FAO Maintenance

[jeepcj779]

  I picked up my LT50 last week. One of the FAOs binds when raising and lowering and is more difficult to turn than the others. So much so that I am not certain if it has enough tension on it, or if it is just binding up. My first thought was to disassemble it to try and figure out what is wrong, but then I figured that it is probably something I should contact the dealer about since the mill is under warranty. I'll do that tomorrow.
  If I have an issue like this in the future though, I was unable to find anywhere in the manuals addressing FAO maintenance, lubrication or disassembly (other than a parts diagram). If I am just missing it, someone please point me in the right direction. Otherwise, if there is no procedure, has anyone has to disassemble or lube their FAOs? I thought it odd that there is not a grease zerk somewhere on the FAO for periodic lubrication.

[Magicman]

LINK

[jeepcj779]

Thanks MM. I thought I read a post earlier this year on greasing a FAO, and I thought it was yours, but my search queries for "FAO Lube", FAO Maintenance", "fine adjust outrigger", etc. were unsuccessful. I guess I should have searched for "squeeking".

[John S]

There are grease fittings, they become visible through one of the openings. you may have to remove on or two to access them.

[jeepcj779]

I dropped the leg as far down as I could yesterday, but I did not get it far enough down to remove it all the way. With it dropped down as far as it would go, I could see the and had access to the screw through the 5/8ths or so hole that is in the FAO just about even with the bottom of the frame. I am sure I could get a popsicle stick in there to apply grease occasionally. While I didn't have time to take the leg all the way out, I was able to get this off the bottom of the screw through the access hole:


 


 
Looks like a filing left over from milling or less likely the threads may have been damaged when it was put together. Either way, the FAO works better now, but I will have to take it apart sometime this week to see what else is in there. If there is no damage to the screw or other internals I'll just clean it up and reapply the grease (looks like the red marine stuff). I did not find any grease fittings, but I will keep looking.

[Magicman]

There is only 4 bolts to remove the FAO. 

[jeepcj779]

I didn't have my tools handy when I was looking at it, other than the giant tweezers, so the bolts remained installed. Most of my tools are getting delivered this week along with the rest of my HHG from Hawaii, so I only have a few household tools on hand. I assume that if the back end of the mill is high enough that the two inner portions of the square FAO tubes will drop out when the screw is wound all the way out. I'll try to get to it this weekend and see if I am correct. Still have to find those grease zerks also.

[Magicman]

Yes they will drop out.