# Adjusting the belt tightness on a 1440 asian lathe



## richl (Nov 15, 2017)

Pm1440gs
I noticed the belt were squeaking on my lathe the other day. To adjust them as per the manual there are 3 10mm bolts that hold a bracket to the lathe, the bracket than holds the motor.

Problem: the bolts are almost completely inaccessible (2 of the 3 are in the back)
I am thinking of making a mount more in lines to what is on my other Asian lathe which has a hinge and is far more adjustable.

Anyone have ideas or solutions they used to make theirs work.

Thanks


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## JimDawson (Nov 16, 2017)

Is it easier to get to the motor base bolts?  A washer as a shim between the motor base and the mount might work.  I think the last time I had to touch mine was about 10 years ago when I put new belts on.  But a hinged motor mount would work well, be a nice project.  Or build a special wrench to get to the bolts


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## richl (Nov 16, 2017)

I'm thinking a hinged mount, I have a couple ideas, I was hoping someone has already solved this one and could give me a headstart. I have a couple isolation mounts that I purchased for this lathe, so it's a good time to get them installed also. 

Thanks for the response Jim,  always appreciated.

Rich


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## Hozzie (Nov 16, 2017)

I replaced my original belts with linked belts on my 1440GS before even turning anything.  Can't say I remember having a big issue getting to the bolts to loosen them.  Maybe loosend the wrong ones, but whatever I did it worked.  I'll check later.


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## richl (Nov 16, 2017)

This is the mount on the lathe





This is the mount on the motor




It's a pain to get to the bolts on the lathe mount, the back 2 would require a long handle ratcheting wrench. I think it would be easier to do maintenence to the lathe with a hinged bracket.
The 4 bolts on the motor mount are easier to get to, but they have no adjustments

***Check that all the bolts are in and tight on your headstock to cast base, 1 missing, the other loose.
***The headstock adjustment cap screws,  while the screw was snug, the locking nut was loose, I tightened mine up just in case. I'll check for alignment when everything is all together again.
*** there was something else, old timers has taken over my brain right now, I'll remember later...
OK,  manual says the bolts holding in the bracket are 10mm 1.75, they are 12mm 1.75, which does narrow your selections on isolation mounts, the only 2 choices have 3 1/4" diameters, 1 3/4" is the biggest they should be. I'm hoping I can grind down the mount on my belt sander. (From mcmaster carr)


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## Hozzie (Nov 16, 2017)

Yep, those are the ones I loosened.  Don't remember what I used, but don't remember it being too bad.  Maybe I got lucky.  Good reminder to check them now and again to make sure they remain tight.


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## JimDawson (Nov 16, 2017)

Looks like you have plenty of room to build something there.  I used heavy gate hinges when I did the motor mount for my vertical band saw.  Just welded the hinges to the mounting plates.


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## richl (Nov 16, 2017)

Hozzie said:


> Yep, those are the ones I loosened.  Don't remember what I used, but don't remember it being too bad.  Maybe I got lucky.  Good reminder to check them now and again to make sure they remain tight.



My wrenches are not long enough to reach the 2 back bolts. I guess yours are longer than my old snap on and macs.

The original belt tightness was ok, maybe a little bit loose when I got the machine. They must have stretched over the last few months of use. I'll need to upgrade them to something bigger, so I'll look into getting matching gates belts.

I talked to mark (mks) about going to 3phase when I got the machine, he did emphasised the need of making a new motor mount, I can see why now I'll keep that in mind when I build this one, I will at some point go 3phase.

Thanks guys for the encouragement and suggestions.


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## NortonDommi (Nov 17, 2017)

Come in from the back with a short open and ring. Bit of a PITB but not hard. Also check the alignment of motor to base as mine came decidedly out of line after alledgedly going through TWO PDI's. Came with bolts with three different head sizes as well . I aligned by using a straight edge across pulley faces to get in same plane and then checked the protusion on motor shaft was correct by using a piece of 3/8 hydrualic tube with an 80* bend, one long leg. This locates the two legs of the bend on one pully,(input shaft), and the long leg rests on the motor pully. Adjust until the long leg rests in the groove. Once this was done and belts fitted  alignment was easy as a straight edge across the pulley's will show any misalignment.
  I like the hinge idea and have been putting it off until I convert to a ribbed belt with a floating idler, an adjustment rod similar to modern car belt adjusters is my choice.


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## richl (Nov 17, 2017)

Thanks Norton
I am a bit surprised myself at the number of things I find on my lathe that are not right. I don't mind going thru the machine as I learn about it better and make corrections... but, some things are just plain wrong... oh well, that's Chinese budget machines for the budget American market.

I was wondering about a ribbed belt, is this something that would require new pulleys? I had not really put any planning into this project, it kinda just happened by accident. Before I thought on how I would make a new mount, I had the bolts removed from the motor and than the bracket on the lathe... now I am going to make the mount with a heavy duty gate hinged so that I can get the machine back together to turn the kind of hinge I would like to make. 

Thanks for your input, I'll keep it in mind when it comes time to test mount the new motor mount.


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## Dave Paine (Nov 17, 2017)

If a ribbed belt is the same as a cogged belt, it should work with the existing pulleys, you just need the correct belt width.  A link for reference, one of many sources.


V belts 4 less site


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## richl (Nov 17, 2017)

Awesome, thanks for that Dave.  I was just going to do a search myself


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## richl (Nov 17, 2017)

Interesting, v belts are said to havema 95% efficiency, cogged belts around 98%
I,wanna do some reading on this


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## NortonDommi (Nov 17, 2017)

Hello Richl,
                   I bought mine just because I could and for once I wanted something new. Still reckon it is a lot of bang for the buck. Most of the problems I had were niggily little ones that the idiots at the dealers who supposedly gave it a PD check either did not pick up on or were just too lazy to fix. Yep, a ribbed belt will mean new pulleys and I have my eyes open looking for scrap I can make them from because A: I'm cheap, B: I'm always broke. The reason I'll go for a ribbed belt is one belt, easy adjustment and they are quiet, quality matched belts arn't cheap and I want to route away from the change gears for a future mod. Something to think about with link belts is they directional and reverse on your lathe reverses the motor.
  For now at the stage you are could I make a suggestion? If it were me I'd remove the mount, clean up the adjustment slots and align the motor to the mount,(something I had to do), replace the mounting bolts with 12-point head ones to make using a ring spanner easier and use it while taking time to design a new motor mount. I agree a hinge would be far simpler and easier to adjust but I'm waiting until I get around to changing the belt. Have a look under a car bonnet at the alternator/ power steering/ air conditioning belts and how the adjusters work.
  I look forward to see what you come up with.


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## NortonDommi (Nov 17, 2017)

Hi Dave,
              Ribbed belts different than cogged, cogged will work on existing pulleys and better power transmission than solid section. Thanks for the link to that site there is some good info there.


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## richl (Nov 17, 2017)

That is basically the design I am going with. My older lathe has it also and I just changed the alternator last month
The belts you are considering is a wider belt? I am OK with changing out the double belt idea. As I recall, double percis sion belts from gates are not exactly affordable. I know that from my rockwell lathe.

As for all the stuff, I don't mind, just wish I knew where all the shortcuts were made so I can chase them down. Bolts, they aren't that much money... the head alignment cap screws not being tightened and locked on... that's a bit much. Missing bolts holding the lathe to the cast iron base... hmm mm,  cross threaded bolts. Missing handles for the gearing controls, yea... misaligned bolts for the gear cover...

I find whenever I pull something apart


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## richl (Nov 17, 2017)

Ok got the specs for wide ribbed and cogged. Think I'll have a visit to Napa tomorrow and see what they can get for me. Then design the pulleys from that
Thanks for the help norton


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