Hi, Can somebody please tell me the proper method of moving pulley belts from one pulley to the other?
My Harbor Freight 8x12 manual does not explain how to do it.
The motor and all the pulleys are fixed and don't move or flex to loosen the belts. The tension is moderate, but not loose enough to stretch the belt by hand to a different pulley position.
I thought about using a flat screwdriver to pry the belt off, but I sure there has to be a better way.
Thanks in advance,
Rod in San Francisco
Don't use anything that will raise burrs on the pulleys----not unless you don't mind buying new belts, and eventually new pulleys. You should be able to change belts with nothing more than your hands, once you've relaxed the tension.
It's not very good on belts to "tough" them over the sheaves, one groove to another. Isn't there some way to adjust, or relax the belts(s)? If you can relax the tension, you can usually just start the belt on the ridge, then turn the equipment by hand until the belt crawls to the smaller pulley, guiding it as required. If you don't relax the belt, eventually you'll do damage to the belt. .
Harold
Harold, All the pulleys are fixed and tension cannot be relaxed.
Your description of "start the belt on the ridge, then turn the equipment by hand until the belt crawls to the smaller pulley, guiding it as required." is exactly what I'm doing now.
I just thought there had to be a better way.
Rod
messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
pulleys----not unless you
messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
pulleys----not unless you
Hey I know, you would think so.
I just double checked and the pulley attached to the motor spindle is fixed and the motor is bracketed to the frame. The other pulley is attached to the spindle for the chuck is also fixed.
Now there is a belt tensioner which barely rest on the belts. So it really does nothing to release tension on the belt.
I posted a picture here at:
messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
pulleys----not unless you
It has the wrong belt on it. Get a bigger belt and use the adjuster.
Don Young
Rod, I'll try. First take out your manual and look at page 30. The belt is partially shown as you have it positioned. The difference that I see is the belt is looser between the motor and the spindle. Then the tension is controlled by the tension plate item 23. I would set up the motor to spindle spacing so that it facilitates moving the belts to different pulleys. Then use the tension roller to take up the slack. This will change the tension on the cog belt going to item 21. Look at page 15 and you will see that item 21 page 30 is mounted on item1504 page 15. This is mounted in a slot, so I would move that to restore the tension on the cog belt. Since I dont have one of these lathes in front of me but I think that the cog belt is driving an idler pulley. You have it b passed in your picture. If the drive belt were moved from the motor to the idler pulley and the tension roller placed so that it pushed up from the lower side of the belt you could make use of a greater reduction in speed.
feel free to ask. Tell me if my assumptions are wrong.
Gene
According to rodjava :
This suggests to me that the belt is a bit too small. Get the next size up, and you will then be able to use the tensioner to gain slack.
Good Luck, DoN.
Looking at that tensioner, I get the impression that they are counting on some stretch to relax the belt, and that eventually, you'll have to rely on the tensioner to get _enough_ tension to run properly. Maybe just some patience with your current method is all you need. It'll stretch...
LLoyd
Gene, Thanks for taking the time to download the manual.I appreciate the help.
I understand what you are suggesting. First, the motor to spindle spacing is fixed and can't be adjusted. Second, the Synchronized counter pulley (21) driven by the cog belt is indeed mounted in a slot. The adjustment to this pulley is not accessable without completely taking apart the drive assembly. I'm hesitant to change the factory settings..
In conclusion, I think the supplied belt is definetly a bit short but meant to stretch. The tension pulley (1525) would then be used on the streteched out belt. Rather than wait for the belt to stretch, I plan to try a longer belt to facilitate changing the belts.
Thank you for everybody that participated. I will end the post, unless somebody has something new to add.
Rod
You can't end this post! It hasn't strayed into politics yet!
:)
Looks like you should have a longer belt and then the tensioner would provide enough slack to work as it should. ...lew...
Not real familiar with belts, but I wonder if they would stretch to an equilibrium length if you simply turned on the machine and let it run for a few hours.
David Merrill
messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
pulleys----not unless you
move from the big pulley to the smaller
after the belt is off the pulleys, line up the belt on the big pulley and slowly rotate it onto the small pulley.
I noticed no one said this (or i missed it)
anyway, I'll agree with everyone else, yer belt looks a bit snug. I'd hit it with a heat gun and see if it can help stretch it a little
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