Spindle Assembly not spinning

[gkatzz]

I was turning a 4x4 and suddenly....
Looking inside the housing I can see the shaft on the spindle pull right out of the plastic coupler. The plastic coupler is cracked and broken. Are there instructions available for removing the spindle assembly/quill etc.? and is that plastic coupler really part of the drive train?
Gary

[JPG]

I was turning a 4x4 and suddenly....
Looking inside the housing I can see the shaft on the spindle pull right out of the plastic coupler. The plastic coupler is cracked and broken. Are there instructions available for removing the spindle assembly/quill etc.? and is that plastic coupler really part of the drive train?
Gary

That plastic coupler connects the main drive shaft to the quill shaft.

This may be helpful.

[gkatzz]

Excellent! Thank you very much!
How do you remove and replace the plastic coupler? So far, removing the quill doesn't seem too difficult.
I think I messed up by having the quill extended too far while turning. I can see it's not designed to take a lot of torque.
Gary

[Ron309753]

On my greenie the only purpose that plastic piece serves is as a dust cover to keep dirt and grime from geting into the female part of the drive shaft. My is cracked and it works fine (see attached).

Sincerely,

Ron309753

[wa2crk]

I don't know if extending the quill while turning will put enough stress on the nylon coupler to cause a problem. That material is some really tough stuff. I am more inclined to think that the coupler was damaged previously during a repair or possibly that it was exposed to an environment that caused the material to dry out and degrade. I have had the quill extended one time and had a catch that caused the machine to stall abruptly and I have not broken the coupler. Seems like a rare occurrence.
Bill V

[JPG]

On my greenie the only purpose that plastic piece serves is as a dust cover to keep dirt and grime from geting into the female part of the drive shaft. My is cracked and it works fine (see attached).

Sincerely,

Ron309753

Are you saying the inside if the drive shaft is splined? If so, one more difference between the gilmer and the poly-v.

[JPG]

I was turning a 4x4 and suddenly....
Looking inside the housing I can see the shaft on the spindle pull right out of the plastic coupler. The plastic coupler is cracked and broken. Are there instructions available for removing the spindle assembly/quill etc.? and is that plastic coupler really part of the drive train?
Gary

The set screw on top of the headstock should act as a stop to outward quill extension at about 4 1/4+ inches. Is it possible the quill was being extended further?

Apparently the gilmer version does not include the white coupler in the drive train. However the poly-v drives do! Neither should be extended past about 4 1/4".

[gkatzz]

Thanks for all your replies. No the quill wasn't overextended. The set screw was in place. I think maybe the plastic just degraded. The machine is about 30 years old. I have removed the quill assembly, which was easy, and have removed the two broken halves of the coupler and it's definitely a coupler-- apparently secured to the upper drive with a friction ring. That plastic part is apparently all that connects the spindle from the quill assembly with the upper drive shaft.
Gary

[JPG]

Thanks for all your replies. No the quill wasn't overextended. The set screw was in place. I think maybe the plastic just degraded. The machine is about 30 years old. I have removed the quill assembly, which was easy, and have removed the two broken halves of the coupler and it's definitely a coupler-- apparently secured to the upper drive with a friction ring. That plastic part is apparently all that connects the spindle from the quill assembly with the upper drive shaft.
Gary

Easy enough to 'fix'! Surprised it deteriorated in only 30 yrs!

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/itemfind.htm?item=514083&Submit=Find+Item

[gkatzz]

JPG,
Thank you VERY much for including the link to the part! I can't reach customer service--must be closed for the holiday. At least I can get an order in for a replacement.

Gary