Ryobi Router R165

[d_meister]

I have the 3-base Ryobi router kit that came out sometime around 2003-2005. It was a pretty decent router for me. But for whatever reason the plastic-like motor base swelled within the first year that I had it. I had contacted Ryobi customer service and they denied having any complaints whatsoever and I referred them to both this site as well as the Ridgid tool forum. On a follow up call they sent me a new housing and it was worse than the one I had. I took measurement and called them again as it clearly showed the housing wouldn't begin to fit any of the bases. They couldn't help me and I was told the product was being discontinued. It's a shame when you have a decent product and can't support it because of poor component manufacturing. I think they should have recalled them and issued all the buyers a refund.

CWS

I have the same kit (with bag!). I sprayed the collar adjuster with some silicone spray and it just instantly locked up. Had a tough time getting things freed up, but it's in it's base mounted in my BT3000 now. It works just fine if I don't maintain it or try to improve performance

[LCHIEN]

Neither D_Meister or CWSmith mentioned what model number they had... But I recall from the heyday of the BT3000 (1997-2007) there were a lot of complaints about ryobi routers sticking in the bases.

RE-1803? maybe others?

https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...outer-troubles

[cwsmith]

Sorry about not mentioning the model number, but at the moment I couldn't remember it. I just walked out to the shop and checked the blue Ryobi bag that it came in and the model number on the router is RE1802M which is a soft-start, variable speed. It came with collets for both 1/4 and 1/2 shanks, an edge guide, and three bases: R181FB (fixed base), R181PF (plunge base), and also a D-handle base which was not in my bag (the handle is there, but I have no idea where I stored the aluminum base or why it wasn't in the bag ;( ) The replacement motor housing Ryobi sent me (that doesn't fit) is here in my parts cabinet.

Looking back, I remember this 3-base kit worked great for the first several months, with everything fitting just fine. I never lubed it or even cleaned it with anything other than wiping off the sawdust. I particularly liked the plunge base as it was easy to operate and the lever was easily within my thumb's reach, which was much better than the plunge base on my Ridgid.

CWS

[d_meister]

The motor on mine is RE1802M

[cwsmith]

I found my D-handle base. I remember taking the hand off ans storing here my basement 'office' when I moved all the tools out to the shed, which is not my shop. I remember doing that because I was hoping to find some way to decrease the diameter on the motor housing that Ryobi sent me to replace the housing that had swelled within my warranty period. As mentioned previously the replacement housing was worse than the original and you can't begine to fit it in the base. The ID on the base is exactly the OD of the housing, slightly over 3.80 as measured with my HF digital calipers, which I admit is perhaps not the most accurate tool used to measure something like this.

It appears that the contractor who made the housings perhaps just matched the inside diameter of the base as provided by Ryobi. At least that appears to be the case with the part supplied after the initial manufacturing.

The question for me is whether this motor housing can be properly turned to bring the OD dimension down to where it will fit in the base? (That is why I sat the D-handle base aside. My questions to Ryobi in Anderson, SC went unanswered and as mentioned earlier they simple discontinued what should have been a decent product offering. I was disappointed in the fact that Ryobi simply didn't want to make this right with the customers who purchased it.

CWS

Additional Info just added:

I got to thinking about this last night and decided to look for an old post on the subject, if anyone is interested. This is a link from back in 2010: https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...e-router-bases

Check posts # 23 and 31 for details and summation.


CWS