Shopsmith Forums

here are some pictures of the idler shaft and control sheave. There was a very minute play in the shaft withe the sheave. This minute play is the only thing I could find that might be causing the click.

I'll add 2¢ from a different place. Since your keyway and short key seem to be in good shape, maybe the slack in the drive belt and click noise are related to a take-up in the drive belt as the motor begins to turn.

Sometimes the motor sheaves present a problem that seems to be coming from the control sheaves or the speed control assembly. The lubrication of the motor sheaves is sometimes the solution. It is hard to get enough oil through the little hole in the motor shaft slide.

Try this - it sure won't hurt anything but will help even on any machine. With the drive belt off the outside motor sheave should be in high speed position. Raise the unit to vertical drill press position and lock in place. Oil the entire shaft through the spring. Let the oil seep down the shaft for several minutes. Then lower the Mark V to horizontal and Oil the entire motor shaft again - followed by hand pulling the outside sheave outward several times, until it slides smoothly.

charlese wrote:followed by hand pulling the outside sheave outward several times, until it slides smoothly.

GOOD advice there Chuck. I might add. DO KNOT let go of the sheave, it will slam into the motor and cause other problems.

How fast/slow should the bearings on the idler shaft turn?

Bearings??? You have more than one on the idler shaft? The drive sleeve has two but I believe that the idler shaft has only one unless you have the newer Power Pro version of the idler shaft. Anywho the bearings should NOT spin freely. If they spin for more than a couple of turns when free running I would consider them suspect.
Bill V

I think the double bearing idler shaft assy came out prior to the Power Pro in Aug 2010 when there was an interruption in the supply of the old style.

The previous version used a water pump bearing assy. I don't care for the new double bearing idler shaft assy because a slight bump by FedEx Ground during the return of my PowerPro headstock to me from Shopsmith ended up with the inner bearing outer ring almost completely out with only 1/8" of the ring being supported. There is nothing to keep the new style shaft in place except for the new split eccentric bushing. I'm not sure it works as good as the old style eccentric.

I found a source of the old style idler shaft assemblies on Ebay. I asked the seller what speed rating of their old stay bearing. I never received an answer. At a quill turning 10,000 RPM, the idler shaft is turning at 16,000! Wow

Just wanted to let everyone know I got my head stock back together and well oiled. The click is no longer there I learned a lot, thanks everyone for your help. I think, it was like Charlese stated not enough oil in the motor sheaves.

godavid2 wrote:Just wanted to let everyone know I got my head stock back together and well oiled. The click is no longer there I learned a lot, thanks everyone for your help. I think, it was like Charlese stated not enough oil in the motor sheaves.

I hope the motor shaft/key are in as good condition as the idler shaft.

Now which of the two is this? B?

What is the status of A?

I believe this is "A" JPG. Head stock "B" , the motor is okay but the quadrant assembly is bad. The pork chop part has the been stripped which caused problems with speed control which caused the motor to race and open the breaker. The motor had a lot of dust too. I ran the motor after cleaning it and had no problems. So I will order the pork-chop this coming week. Can you tell me whether or not I have to order a new roll pin for the pork-chop, thanks?

godavid2 wrote:I believe this is "A" JPG. Head stock "B" , the motor is okay but the quadrant assembly is bad. The pork chop part has the been stripped which caused problems with speed control which caused the motor to race and open the breaker. The motor had a lot of dust too. I ran the motor after cleaning it and had no problems. So I will order the pork-chop this coming week. Can you tell me whether or not I have to order a new roll pin for the pork-chop, thanks?

I would not use the roll pin. I would replace it with a screw. Bill Mayo has expressed a willingness to supply anyone who needs one. PM Bill.

The arm is bent and it needs to be 'straightened'(carefully) or the new porkchop will eventually look like the 'bad one'.

The screw needed is a 3/16(#10) cap screw with a long unthreaded portion that becomes the pivot for the porkchop.