What To Do If You Need Replacement Parts For A Milwaukee Power Tool
Sometimes, tools break — even those designed and manufactured by reliable power tool brands like Milwaukee. Usually, when this happens, the best thing to do is to see if the tool in question is still under warranty. If so, you might be able to send it in for a brand-new replacement, no questions asked. But even if that isn't an option, there are still a few things you might want to try before resigning yourself to dropping a bunch of money on a brand-new item. There are a handful of cheap Milwaukee tools on the market, but most of them cost a pretty penny. Some breaks might be irreparable, but others might just need an inexpensive component replaced. You may even be able to repair the tool yourself. First, though, you'll have to get the parts you need.
The history of Milwaukee Tools stretches a hundred years, and the company primarily uses proprietary components. You can't just swap one drill chuck out for one from a completely different tool. You need to make sure that the new component is a suitable replacement for the exact part you're removing. To do that, you'll need to look up the part number for the component you need and then find a retailer that sells it. This might seem like a complicated task, but it's actually pretty easy if you know where to look. Here's a quick guide to help you find the exact part you need to repair your Milwaukee tools.
Find the specific part you need
The first thing you need to do when looking to replace a component in one of your tools is find the exact name and part number. Even two identical-looking parts from similar tools might actually be different sizes or shapes. You want to make sure you're ordering the precise part that you're looking to replace so that it will be a perfect fit. This number might be listed in the operator's manual that came with your tool when you bought it.
No need to worry if you've lost or thrown out the manual or if the parts aren't listed there, though. Milwaukee has a database on its website that can help you find free digital copies of all the documentation for any tools the company manufactures. Simply look up the product number for the tool in question by searching for the tool on Milwaukee's website (it should look something like this: 3062P-20), and then enter the number into the catalog search bar. Select the category that allows you to specifically search for "service parts lists and wiring instructions." This will include parts numbers for all of the components associated with your tool.
You may also wish to download the full operator's manual while you're there if you don't already have a copy. It will come in handy when it comes time to actually perform maintenance on your tool, so it's good to grab that from the database as well.
Where to order Milwaukee replacement parts
There are a few third-party retailers that sell replacement parts for Milwaukee brand tools. Some, like Great Lakes Power Tools, even sell official first-party components that are actually made by Milwaukee. These sites are always worth checking out, just in case you can find a better price for the same product, but the most reliable way to make sure you're getting the part you need is to order it directly from the manufacturer.
Milwaukee has an online catalog service called Connect that allows you to search for and order any parts that you might need. You need to make a profile to use it, but once you do, you can simply plug in the part number for the component that you're looking to order, and it will give you a price and ordering information. This is an all-in-one catalog and ordering service that should help you find exactly what you need. Plus, since the parts come from Milwaukee directly, you'll know that you'll be getting an identical, factory-new component.
All that's left to do after that is wait for the part to arrive, swap it out for the broken component using the instructions in the manual, and go back to using your newly refurbished tool.