I have got some bearings for my LT40 and was wondering if you have to lift the carrige off the rail to put the new top bearings on it? Looks like maybe so, advise please? I have looked through my manuals tonight and dont see where to adjust the lowers to, do I take the tension off the guide wheels and level the blade with the bed? Then take care of the blade wheels for the tension to adjust the blade to match the scale? Thank you all!
Take a 4x4 sticker stand it on end and set the head down on the end at the travel pin hole lower head enough to take the weight off the lower bearings, dont touch the adjuster bolts until the head is setting on the new bearings as the adjustments will be minor. loosen the plate slide out bearing holder change bearings reincert and tighten down. Use a wedge on the rail to take the weight off the top bearings same thing pull the bearing holder out (front one may come out up side down and backwords but it comes out) and change the bearing on the work bench. I have been using ICO bearings and have to change them less often, road grime always killed the lower bearings, these ICO bearings have a plastic oil imprenated spacer that helps keep the road grime out, and they dont seam to siece up.
Changing all rail bearing is not a hard job, good time to have the gease gun handy and give the mill a good going over. You dont want to end the day with to much grease in the grease gun.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,19439.msg278488.html#msg278488
Here is a link to a post I made years ago with pictures of the process.
Also when you get your alignment done check your grounding pad to make sure its clean and is making good contact. You may need to clean the lower rail where it makes contact. This will ensure that your new carriage bearings will last a long time, because if the ground pad doesn't make good contact the power system grounds through the bearings and heats the grease leading to seal/bearing failure. I had to learn this the hard way.
Had a look at your post and bearing pics Bibbyman, the top bearings run next to each other and on top of the rail? My old mill they are set at 45 deg angles and wear the top inside and outside of the rail, doesnt look like your setup at all! If I could change them to be like yours I'd be running on new steel instead of the flatspot they run on now. So back to the drawing board, got some bearings off EB after taking out one of the originals and getting the number off it. I bought 2 auctions, 2 different brands, lots of 3 and 5. The smith brand bearings have a little slop in them but have seals, the mcgills have seals and are solid, wish I had more. Supposed to get a 12V powerpack off a liftgate from a friend of mine, maybe some hydraulics for this old 1986 model ???
Also, it is never a waste of time to give WM a call. They will have someone that can talk you through it.
I trust the bearings from Wood-Mizer. I understand there are other cam rolers out there that are the same size but the bearings are not the same. I did score a hand full off ebay but were from a Wood-Mizer owner's surplus parts.
Good to make sure the bearings are of good quality. ;)
There's a lot of weight riding on them!
Quote from: backwoods sawyer on November 13, 2013, 12:39:09 AM
...I have been using ICO bearings and...
Did you mean to say IKO bearings?
Backwoods pretty much nailed it, not hard, just a few ups and downs in the dust. Always do the double check on the 1/16 pre set adjustment, and don't forget to re calibrate the head to 12" when done. david
I did it!!! There was really nothing to it. Used my portapower to lift one end at a time with the bottom assembly loose, slid the old ones out and the new ones it. Tightened everything up, made some new wipers out of some rubber sheet I had and adjusted the mill head so it was level on the one stationary bed part mine has. I'll adjust the rest of the bed rails to the blade and that should do it. Still have some more adjusting to do but the old girl should be smoother. Pulled my blade guids off and ran a die down them to remove all the rust out of the threads and installed new nuts and washers on them, bearings felt fine. Maybe by the weekend she'll be back in action.
Good for you and good luck smiley_thumbsup
Congratulations on getting-r-done. smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup
Your right they are IKO bearings I pick them up at the local "Mill supply" store in town.
Mcgill are good heavy bearings but I was changing them more often then the IKO, and have not had an IKO seize up yet, I have a box full of old mcgill bearings that are siezed up. a seized bearing puts a lot of wear on the rail in a short time. Besides a box of ten was only $125.
Carter bearings have done real good for me, around $15 ea. david
Got a little sidetracked while putting things back together on the mill after the bearing swap. I pulled some pieces off and started flap wheeling all the old paint and rust off and got some Rustoleum rusty metal primer on them and a few spots on the frame. Its starting to look like I'm going to paint the mill finally, might be a little at a time! I'm going to replace all the bolts with new ones as I take stuff apart.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31472/IMG_20131114_210237_0135B15D.jpg)
Also got a small 12v hydraulic power pack from a lift gate off a truck, is this going to be enough pump to run some hydraulics?
Well if it was running some in it's old life if should run some in it's new life.
My debarker arm is ran off a used hydraulic pump mounted on the saw head.
Changing the debarker motor today I noticed woodmizer is still using the lighter duty bearing. I like the heavy duty dodge bearings.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/17725/IMG_20131114_120323.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/17725/IMG_20131114_120323.jpg)
What went wrong with the old debarker motor Harvey?
Old age :-X
The shaft worn clean though.
Still waiting on new arms to be build as they are worn out to and new style is 2"longer.
Yup, If you are going to saw on the road, you gotta have a debarker. ;D
I got the saw head adjusted level with the front bunk and then adjusted the rollers to it, matching the scale. Then moved the saw back to the back stationary (sort of) rail and it didnt adjust far enough down on the outboard side, about 1/4" high (DanGit). The only solution I see it to cut the bottom out of that section of the rail and weld it back in 3/8" higher. These older machines had a lighter frame than the new one I saw recently and its also where the outrigger is mounted. I'm thinking my frame is tweeked up right there. So thats my plan for the morning.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31472/IMG_20131115_164752_4065B15D.jpg)
Probably got your moneys worth from that debarker.
Quote from: mmartone on November 14, 2013, 11:26:01 PM
Also got a small 12v hydraulic power pack from a lift gate off a truck, is this going to be enough pump to run some hydraulics?
This question may have gone unnoticed under the picture.
I am not sure but someone will know. I think it will work.
I noticed it, but I did not know the answer. ;D
I sure would not hesitate using the pump from a lift gate or a pump for motor home leveling jacks. :P stay in there rated working load.
Well its still rolling around in the back or my truck :-[. On another note, I cleaned the carb on the Kawi and adjusted the mixture and made a few cuts in the cedar thats sitting on the mill, ran perfect! Guy a few streets down has some pines down for me to cut and keep the lumber, just leave the mess, said he would clean it up.