Allthread Stretchers to Fix Caster Problem

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SteveMaryland
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Posts: 187
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2021 3:41 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Allthread Stretchers to Fix Caster Problem

Post by SteveMaryland »

My Shopsmith is parked in the garage and I wheel it onto the driveway to use it.

Garage has a concrete floor which in 1927 was smooth but is now full of potholes which I must drag the Shopsmith over. I have the newer, larger polyurethane casters. Occasionally during this rollout process one or the other of the caster camshafts pops out of its bearing due to over-flexure of the sheet metal legs. This has always been a pain because I can't manually bend the leg enough to pop the shaft back in, so I have to turn the Shopsmith over and take one of the casters off, which is about 1/2 hour of unscheduled and unpleasant wrench work.

Each camshaft has a retaining screw tapped into one end, but they are not the problem. They used to back out but I Locktited them and still had the popout problem. Too much flex in the legs seems to be the problem.

To reduce leg flexure, I will try the allthread stretchers shown in the attached PDF. Mounted as shown through an existing hole pair in each leg. The expectation is that these stretchers will reduce the flexure enough to prevent the popout.

Two pairs of existing holes are available in the legs. Would rather mount the allthread through the holes closest to the casters but can't because the allthread would interfere with the foot treadle. Too lazy to drill new holes.

Will this work? Anyone else had this pop-out problem also?
Attachments
ALLTHREAD STRETCHERS TO FIX CASTER PROBLEM 2.pdf
(2.42 MiB) Downloaded 249 times
Mark V, Model 555510, Serial No. 102689, purchased November 1989. Upgraded to 520
edma194
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Re: Allthread Stretchers to Fix Caster Problem

Post by edma194 »

Eagerly waiting to hear you have been successful. I have problems with regular casters on one leg that has splayed on me. Can't see why it wouldn't work.
Ed from Rhode Island

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ad8rr
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2022 8:19 pm

Re: Allthread Stretchers to Fix Caster Problem

Post by ad8rr »

Sorry to be late to the thread, but I just took care of my caster problems using two 1/4x20 threaded rods. I drilled a hole on each side of the legs 4 1/4 inches above the caster hardware upper mounting hole and ran the rods through them. 3/8 holes for ease of installation. Added washer on each side. Tightened down firmly with 1/4X20 nuts and added jam nuts to each side. Now I can move my Mark V 510 without the hardware coming loose due to leg spring.
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Last edited by ad8rr on Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
WoOdbEmE33
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Posts: 16
Joined: Mon May 02, 2022 1:55 pm

Re: Allthread Stretchers to Fix Caster Problem

Post by WoOdbEmE33 »

looks like cheap and simple solution to the issue. good on you for sharing
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