Woodmizer LT 15 Height Adjustment Issue

SouthernVTSawyer · June 10, 2013, 06:07:39 PM

Hello all---this is my first post (after much time spent reading others). I have a Woodmizer LT-15 that I've been using for just over two years now. Today, after the second pass of sawing a log, the up/down adjustment suddenly froze up, and now I can't move it more than 1/8" up or down. I called tech support, and they said to put blocks under the saw head, and then adjust the chain tension. I did that, and tried less and more tension, and it's still completely stuck. I couldn't find anything online mentioning this issue before. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with this? It's quite confusing to me, because the up/down chain system seems so simple, and mostly everything is in plain sight, yet I can't see why it won't move. I'm really hoping to avoid the high cost of having a tech visit on site! I appreciate any help...

dgdrls · June 10, 2013, 06:19:48 PM

Give your request a little time, lots of WM folks here to assist

while you wait check your factory manual, should be an exploded view of the mechanism?

does the head have a list assist cylinder?

DGD

SouthernVTSawyer · June 10, 2013, 06:26:25 PM

Thanks. The head does have a lift assist cylinder I believe--I think the manual warns about not disassembling that piece because of the pressurized gas...

Magicman · June 10, 2013, 07:15:06 PM

I am of no help with your problem, but Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

Sixacresand · June 10, 2013, 08:35:20 PM

Welcome to the forum. Keep us posted.

SouthernVTSawyer · June 10, 2013, 09:21:28 PM

Thanks for your welcomes! I'm glad to be here.

thecfarm · June 10, 2013, 09:31:36 PM

SouthernVTSawyer,welcome to the forum. I'm not a WM guy,but if I call on anything I own and try what they suggested and it don't work,I call them back for another idea. From what little I know about a LT 15,there is not much to them for the lifting part.There is always more than one way to skin a cat. Good luck.

MM · June 10, 2013, 09:43:18 PM

Wonder if it could be a bearing in one of the sprockets. unless there's something in the chain it would have to be a bearing

slider · June 11, 2013, 06:42:10 AM

I can't see the air spring causing this to happen.Are you sure something is not caught between the chain and the sprocket .Welcome and let us know what it is.

SouthernVTSawyer · June 11, 2013, 07:11:33 AM

I'm almost positive there's nothing caught in the chain, but I'll make sure and look it over again. I'll also try calling woodmizer tech support to see if they have any other suggestions. Thanks again all-

POSTON WIDEHEAD · June 11, 2013, 07:25:00 AM

I tend to agree with Slider & MM. I had a small piece of Oak, no bigger than a dime, get wedged in the chain at the sprocket. And to be truthful....I almost called WM. It took me about 20 minutes to inspect everything with a flashlight. I found the problem and had to use a screwdriver to clear the piece of Oak out.

SouthernVTSawyer · June 11, 2013, 08:17:14 AM

So I've supported the saw head, and completely removed the chain. The sprockets at the top and bottom both move freely with nothing stuck in them. The handle crank, however, still won't turn more than 1/4" in either direction, so the issue is somewhere between the handle, the reducing gears, and the shaft which transfers the spinning over to the chain sprocket. Now I'm waiting to get in touch with woodmizer again...

POSTON WIDEHEAD · June 11, 2013, 11:21:44 AM

I commend you for not just throwing up your hands and running to the phone. You are narrowing it down to where the problem is. Keep us posted. Your problem and fix will help others.

Way to go Southern.

SouthernVTSawyer · June 11, 2013, 03:51:41 PM

Thanks for the encouragements. It was the needle bearing on the chain sprocket end of the shaft. I had to punch out the shaft because it was so stuck, and when I got it out, the bearing on that end was toast. The needles themselves seemed okay, but the housing for them was a bunch of metal shavings and bits. Once I cleared it out, the shaft spun fine (and the needle bearings at the other end look like brand new). I ordered a new shaft, and bearings, and now I just have to figure out how to pop the bad bearing out. Does it make sense to use the pin punch again, entering from the other side of the open cylinder, and just trying to catch the lip of the bearing? This is a new process to me, so I'm not sure if there's some special easier way to do it. I've loaded a picture into a gallery on here called sawmill of the shaft, and it shows where it has worn unevenly due to the bad bearings. (I'm not exactly sure if it will show as part of this post or not.)

Thanks for any hints!

thecfarm · June 11, 2013, 03:57:55 PM

Can't help you with the mill,but here's your picture. raining today,so I'm inside.

The picture is in your gallery,this is how to post them,

I like to go to whatever post or start a new topic first to include a picture.Go to your gallery,it will open in a new window.Click onto your album,than click onto whatever picture you want,it will get bigger,than scroll down a little to find,Insert Image In Post,click onto that,click Yes and that is it. Some have to copy/paste the link to work.I like to hit the enter key at least once or twice to move the picture down away from what I am typing. The enter key really helps to leave some white space if posting more than one picture. Somewheres I think it says to add 10,000 to your user number or something like that to make a clickable icon to your gallery under your user name. Use the preview button to see how it looks and modify it if needed.

MM · June 12, 2013, 05:33:20 PM

Use a good, long punch and a good heavy hammer. A few well place hits will knock that dude out. Becareful when you put the new one in not to knock the seal out or damage it. You could start it the use a couple pieces of steel and a big C clamp to press it in.

SouthernVTSawyer · June 12, 2013, 06:19:14 PM

Thanks thecfarm for the picture instructions. And, thanks MM for the punch/ clamp recommendation. My dad is coming over this weekend and I think we're going to do the c clamp idea--he had mentioned that too.

I'm excited to get back to milling my pine siding--I want to get it stacked and stickered before the blue stain sets in!

mudfarmer · May 29, 2023, 06:00:22 PM

Bumping this helpful thread because it happened to me and it could happen to you, or you, or YOU!

There's a grease nipple on mine, WM never touched it and neither did I

Dan R · May 29, 2023, 11:52:56 PM

Thanks for bringing this topic up. My LT 15 is a couple years old and although no problems with it this is something to remember
Dan

mudfarmer · May 30, 2023, 08:22:01 AM

Hey Dan, the OP made it over 2 years, I made it 3, just make sure to shoot some grease in that fitting at least once every year or two and life should be good 8)