear case, this will not only impact how the coil retracts, but will also affect the entire operation of the machine. A binding gear case will usually have a grinding noise, or in some cases, a whining noise if all of the teeth cannot make contact with the other gears.

To replace the gear box, remove the cable from the drum by pulling it out. Remove all screws along the perimeter of the drum and then separate the front drum from the rear one. Remove the cn nut, washer and the rear drum. Take off the screws on the gear case. To remove the gear case, you may have to gently tap the gear case off, or in some cases, use a puller. Install the new gear case and reinstall the rear drum, cn nut (with washer), then reattach the front portion of the drum. Reconnect the cable by pulling up on the power grip shield, inserting the cable in the drum. Use an up-and-down motion until the cable begins to bend and starts to install in the drum. Install the entire cable with the grip shield in the “up” position.
Drain Cleaner: Cable Won't Recoil Properly

Cable

The cable is housed inside the drum and feeds out of the unit, into the drain, removing any clogs. The cable has to go around all of the pipe bends, and overtime, will wear the cable. If the cable will not retract properly, check it for kinks, breakage or see if it is severely bent. If the unit has had a lot of heavy use, the cable may be worn and may require a replacement. To replace a worn, or broken, cable, remove the old cable by simply pulling it out of the drum. To reconnect the new cable, pull up on the power grip shield and insert the new cable in the drum. Use an up-and-down motion until the cable begins to bend and starts to install in the drum. Install the entire cable with the grip shield in the “up” position.
Drain Cleaner: Cable Won't Recoil Properly

Drums

The drum houses the entire length of the coil, inside of it. If the drum has suffered damage, resulting in big dents, it can impact how the coil retracts. This can also cause problems to get the cable out of the drum.

To replace the drum, remove the cable from the auger by pulling it out. Take out all the screws on the outside of the drum and separate the front drum from the rear one. Remove the cn nut, washer, and the rear drum. Remove the chuck spindle from the old drum but taking out the retaining ring. Remove the hand grip and spindle. Install the spindle and hand grip in the new front drum and the check spindle in the front portion of the new drum.

Reinstall the retaining ring to hold it in place. Install the new rear drum, the cn nut (with washer), then reattach the front portion of the new drum. Reconnect the cable by pulling up on the power grip shield, inserting the cable in the drum. Use an up-and-down motion until the cable begins to bend and starts to install in the drum. Install the entire cable with the grip shield in the “up” position.