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Ryobi drill clutch settings: collar, gear and direction

Updated: 2026-10-23

The screw head is torn out, or the bit is spinning in the chuck, and the collar was left on the last job's mark. Ryobi drill clutch settings are the numbered ring in front of the chuck, next to a drill icon and, on some bodies, a hammer icon. This page, dated 22 October 2026, is the sequence after you already own the tool: collar, gear, direction, then the bit. It is not a lab test. A qualifying Amazon purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Which body you bought, if you are still choosing, is the [Ryobi cordless drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/ryobi-cordless-drill).

The screw head is torn out, or the bit is spinning in the chuck, and the collar was left on the last job's mark.

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Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3-215GZ two-pack kit

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Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3-215GZ two-pack kit
9.4/10about £97.80
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Ryobi Ryobi R18DD3-0 drill driver

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Ryobi Ryobi R18DD3-0 drill driver
9.2/10about £54
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Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3-0 percussion body

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On this page
  1. 1.Collar, gear and direction
  2. 2.Driving a screw
  3. 3.Drilling a hole
  4. 4.If there is a hammer icon

Collar, gear and direction

The collar is the rotating ring. The three R18PD3 rows and the R18DD3-0 state 24 settings. Low numbers slip sooner. Higher numbers let more torque through. The drill icon bypasses the clutch for a hole. The RPD18BL2-0 names clutch settings and does not print 24, so use the numbers you can see. These listings state two speeds. The R18PD3 instructions print low as 0–500 rpm and high as 0–1,800 rpm in drill mode for that model. That pair belongs to the R18PD3. Speed 1 is the slow gear, for driving. Speed 2 is for smaller holes. Change gear only when the chuck has stopped. The direction switch sits above the trigger. Move it only when the chuck has stopped. A switch left in the centre is why a drill sometimes will not start.

Driving a screw

Start with the battery off, then fit a driver bit that matches the screw. Seat it straight, with at least about 15 mm in the jaws, and tighten by hand. Reviews of the percussion body and the R18DD3-0 include bits that let go, so tug the bit. Put the battery back on only after the chuck is closed. Put the collar on a low number, not on the drill icon. The drill icon locks the clutch out. Speed 1 is the gear for screws. If the screw stalls proud of the surface, move one or two numbers higher. If the head sinks too far, drop two numbers for the next screw in the same timber. The 24 settings are a range you walk up, not a code that means 12 is chipboard. Which body to buy, if you are still choosing, is the best Ryobi cordless drill page.
Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3-215GZ two-pack kit

Testsieger

Ryobi Ryobi R18PD3-215GZ two-pack kit
9.4/10about £97.80
View offer

Drilling a hole

Turn the collar to the drill icon so the clutch does not click in the middle of the hole. Leave the hammer icon alone. A hammer mark in softwood chews the mouth of the hole. Fit the bit with the battery off, straight in the jaws, and tighten by hand. Speed 1 is for a larger bit. Speed 2 is for a small pilot hole. The R18PD3 high gear is the 0–1,800 rpm line in that model's instructions, not a reason to start a 13 mm bit there. If the bit smokes, stop. Wear eye protection. These files have no vibration number. Stop if the bit is not progressing or you have not checked the wall for cables and pipes.

If there is a hammer icon

The hammer icon is for a masonry bit in brick or block, and only on a listing that states a hammer or percussion mode. The R18PD3 kits and the RPD18BL2-0 do. The R18DD3-0 does not. If your collar has no hammer symbol, do not drill brick on the drill icon and hope. A masonry bit in that driver still has no hammer behind it. When the icon is there, use it only with a masonry bit, then take it off before the next screw or a hole in timber. The R18PD3 manual's 13 mm masonry line stays on that model. If dust stops coming out, stop. Battery off, bit seated, chuck tight, then battery on. The stripped screw is usually the drill icon left on from a hole.

Common questions

What do the numbers on the collar mean?
They are clutch steps. A low number slips sooner and protects the screw head. A higher number allows more torque before the clutch clicks. The three R18PD3 listings and the R18DD3-0 state 24 settings. The brushless listing names clutch settings and does not print 24. The drill icon is not a high number. It is the mark that bypasses the clutch for holes.
Where is the hammer symbol, and what if my drill has none?
It is on the collar, past the drill icon, on the bodies whose listings state a hammer or percussion mode. The R18DD3-0 does not state one, so there is no symbol to find. Do not drill brick with that driver. A masonry bit does not create a hammer mode the title left out.
Speed 1 or speed 2 for screws?
Speed 1. The slow gear is the one for control and for driving screws. Speed 2 is for small holes. On the R18PD3 instructions, low is 0–500 rpm and high is 0–1,800 rpm in drill mode. Do not paste a different model's example speeds onto that pair. Change gear only when the chuck has stopped.
How do I stop the bit slipping?
Take the battery off, seat the bit straight, and leave at least about 15 mm of it in the jaws. Tighten the chuck by hand and pull the bit to test it. Reviews of the percussion body include bits that release in speed 2 when the trigger is let go, and reviews of the driver include the supplied bit falling out. A canted bit will slip even when the number on the collar is right.
Should the battery be on while I change the bit?
No. Ryobi's how-to says the battery comes off before the chuck opens. A live trigger next to an open chuck is how a bit spins in your fingers. Fit the bit, tighten, then put the pack back on. The same order applies when you swap from a driver bit to a drill bit between a screw and a hole.

Related pages

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Ryobi cordless drill for masonry

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Sources

Public sources listed in the research digest, plus the amazon.co.uk listings stored for this comparison. Page updated 22 October 2026.

  1. Ryobi UK, R18PD3-0 combi drill (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Ryobi UK, how to choose batteries and chargers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Ryobi UK, does the charger matter (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Ryobi UK, product registration and warranty (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Ryobi UK, different types of drills (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. R18PD3 instructions (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. HSE, hand-arm vibration regulations (retrieved 22 October 2026)