RYOBI R18DD3-0 Cordless Drill Driver, 18V ONE+, 50 Nm, 13 mm Chuck, Bare Tool - 5133002889

RYOBI R18DD3-0 Cordless Drill Driver, 18V ONE+, 50 Nm, 13 mm Chuck, Bare Tool

The RYOBI R18DD3-0 (article 5133002889, EAN 4892210149152) is a cordless drill driver on the ONE+ 18 V platform. The manufacturer lists it in its catalogue as the "18V ONE+ Drill/Driver" - a tool for drilling in wood, metal and plastic and for driving and removing screws. It delivers 50 Nm of maximum torque, has a two-speed gearbox (0 - 500 and 0 - 1800 min^-1) and a 13 mm keyless chuck. The "-0" suffix in the designation and the word SOLO in the product name mean one and the same thing: the tool ships without a battery and without a charger. RYOBI states it explicitly for this article: "Number of batteries supplied: 0" and "Charger included: No".

One important distinction: the R18DD3-0 has no hammer mechanism. It is a pure drill driver. The neighbouring article 5133002888 (RYOBI R18PD3-0) is the percussion version. If you need to drill into concrete or brick, look for the percussion tool - this one is not built for that.

What it is for

This is the primary tool for the home and the workshop. It drills holes up to Ø38 mm in wood and up to Ø13 mm in steel, drives screws into timber and plasterboard, assembles furniture and mounts shelves, hinges and handles. The two gears cover the two modes of work: the slow one gives torque when driving, the fast one speed when drilling.

Two gears and 50 Nm of torque

The mechanical two-speed gearbox is changed with a slider on top of the housing (positions 1 and 2):

• Gear 1: 0 - 500 min^-1 - low speed, high torque. For driving long screws, for large-diameter bits, and for anything that calls for force rather than speed.
• Gear 2: 0 - 1800 min^-1 - high speed. For drilling with small-diameter bits in wood and metal, where speed gives a clean hole.

Maximum torque is 50 Nm. Speed is metered smoothly from the trigger, and the direction switch gives forward and reverse rotation.

24 clutch settings

The collar in front of the chuck sets the torque limit. RYOBI states 24 settings plus a separate position for straight drilling. The collar itself is stamped with every other number up to 22, followed by the drilling symbol - which is why some retail catalogues describe the tool as "22 settings + drill mode". Where sources disagree the manufacturer wins: according to RYOBI the figure is 24.

In practice the chuck stops turning as soon as the preset torque is reached. The low settings are for softwood and plasterboard, the high ones for hardwood and long screws, and the drilling position disengages the clutch entirely.

13 mm ratcheting chuck, LED and bit holder

The chuck is keyless, 13 mm, with a ratcheting mechanism. The ratchet clicks as you tighten and grips the bit shank harder than a plain keyless chuck - the bit will not spin in the jaws on a heavier hole. The maximum shank diameter is 13 mm - it covers both thin metal drills and standard bit holders. The tool has an LED work light, and a slot on the front of the base holds the double-ended bit from the box.

The ONE+ 18 V platform and real runtime

RYOBI ONE+ is an 18 V platform on which one and the same battery powers the whole range - from drills and drivers to garden machinery and lighting. The manufacturer gives the following runtime per charge - 4 x 32 mm screws driven and 13 x 50 mm holes drilled in wood:

• 2.0 Ah (RB1820C) - 600 screws or 220 holes;
• 2.5 Ah (RB1825C) - 745 screws or 275 holes;
• 4.0 Ah (RB1840X) - 1240 screws or 456 holes;
• 5.0 Ah (RB1850X) - 1550 screws or 570 holes.

These are the manufacturer's figures; they compare the batteries, they are not a guarantee.

Without a battery the tool weighs 1.3 kg; with a 2.0 Ah battery (RB1820C) the EPTA weight is 1.7 kg. This is the compact class - overhead the difference tells.

Technical specifications

What is in the box

• Cordless drill driver RYOBI R18DD3-0 - 1 pc.
• Double ended bit - 1 pc., per the manufacturer's data
• NO battery - a ONE+ 18 V battery is bought separately
• NO charger - a ONE+ charger is bought separately
• NO case - the article ships in a carton made from over 75% recycled cardboard
• NO drill bits - the bits seen in the photographs are for illustration only

The battery visible in the application photographs is likewise not part of the delivery.

Working tips

• Select the gear before you start, not during the cut. Move the slider with the tool stopped, otherwise the gear teeth clash.
• Start from a low clutch setting. If the screw stalls before it is fully home, go up one or two settings - that is how you avoid shearing the head.
• For holes over Ø20 mm in wood use gear 1 and feed evenly; the fast gear will only overheat the bit.
• For metal use gear 2 with thin bits, but ease off the trigger towards 13 mm and work with a drop of oil.
• Tighten the chuck firmly - the ratchet should click several times, otherwise the bit spins.
• Do not use this tool on concrete. There is no hammer action; the bit will polish itself and the tool will be loaded for nothing.

Questions and answers