DEWALT DCF870B: problems, parts and running costs
Checked: 2026-10-17
Summary
The DCF870B is DEWALT’s first hydraulic (oil) 1/4-in impact driver, built for quiet fastening in occupied or tight spaces rather than maximum torque. Its main trade-off is power: reviewers list it as noticeably less powerful than conventional compact drivers, and hydraulic designs can lose torque as the oil heats under sustained heavy work. There is no consumable tied to the hydraulic mechanism, so the yearly cost is whatever batteries, charger and bits you already own; at the documented ~$200 tool-only reference price it is a fair buy for a DEWALT 20V owner who needs quiet fastening, and not a torque-per-dollar buy.
Common problems and fixes
- Torque can fall off as the oil heats — a hydraulic-class caution raised by an owner of a competing Makita oil driver, who found repeated long use on large fasteners heated the tool and thinned the oil; no DCF870-specific failure pattern was found. [4]
- Oil-impact reliability anecdotes belong to rival tools — forum reports of a Milwaukee M18 Surge dying after a few months and of a jammed bit concern the Surge, not the DCF870. [4]
- Not the smallest or quietest choice if you already own rivals — one buyer who also runs a DCF850 and a Milwaukee M12 Surge said the DCF870 does not outshine the DCF850 in size or speed and is much louder than the M12. [7]
Parts and consumables
No replaceable parts or consumables reported for the hydraulic mechanism. Batteries and charger are sold separately on the tool-only DCF870B; standard 1/4-in hex impact bits and an optional Tool Connect chip are the only add-ons.
Yearly running cost
No consumable is tied to the hydraulic mechanism, so there is no filter, oil or subscription to budget for. A tool-only buyer only pays for the driver plus the batteries and charger they already own. No source gives a per-year total, so the exact yearly figure is not enough data.
When it is a good buy
- Review-reported reference pricing was $199.99 tool-only (DCF870B) and $299.99 for the DCF870E1 kit with a compact PowerStack battery and charger [3][5].
- Fine Homebuilding listed $200 tool-only and $300 kit in March 2025 [5].
- At the ~$200 reference it is a reasonable choice for a DEWALT 20V owner who needs quiet fastening; above that, or if you want maximum torque per dollar, compare conventional DEWALT drivers (DCF845, DCF850) and the high-torque DCF860 [3].
- Against another hydraulic driver, weigh it against the Milwaukee M18 FUEL Surge 2760 (450 in-lbs, about 4000 IPM) [3].