It's not about my tractor (a Kiot1LK 3054) but I need help replacing lathe bearings

[dmoerman]

I know it's off topic, but I figure there are 1000 guys here who know how to do this, and I don't.

I have a 10 year old wood lathe (a Nova 3000); it's started making noise and wobbling a bit and I've concluded I need to replace the bearings. But I simply can't figure out how to get the shaft out of the housing without breaking something. On the left is a large 5 step pulley stuck fast to the spindle. It's held firm with a steel bar in a slot; I can't figure how to get the pulley off without bending it somehow. It would have to come off to pound out the shaft left to right.

Alternately, I suppose, I could pound from right to left, but. . . I don't know. I really don't want to destroy a $2000 tool.

Any advise would be deeply appreciated, and please excuse me putting this in here; I know its the wrong place, but I can't find a right place where someone would know how to do it. (Unfortunately, the Nova forums all seem to be trashed, and don't work.)

I've added a few pics to show that I really can use the thing; one is some captured ring baby teathers, and the other is few little ornamental vases.

Thanks, and all best, dan.

[J F]

Nice pics. If you don't have luck here, you may want to try a woodworking forum such as Turner's Forum , or others. Good luck.

[aczlan]

Can you post some pictures of the lathe (especially of the parts that need to be removed)? A picture is worth 1000 words

Aaron Z

[dmoerman]

Yes, I can. Here is a link to the exploded drawing and parts list.

http://www.teknatool.com/products/la...%20drawing.PDF

I've gotten some way since I posted. I got the pulley off (in the diagram, number 14); I got the triangular clamp off (Number 13), and the spring clip (number 12). The nearby items 4 and 19 are irrelevant to this issue, sitting well above the whole spindle assembly. Nothing on the drawing indicates anything holding it in except perhaps the pressure fitted bearings (11, and 11). So do I jut pound on it? (With my bronze hammer?) This seems at best odd to me, but in work like this I am a pure amateur (less than that).

Thanks for your advise and guidance. dan

[massy1635]

It looks to me that the bearing is a press fit on the shaft. If you have he shaft out take it to a shop with a hydroloic press and have them press the old bearing off and the new one on. Be sure to mark the position of the old bearing before pressing it off.

[robbyr]

Take pics as you go so if ya get flabbergasted trying to put it back together at least maybe you can see how to go about it.

[lew61]

Yep, I agree with massy1635. That's a job for a hydraulic press not a hammer. Good luck.

[dmoerman]

Well, I made a lot of progress today. I finally got a shout out from Nova Teknatool tech support; explained the situation, and Phil sent me a pdf with tada directions on how to replace bearings. I'd been asking them for that for months, and someone finally looked in the right place. The surprise was that it said to knock them out right to left, not the opposite which is what I'd decided to do. So, I made a few wood bolsters, blocks with 1-1/4" holes in them to put over the threaded end of the spindle, and started hammering with a dead blow hammer (with shot in it; it rattles). The pine bolster shattered, and was all compressed; it was capturing the energy of the hammer. Not good. So I made one out of maple. Wound up like a (long retired) shortstop and tried to hit the ball into the outfield. The first few hits moved it about a millimeter. Then I really rapped it about as hard as I could, and it moved maybe 1/16 maybe more, and I actually felt it move (is that possible?) Four or five more good sharp hits and out it came. The whole spindle, with the back bearing intact, the front bearing still firmly in the lathe. I took the 2"x2" maple board I'd used for the bolster, shaved down the corners to about 60 mm, the diameter of the bushing holding the back of the bearing, and started pounding on that. Hard. About as hard as I could. And out it came. I called a bearing distributor nearby, and I'll get what I need monday. I went out to Lowes and got some pvc and a few fittings that I think will help me put the new bearings on without damaging them. More later. dm

[Brad_Blazer]

Good work!

When you are removing bearings you don't have to worry about damaging the bearings. When you install the new ones of course you want to avoid pressing or beating across the balls so you need to press on the outer race when installing the bearing in the headstock housing and press on the inner race when installing the shaft. The puzzle is when everything comes together you have to press on both races. The old bearings can be used for this. It's still best to support both races of the old bearing at the same time since it will have more slop than the new one. I would probably: 1. Get some hard wood, square or round that is a little bigger than the bearing OD and drill a hole in the end of it the size of the shaft and deep enough to seat the left bearing. 2. Press the right bearing into the headstock. 3. Press the left bearing onto the shaft. 4. Slide the shaft into place, set the assembly on the old right bearing, slide the old left bearing on the shaft followed by the drilled hardwood. 5. Drive the shaft into place. If the old right bearing isn't deep enough to fully seat the shaft you may want a second drilled block.

As you start the first bearing in the housing, it may be tricky to get it started straight. This can happen whether using a press or a hammer. Just take it easy and tap on the high side of the tilt. Don't force it in. After it's in a little ways it will start to guide itself, then you can drive it straight in.

Bearings are made of very hard, tough steel. If you are installing them correctly, you can beat/press on them with any lesser material including mild steel (make sure to clean up any flakes of material). If you are doing it wrong you can destroy a bearing with a plastic hammer.

[dmoerman]

that all sounds like excellent advise. I'll print, and use it as a checklist. Thanks very much for thoughtful, clear, and persuasive counsel.