Spindle Loose In Rf31

[JimDawson]

Hmmmm, spindle bearings a bit loose?

 

[Bill Gruby]

Sorry it took so long to get back. Push has .0003 Pull has .0003. That is spindle bearings for sure. You have .0006 total. As said there may be a set screw near the lock lever. Tighten it a hair. If not the bearings will need tightening. That I can't help you with.

"Billy G"

 

[CannonFodder]

Thank you one and all. I do want to tighten those spindle bearings. I have been unable to find any instruction on how to do this. Does anyone have a resource for me?

Thanks Again,

Robert

 

[joshua43214]

Maybe call Grizzly and tell them you have a G0705, and ask them how to adjust the bearings.

Basically, the spindle runs inside a tube with a tapered roller bearing at the top and the bottom. There should be a large nut above the top bearing that is used for adjusting preload. There might also be another large nut under the bottom bearing that is used to retain and protect the bottom bearing from debris. The nut will likely be a spanner nut that is best adjusted with a spanner wrench (not an open end wrench like the Brits call spanners). I really prefer the single pivot style spanners to the ones with a plate and movable tips. You can just make one from some steel scrap and some steel "piano" wire that you buy at a hobby store that caters to the RC crowd.

The tube section has the rack teeth that engage the downfeed for the quill. Remove the down feed shaft and return mechanism, and the tube should slide out. There might be a large snap ring that prevents it from falling out as well.

All tapered roller bearings should have their preload adjust while they are being rotated. It does not have to rotate very fast, it just has to be in motion. As for how tight, you will probably be fine if it is just tight enough to eliminate end play plus a tiny bit more to allow for expansion.

 

[Bill Gruby]

Use this link to get a manual for the RF 31. The manual is downloadable. Click on "View Machinery Manual. You can also call Enco and get help.

"Billy G"

http://www.use-enco.com/1/1/3566-rf-31-1-e-rong-fu-mill-drill-combinations.html

 

[stupoty]

The vertical movement i generaly come accross with mine is backlash from the gears for me, if i use the down feed and do some milling then release the lock i find the quill wants to pop up a bit.

I get some clanking noises from interupted cuts, that was cured by some moderatly thick oil on the splines (they were bounceing a little under moderate load)

It might be woth putting more oil in the bearings, i find my max speed (2000rpm) tends to warm up the bearing enough that the oil starts to drip out (i probably need a better spindle oil )

Is some of the movement the whole head bending? And does it change depending upon how much quill is stuck out?

Stuart

 

[CannonFodder]

Maybe call Grizzly and tell them you have a G0705, and ask them how to adjust the bearings.

Thanks Joshua, that helps. Is there anything odd I might run into taking off the power downfeed? It's massive.

Thanks

 

[Country_Bubba]

It might be woth putting more oil in the bearings, i find my max speed (2000rpm) tends to warm up the bearing enough that the oil starts to drip out (i probably need a better spindle oil )

Don't do it, the bearings are greased and if you add oil, it will wash the grease out of the bearing and there is no real seal at the bottom to keep the oil in.

Voice of (bad) experience here! I had to replace my bearings because of doing that practice on my RF31

 

[stupoty]

Don't do it, the bearings are greased and if you add oil, it will wash the grease out of the bearing and there is no real seal at the bottom to keep the oil in.

Voice of (bad) experience here! I had to replace my bearings because of doing that practice on my RF31

Ha ha , ok , I think I've already done that then. I did think their was no easy was to add lubricant's to it. I keep an eye on it and top it up by flooding the area above. It's a second user benchtop mill so it's been doing quite well so far.

It normaly only drips if I have been using a 0.8mm drill bit to do a lot of holes in a PCB (at least 100 ahhhh) as it can be running for some time at top speed. I need to get my micro drill press back into working order, humm.

Stuart

just thought their is a weird dust/oil cover on the bottom bearing that I had rattle lose once, uses a pin spanner for adjustment.

 

[Country_Bubba]

just thought their is a weird dust/oil cover on the bottom bearing that I had rattle lose once, uses a pin spanner for adjustment.

Yeh, just a plastic cover and imitation labyrinth seal. No real adjustment, just screw it in till tight. And IF memory serves me correctly, it might be a left hand thread. Been a few years since I did the bearing replacement.