PDA

View Full Version : Delta Contractor Arbor problem



Jared Cuneo
07-14-2010, 11:22 PM
Friends, I have a delta contractor with the 2 piece pulley and noticed after a cross country move that it was cutting rough. After installing PALS, link belt etc, I still could not get a good cut. Dial indicator shows .001 runout at the arbor but then I noticed that the arbor pulley nut was loose enough to leave a gap and was not allowing the pulley to seat properly! It visibly wobbles with no belt in place, a 1/8" strip of the arbor pulley is slightly gouged and the bearing is making a slight clicking noise.

I REALLY do not want to get into replacing the arbor/bearings as (1) there is no perceptible movement of the shaft on any axis and (2) I feel that I'll never achieve acceptable runout on the saw again if I monkey with it in my garage.

What are my options here? Is it possible that I can replace that dumb 2 piece pulley with a wide, 1 piece, machined affair, span the gouge and be good to go?

The saw has been great, but what a stupid design on this pulley. No books ever tell you to check your arbor pulley nut!

I am really upset by the whole deal, and at this point, considering that I may well screw up the bearing/arbor install, am at a dead loss.....

Any suggestions? Besides buy a sawstop/powermatic?

JC

Chip Lindley
07-15-2010, 4:38 PM
The quickest fix would be to install a cast iron or machined steel pulley on the arbor shaft instead of the problem split pulley. Any new pulley would have to be same O.D., same bore diameter, and same size keyway.

If the nut on the end of shaft only holds the split pulley in place, and has no other purpose to keep the arbor in its bearings, the nut could be left off. Same with the spacer between pulley and bearing. Any solid pulley will have a set screw to bear on they square key to keep the pulley in place on the shaft. Should the outer nut have another purpose except to keep the split pulley in place, we will have to rethink our solution.

A 1/8" gouge in your shaft is unfortunate, but not critical. Any one-piece pulley should slide over it and run true. Just make sure there are no burrs on the shaft to prevent a new pulley from slipping on.

Jared Cuneo
07-15-2010, 9:05 PM
Thanks for the input. I ordered a solid pulley from Inline today and a new link belt for giggles. Will report back in case someone else has issues.

If you have a delta contractor, I recommend that you take 2 min to walk out to the shop and see if your arbor pulley nut is tight, or at least not jiggling around on the shaft :eek:

JC

Chip Lindley
07-15-2010, 10:48 PM
Jared, earlier models than yours did have a solid pulley rather than the split affair on your saw. I have no doubt the new solid pulley will work out well. You will LOVE that twistlock belt too! It made a world of difference on my old Model 10!