Atlas th54 spindle

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rockyrude

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I need to pull out the spindle on an atlas th54. I've loosened all of the set screws that I could find (3) and the spindle just doesn't want to move. Any suggestions welcome
 
Just a note, found a fourth set screw but it hasn't improved my situation
 
You'll need to improvise a puller consisting of some threaded rod, some nuts and washers and some blocks of wood. There used to be a procedure on doing that here somewhere in the downloads section- I believe you can find examples of how to do it online also
-Mark
 
I guess that it is already too late to make the parts on the machine that you are working on but if you have access to another lathe, I would make a puller using 3/4" all-thread. You can buy the structural tubing for the receiver piece from McMaster. And probably the all-thread and nuts.

The part that is causing the problem is probably the left hand bearing cone. Or possibly the right outboard dust cover. Or both. Be sure to loosen the set screw locking the bull gear to its Woodruff key and remove the Woodruff key before it touches the right inboard dust cover.
 
The receiver piece can be as simple as a piece of iron pipe- doesn't need to be fancy. The spindle comes out towards the tailstock. The drive gear on the left hand side of the spindle needs to come off beforehand; there is a threaded collar to remove.
-M
 
If videos are more helpful, there is one on Youtube.
Granted, he's figuring it out as he goes, IIRC. But it helped me.
 
I soaked the assembly with penetrating oil and the spindle came out pretty easily. I am concerned that there is a gap of about 1/8" between the bearing and the shoulder on the spindle. I don't believe this is correct
 
I assume that you are referring to the right hand bearing cone. It sometimes gets dislodged from its normal position against the flange shoulder because in removing the spindle, the outer right hand dust cover is brought out early in the removal procedure by the right hand spindle bearing cone. Most of the time, it takes more force to move the cone than it does to press out the cover. I would have to say that if anyone removed the spindle without removing or at least moving the cover, either the spindle OD at the flange is undersized or the cone ID is oversized or possibly both.

What you will need to do before reassembly is to get a piece of pipe or structural tubing that is a sliding fit over the spindle and up against the cone and press the cone back up against the shoulder. Note that it is much better while pressing the cone back into position to support the spindle by the surface of the shoulder rather than to set the spindle on its threaded nose.
 
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