grizzly planer issues

[NateF350]

I have a 20" grizzly spiral head planer GO 454z, its worked great planning about 2-3k bf so far. Yesterday it started getting a slight vibration noise. I tried tracking it down but couldn't find anything. Today in the last 500 bf it got a lot worse. I checked the head and there's no movement at all so I don't think it bearings. I tightened the belts up a bit and that didn't help at all. I looked everything else over and all I could find is the pressure bar. I can push it up at least an 1/8th to 3/16th. Is it suppose to move that much?  Anything else I should look at?  I ran one board threw and it gouged it out pretty good and then started getting chatter on the rest of the boards

[YellowHammer]

The pressure bar should be spring loaded and be set about 5 thousandths  (or the thickness of a coat of heavy paint) above the planed wood.  It should not have any "slack" or non spring loaded movement.  It should not actually be touching the board in normal operation, but should ride a hair above it.  The only time the pressure bar comes into play is when a piece of wood is not being held firmly down by the pressure rollers.  It serves as a spring loaded bump stop to prevent the wood from going too far up into the cutter head.  The only other time it should come into play is when the board exits the planer and has been released from the front down pressure roller.  However, if the boards is chattering, jumping, otherwise not behaving, the pressure bar is intended to stop all that.

When the planer is working correctly, the board never touches the pressure bar except at the very end of the cut, when the front roller disengages and the board want to flip up into the cutter.  The pressure bar and the outfeed roller hold it down.  Most snipe is caused by an incorrectly adjust pressure bar.  

It's odd that your planer was working fine, now it's not, like something broke.  Is there strong spring tension on the pressure bar, to keep it in its "not quite touching the board" position so if a board hits it, the spring will push it back down?

I did have one if my belted pulley get loose on my old Griz planer, you might loosen the belt and make sure both pulleys are still rock solid on their shafts.  I've also had issues with the belts chipping and having gaps.

Its a Z model so it has carbides?  Are the cutters still mounted firmly and adjusted correctly?

Does it have bed rollers?  Are they clear and rolling?  Many times they will jam with chips and lock up.

Is the bed firm and stable?  

[NateF350]

Ok wasn't sure how much movement it should have in it. I thought it was a little excessive but maybe not then. I agree I don't know that something broke but it seams something came loose and got worse as I went but I can't find anything with play in it. There is decently spring tension on the bar but I can push it up pretty easy

The bed and bed rollers are all clean and adjusted, infeed and outfeed rollers are solid and work like they should.

The knives are carbide and all look good. They aren't gummed up or anything but are going to be due to be turned before too long.

I didn't take the belts all the way off and check the pulleys but I will when I get home. They seamed pretty good though.

I added a couple pics below. The first board is when things went south. It made a strange noise then came out with the divot in it. The next board as you can see has the chatter on it

[NateF350]

 

 

[NateF350]

Went and took the v belts off, bad bearing for sure. A couple balls must have flats spots on it cause it only catches every once in awhile hand turning it.    Anyone ever change bearings in one of these planers?

[Tom the Sawyer]

If you are talking about the bearings on the cutter shaft, yes I have changed them.  Mine came with a straight cutter head, and I had purchased a helical head as an option.  First time I changed heads, I found that it wasn't that easy.  Bearings must be pulled and pressed on the shaft, job took me a couple of hours.  Fortunately, I had a press.  If I thought I would ever use the straight blade head again, I would just buy another set of bearings - much quicker changeover.  

[YellowHammer]

I've replaced some too, different planer, but it wasn't a fun job.

[low_48]

I set a pressure bar so it just barely doesn't touch the wood. Maybe .002"-.004" clearance. I'd recommend not buying the replacement bearings from Grizzly. Get some quality bearings from a bearing supply house.