New WM Diesel engine Bearing Support Kit

Peter Drouin · May 31, 2014, 01:15:11 PM

Now they can make one for the edger too. Mine has a cat.

I did ask Wood Mizer about it. :D ;D

Dave Shepard · May 31, 2014, 02:33:33 PM

My solution for my ED26 is to put a 15 hp 3 phase motor on it. Hopefully before it rattles itself to death. :D I've never before experienced something that was engineered to self destruct like that thing.

drobertson · May 31, 2014, 02:50:53 PM

Not a bad choice Dave, still yet, what about going portable? I know of one that pulled his generator and rota phase, says its cheaper and better, being at home has it's advantages for sure,

Dave Shepard · May 31, 2014, 05:45:22 PM

I always thought that if I went portable, I would have a heavy truck with a genset and tool boxes permanently mounted. Now, I will never, ever go portable. When the few custom jobs I have on deck are done within the next month, I will never custom saw again, either.

Peter Drouin · May 31, 2014, 06:15:55 PM

Quote from: Dave Shepard on May 31, 2014, 05:45:22 PM
I always thought that if I went portable, I would have a heavy truck with a genset and tool boxes permanently mounted. Now, I will never, ever go portable. When the few custom jobs I have on deck are done within the next month, I will never custom saw again, either.

what will you do?

Dave Shepard · May 31, 2014, 06:33:39 PM

I will saw my own timbers, which is why I bought the mill. I never bought it to do any sawing for anybody else. I'm in the middle of a couple of debacles right now. I was asked to supply about 8,500 feet of pine timbers for another framer. I thought I had everything at my neighbors, but ran into about 50% heartrot, so I moved to another neighbor, where I again found 50%? heartrot. I am going to really have to struggle to supply about 60% of the order at this point. I've brought in over 30,000 feet of pine since February. A lot of it will make smaller timbers for some of my projects. I also have a couple of custom orders in the yard that are at least 3rd party arrangements, and I think one of them was maybe even 4th party. >:( I qouted a price to the first party on sawing up a triaxle load of logs, and somehow the 4th party guy was quoted the same thing for 300 feet of 5' and 6' logs. :

:-\ I also have had to deal with people just showing up with loads of stuff without making arrangements. The dump truck load was not a problem but the little logs wedged in between the fenders on the trailer wasn't too exciting. Basically, I have lost control of my business, and I'm putting a stop to it. I don't mind trying to help out, but it's just not profitable, or what I want to be doing. So, after the end of June, there will be a dump truck parked across the mill entrance with a big GO AWAY sign on it. ;D If I only run the mill 40 hours a year to saw what I need, that won't hurt my feelings at all.

Peter Drouin · May 31, 2014, 10:09:29 PM

Red rot can be a pain, That's why I have loggers get my logs. They cut a tree and it's not what I ask for, he cuts more and I buy only what I ask for.

This 3 and 4 party thing has not happened to me, and I'm not sure what you mean by that. Well, I wish you the best and good luck to find your dream. 8)

Dave Shepard · June 01, 2014, 11:05:42 AM

The 3rd and 4th party thing is the guy I talked to about one job talked to one of his friends about logs owned by another guy. I quoted a board foot price for a truckload (4,000 ft or more) of properly manufactured logs, and I ended up getting a couple hundred feet of short logs. I don't need the headaches. I'm a timber framer, not a custom sawyer.

Tom L · June 02, 2014, 02:13:54 PM

this looks like a pretty nice fix, I almost had a problem a few weeks ago with my auto clutch for the motor malfunctioning, when the auto clutch sensor failed it cause the motor to jump up and down continuous.
this caused the drive belt to jump off the pulley and land one notch over on the notched belt.
I am lucky that this did not damage the main pulley or bend the shaft coming out of the motor.

an additional bearing support on the end of the motor would be a nice thing

I wonder though how it attaches to the existing pulley and crank shaft. if you have to remove the existing pulley and attach something to the crank shaft. it sounds like a major job.

NMFP · June 03, 2014, 03:06:07 PM

A very simple transmission would solve a lot of problems. That being said, the engine would not need to pivot, no need to side load the engine and could always keep constant tension on the belts.

We engineered one a few years ago for a tomato harvester and it works fabulous. I think total parts in that transmission were a little over 3k but if everything was mass produced, the prices would be much less. Similar in process to how wm uses the auto clutch, a servo motor turns a wheel which also has a throttle cable attached to it to as the band is active, the engine rpms would increase as well. Only difference is the engine isn't pivoting and side loading the shaft.

This retrofit kit that wm has produced is an excellent and necessary item in my opinion. Only wish this retro fit kit would have been out years ago but better late than never!

GDinMaine · June 03, 2014, 09:38:41 PM

The retrofit is not offered for Kubota engines. I wonder if those didn't have that many problems or WM didn't build that many mills with Kubota engines? I have a 42hp turbo version on my mill.

Bandmill Bandit · June 03, 2014, 11:43:21 PM

Quote from: NMFP on June 03, 2014, 03:06:07 PM
A very simple transmission would solve a lot of problems. That being said, the engine would not need to pivot, no need to side load the engine and could always keep constant tension on the belts.

Precisely what I was talking about! Cat has an OEM extension kit with clutch & output shaft incorporated into the unit. Over kill for sure but it would do the job very well besides eliminating the the pivoting engine mount plate.

backwoods sawyer · June 04, 2014, 02:15:24 AM

Quote from: GDinMaine on June 03, 2014, 09:38:41 PM
The retrofit is not offered for Kubota engines. I wonder if those didn't have that many problems or WM didn't build that many mills with Kubota engines? I have a 42hp turbo version on my mill.

I have the 42 hp turbo as well and was talking with Bret at wm portland and he told me the Kabota was the most trouble free engine they have put on the mills, Yanmar a close second, but I see the kit is avalible for the Yanmar.

customsawyer · June 04, 2014, 08:30:35 PM

I put 1785 hours on a Kabota engine with no troubles. Then put 4200 hours on a perkipiller and had to go in that engine 5 times. Replaced that engine with a Yanmar that now has over 5000 hours on it and have never touched it.

NMFP · June 04, 2014, 09:38:47 PM

Kubota engines are excellent... I know a guy that had a LT70 with a Kubota diesel on it and it was a early production mill. He bought it and put over 20k hours on the engine and only ever changed oil, filters and a water pump. The new owner has the mill and has almost 25k hours on it now with zero issues.

They are excellent engines and would make a great addition to any piece of equipment.

GDinMaine · June 04, 2014, 11:06:17 PM

That is GREAT news guys thanks. Actually I know of a mill around here that has 12,000+ hrs with 10,000 of those run on a Kubota. The original Lombardini went out after 2k hrs.

But. 25,000 hours is amazing.

barbender · June 04, 2014, 11:13:29 PM

From what I've read on here, the Lombardini's have issues with injector lines and injection pump seals that will cause them to dump fuel into the crankcase and wash the oil out. I've only put a couple hundred hours on mine, if it layed down I would probably go with a Kubota to replace it if I could pull it off without too much hassle.

NMFP · June 05, 2014, 07:38:25 AM

There is an upgrade kit for the Lombardini Engines that solves the problems. Unfortunately, its not offered by Kohler but by an aftermarket company.

I have a little over 7k on the second lombardini on my mill and still going strong, although is starting to develop some blowby so it will need a rebuild at some point.

just_sawing · June 05, 2014, 08:09:12 AM

I had a 40 with a Lombardini and I sold it back to WM for less than I could have got on the open market but it was close to the failure. That was the trade to the LT70 with a 62 horse CAT. Now WM is telling me maybe they did not do all the engineering that they should have?
I have owned 3 WM mills and three other support equipment, but I am just a little upset that I am going through this again. If WM wants to keep loyal customers meaning no offence to anyone this can't keep happening. I have been loosing oil on my cat and don't figure that it was ring loss, I guess I know why now.

petefrom bearswamp · June 05, 2014, 08:14:05 AM

Dave,
I too have noticed many mills for sale with moderate hrs on them but newer Perkapillar engines.
I leave my belt a little on the loose side and get squeals occasionally, but am on my 3rd WM now and never had to replace a drive belt. (or a crankshaft)
pete

Dave Shepard · June 05, 2014, 09:57:32 AM

I was talking to a marine diesel mechanic right after we got the mill in '08 and he said the Kubota diesels are very popular on the ships he works on. He had one that was on a genset that had 48,000 hours, and the injector pump failed. They put a new pump in it and kept on going.

Magicman · June 05, 2014, 03:32:24 PM

I was told by a WM rep that their changing from Kubota was due to a "supply" problem rather than a "maintenance" problem. The switch from Cat engines was for maintenance reasons.