Norwood question

[Riggs]

Ok I need some help, I have a brand new Norwood ML 26, on my first oak log, about the third one in all, I started having trouble with the drive belt coming off in the middle of the cut. I have tightened  it as much as I can with the adjustments given. The belt seems to have strecthed way more than it should have. It probably came off a half of dozen times, the last time costing me the blade. I'm fairly certain that I have done something wrong,  ::)but I just cant figure out what. The only option I can think of is buy a shorter belt, but this one only has 2-3 hours on it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Slingshot]

 Re-check and make certain that your band wheel is in perfect allignment with the
engine pulley and also the idler pulley. And that the idler pulley is not angled off
center. I never had the drive belt come off the LM Mark 4 or the LM2000 that I
have run. Should be a simple fix.
The belt should not have strecthed, maybe make sure the engine bolts are tight.


____________________________
Charles

[losttheplot]

Is it the same set up as the LM 2000, the drive belt goes from the clutch, over the idler pulley, down around the driven wheel and then back to the clutch ?

If this is so, you may have to adjust the tracking of the drive belt over the idler.

This is done by just pinching the idler pulley bracket with its clamping bolts, then "adjusting" the angle of the idler with a hammer.
(just tap it the direction you want it to go, with the pinch bolts just tight enough to hold it there )
Angled towards the mill head or away so the belt rides in the center of the idler and the center of the driven band wheel.

I had to file the slots in the idler mounting bracket to get the right adjustment.
Then use shims, between the stud and the slot in the idler bracket, to hold it in place whilst I snugged down the pinch bolts.

If you look closely at the drive belt it may be worn on one side more than the other, that would tell you which way the idler has to go.

Run the mill with no band on it and look at where the drive belt enters the groove in the band wheel as it is spinning.

Make sure it is not riding up on one side or the other

Norwood also has a forum specific to their products which has lots of good information.

Hope this helps

[Nomad]

     I'm with the above replies.  I don't have your same mill, but I've been running an LM2000 for about 5 years now and I believe it's the same drive system.  I'm still on my original belt.  If I recall correctly I've adjusted the tension once, early on.  It's nowhere near it's limit.  I also suggest looking real hard at the alignment.  If the engine bolts are loose that should be pretty evident.

[ChestnutFarm]

Riggs, thought I'd reply to your pm on the thread. We haven't had that problem, in fact we're having a problem with the belt being too tight. Our blade still rotates with the clutch disengaged. We've checked the spring tension, alignment etc. Weird. Maybe the belt just needs to be worn a bit.

I'd check the alignment. The guys at Norwood here in Canada said that was the most common problem, belts coming off and that this was due to the alignment of the engine itself (& therefor the shaft pulley),the drive wheel and the clutch pulley. Also, is your blade tension accurate. This might have something to do with it too.  :-\

I wouldn't go with a shorter belt. I have heard that not all belts are created equal. I'd work on trying a few things with the setup first. And as you may know the guys at Norwood are very helpful

[hamish]

Firstly are you throwing the belt at the engine side or the band wheel side? How is your blade tracking, and build up on the idler or any pulleys,what way is the spring hook on your tensioner facing............lots of questions.


With an ML26 if you are throwing a drive belt you have written off a band and the plastic cover, things will pile up.

I have had my ML26 for almost a year now, at about 20K bf, no issues that couldn't be figured out by sitting back and analysing whats happeneing and why.

[Riggs]

Thanks all, I will double check the alignment first, but the drive belt is still floppy loose... ???

[Slingshot]

Do you have any more adjustment in the engine mounting slots
that would let you move the engine to tighten the belt? If you have
used up all of this adjustment and no more in the idle pulley then
a shorter belt or drill more engine mounting holes would be a fix.


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[sawwood]

We have the M4 mill and had the same trouble when we put a new belt on. It was the idler that was
out of adjustment. After adjusting it the belt stayed on. Also we where having trouble with belts not
lasting long, they where the cogg type and the coggs where braking out. So we whent to a regular belt
and it has been on a year and still good. Like they outhers say check the motor aliment too.

Sawwood

[hamish]

Thanks all, I will double check the alignment first, but the drive belt is still floppy loose... ???

Check the cable ends on the engagement cable at the operators position and where it engaes the tensioner.  At the operators position unless safety wites the placement nuts have a habit of loosening and disengaging fro where it is retained in th slotted whole..............you'll know what I am talking about, just hard to type!