Shopsmith Forums

EDIT _ figured it out - just a little stuck.
I'm replacing the drive (top) shaft bearings on my greenie but am unclear on how to remove/open the clutch. I've pulled the outer (away from splined quill end) bearing so far. I pulled the retaining ring/circlip and the allen set screw. I then decided to refresh my memory by looking online at photos before taking any further steps - some vague something about a spring - and now I see there is a pretty hefty coil spring in there. Well, it hasn't gone flying apart - yet (unlike the motor sheave spring which gave me a major BONK on the ear, in spite of my attempt at following instructions).

How do I now safely pull the clutch apart? Is that spring an issue at all? I don't want to just put the bearing spreader between the inner bearing and the clutch since it would probably damage the teeth on the gilmer pulley.

I've seen threads that discuss this overall process but found none that cover this one step. Seems to suggest it is trivial and I'm missing something but I don't want to force anything without asking first.

Thanks

First, are you sure YOURS does indeed have a clutch. Second, why do you desire to disassemble it. Third have you 'tested' it and determined it does not 'work'.

If it HAS a clutch and it is stuck and you have never created a situation where is should have 'worked', you likely will continue that lack of 'need' in the future.

Wise questions with no proper answer other than curiosity. It does have a clutch. I got it apart and found it quite a mess. I've never used this Shopsmith since it was a broken freebie with my other one. Broken gilmer belt, bad bearings (could feel play in one top shaft bearing), but otherwise not a basketcase. I'll probably find more bearings to replace other than the two top shaft bearings. I actually stripped, cleaned and inspected it before tackling the newer and better shape one in case I screwed up, but never ran it beyond a quick flip of the switch to verify the motor ran. A few weeks back I finally ordered a gilmer belt, installed it, and put a treadmil motor and speed control on it as an experiment to see if it would handle the jointer and planer. It did just fine and with reverse I can leave both mounted on it. Only big problem is that bearing. It pretty much screams. Replacements should be here tomorrow so I pulled the old ones (both quite crunchy add it turns out). While at it I wanted to look at the clutch.

Hard to leave it alone, though I doubt it matters much at all when that shaft will only drive the planer. I'm considering mounting the motor without the headstock at all, just a jackshaft setup of some sort, but for now as I explore I'll keep it there.