Shopsmith Forums

dusty wrote:

rjent wrote:I started the "keeping score" thread and I will expound as much as I can. I feel the bearings are under designed. They are going to be prone for failure. For the first time in my involvement with SS, I can honestly say that the machine doesn't hold up to the high standards of the past (what does these days).

Now the positive. The replacement shaft and bearings is "only" around 80 dollars, so it is not a bank breaker (like the computer or power supply is). My new shaft came in less than a week and was running again (as only a PowerPro can) in short order. So it is a toss up. They say that the bearings can only be replaced at the factory (unless that has changed). Considering the effort and time to replace the bearings I didn't mind the cost (although I don't like the fact that it has failed this soon).

Hope it helps

I just don't understand. Why? What are they able to do "at the factory" that can not be done in a well equipped machine shop? Maybe not in a garage shop (like mine).

I think a lot of this kind of design in modern equipment is by design. It creates a market (repair/resale) where there wasn't one before. I also suspect the inferior bearings being the same argument. I don't know if SS has that sophisicated engineering, but they may. I hope not.

godavid2 wrote:Tried heating the spacer to see if it could be removed no luck. Trying to heat the spacer ended up heating the shaft too. Then tried heating the aluminum pulley and same thing.

In many cases the heating process has to be very precise. A torch won't always work. You have to heat the entire assembly in a controlled environment to take advantage of the coefficient of expansion of the dissimilar metals.

When I was overhauling aircraft generators for the Air Force we routinely had to remove the stator iron assembly from the aluminum housing. They were all a shrink fit. The main stator/housing assembly was placed in a 300 degree oven and timed. If you got the time right the stator iron would almost fall out. To long of a time, forget it. Everything got too hot. Let it cool down to room temp and start again.

The point is that the idler shaft was assembled so it has to be able to be disassembled. Might take some unique solution but as Dusty said if not us users but a good machine shop should be able to do it.

If it is worth it given the price of a new one is another topic.

Thanks John, that makes a lot of sense. I have another one order from SS. They say it is shipped but no tracking # strange but we will see. I was just trying to find out if there really is a way to separate the shaft to replace the inner being. Has to be a way. Might have to try heating the shaft in the oven. thanks If anyone else has any ideas chime in please.

godavid2 wrote:Thanks John, that makes a lot of sense. I have another one order from SS. They say it is shipped but no tracking # strange but we will see. I was just trying to find out if there really is a way to separate the shaft to replace the inner being. Has to be a way. Might have to try heating the shaft in the oven. thanks If anyone else has any ideas chime in please.

A pix of the bare end where the bearing 'was' that clearly shows the shaft/'spacer' junction might help. Real close up!!!!

SO, you want a better (more expensive) bearings.

https://3bgsupply.com/bearings/ball-bea ... gKqfvD_BwE

Just a side note lifted from the internet:

" I recently got some SKF wheel bearings marked "Made in Italy". So not all are from China. SKF or Svenska Kullagerfabriken (swedish ballbearingfactories), has currently 140 factories in 32 countries and are world's largest ballbearing producing company, good change China is one of the 32 countries ".

I don't quite understand Are you trying to justify the failure, or the cost?


That is a high retail price BTW....

I tried to upload the photos JPG asked for but files are too big. Could not find a way to reduce their size. Have samsung galaxy s8+. Got my new idler shaft in today will be installing it soon will keep you updated.

rjent wrote:I don't quite understand Are you trying to justify the failure, or the cost?


That is a high retail price BTW....

I'm not trying to justify either. The message is: If you want a better (different) bearing than what SS offers - they are available (for a price). Now there is room for discussion that more costly does not necessarily bring better.

As to whether that is a high retail price (I believe) depends on what you would get for that price. BETTER or just MORE COSTLY.

It would be nice to have a choice as to what bearings are installed on the idler shaft but I don't think that is going to happen. Got the new idler shaft installed. Now have troubles keeping the motor pulley from moving Have used the blue thread locker no luck. Will try again.

Sure wished I could sent you guys some pictures. I just don't know how to reduce their size for this website. Put blue locker on the bottom pulley set screw and let it set for 24 hours went through the different rpm ranges up to 3450 with no problem. Moved the rpms up to 9500 ran for five minutes and the idler shaft moved inward about a 1/4" and the bottom pulley moved toward the motor an 1/8". This power pro is really problematic. What I'm seeing here is that when the motor pulley moves in the idler shaft also moves inward. The motor pulley is not suppose to move anywhere. If anybody has any ideas on how to keep the motor pulley from moving please let me know. I've done the blue locker don't know what else to do. The movement of the motor pulley seems to be the main problem with the movement of the idler shaft.