G0555 Blade Guide bearings seized

[Elijah Fontenot]

The lower blade guide bearings have seized on my G0555. Im sure there is a higher quality brand replacement out there so i'm reaching out to the Creek for some help.

Also Grizzly gives some odd description on thier site if you were to order some new ones for replacement. I hope I don't have to, so please let me know where to get some better bearings.

Thanks!

[Victor Robinson]

I just ordered this saw, so no real world experience with it yet. But after all my readings I know I'll be adding a guide block holder at some point so I can use ceramic guide blocks, which seem to be the most recommended form of blade guide for a number of reasons (less friction, last longer, supposedly truer tracking...).

Check out this thread - seems to have the part information if you were to go that route. Scouring around the net, seems that frequent replacement of the bearings *might* be an issue with this saw so you may as well upgrade it to a guide block system.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=36340

[Prashun Patel]

What caused them to seize? Mine have worked fine for about 2 years - and I certainly don't do anything special to maintain them.

[Stephen Edwards]

You can take the bearings to an auto supply house and get a better grade of bearing. You can also search on ebay for:

608Z 608 Z ZZ

Be sure to check the dimensions of the bearings. I think this is the size that I've bought as replacement bearings. They seem to hold up well. I'd have to measure again to be sure. I know that I bought my bearings from VXB Bearings.

Also, I've learned that I have better success with the bearings if they aren't too tight against the blade.

Hope this helps.

[Rod Sheridan]

When you go to your bearing supplier you can obtain a couple different quality levels of bearings, as well as seals/shielding options and clearances.

Just let them know it's a blade guide for a wood working band saw.

The last time I purchased them for my saw they were about $6 each......Rod.

[Rick Moyer]

When I took my (seized) bearings to a bearing place for replacements he asked me if I wanted better bearings or the same Chinese ones I had handed him. I hadn't told him what they were for; he could tell they were imports from the numbers on the side. I opted for better ones but I don't remember what they cost, but were only a few dollars more I think.

[Pete Bradley]

A cheapo bearing is more than adequate in this application, and higher quality won't necessarily equate to longer life. Buy cheap, replace as necessary.

You'll need the size off the ones you have. 608's a common skate bearing so there probably are some really bad ones available but if you buy from a bearing house your basic Chinese or Korean model for a buck or two apiece should be fine. If you're lucky they're something really common and cheap like 6203.

[Thomas Pender]

I have had this problem with the lower bearings on my G0555 bandsaw as well (I have had it for 5 years). I keep a few extra lower bearings around even though I have good dust collection (and brush the bearings off and vacuum them off), so I think it is one of those little annoying defects you just have to put up with. Otherwise, my BS is my favorite tool in many ways. By coincidence, I also have to remember to order a few more because I just replaced my last extra one a few weeks ago. Sigh.

If someone could tell me what blocks (carbon or ceramic) to use, I would consider it, but I have never been able to get any supplier to agree they have the exact right one.

Tom

[Stephen Edwards]

Perhaps I'm missing something here. I don't understand how any kind of a guide block, ceramic or otherwise, could offer less friction than a properly functioning roller bearing. I'd sure appreciate an explanation that a simpleton like myself could understand!

Though I can only speak for my own experience, I've had longer life of the upgraded replacement bearings that I've bought for both my G0555X and G0555 than I did of the stock bearings that came with the saws. I didn't buy the most expensive bearings, either. IIRC the ones that I bought were a mid grade bearing.

However, it's also true that when I installed the replacement bearings I began to use a bit less pressure of the bearings against the blade, following the advice of someone here at the Creek. That minor adjustment, along with using the flutter method for setting the blade tension, has certainly increased the life of the bearings on my G0555X. I can't say exactly how many feet of lumber I've resawn since upgrading the bearings but it has been several hundred feet for sure. So far, I haven't had to replace the bearings again.

Once, in a pinch (), I blew out the stock bearings that came with the saw with an air hose and soaked them overnight in kerosene. The next morning I blew 'em out again with the air hose and then sprayed some 3-1 oil in the "permanently sealed and lubricated stock bearings." That little trick tided me over until the new bearings arrived.

The stock bearings that came with the saw are my only beef with the saw. That's such a minor issue and such a simple fix I'm not complain about it. I'm not a bandsaw pro but that's my experience and my opinion, for what's it worth.

[Mike Cruz]

Take the bearings (on their shafts) and soak them in a small (very small...baby food sized) of WD-40. Let 'em soak for a while. They will unseize. This is a temp fix until your new ones come in. Oh, and yes, blow them out when you are done so the WD-40 doesnt' get spun all over your next project. Note: When you blow them out with compressed air, don't let the bearing spin a hundred miles per hour. They aren't meant to spin THAT fast. A little spinning (what you would get with the blade touching them) is ok, but just don't overdo it.

I just ordered some from Grizzly. Yup, they are cheap, both in quality and price, but for the price, you can replace them without breaking the bank. I went to a local bearing place to get "good" ones and they were $15 plus each. For the upper and lower ones behind the blade, and the 4 guide bearings (two on top and two on bottom) it was going to cost about $100. No thanks, I called Grizzly...

[Stephen Edwards]

Take the bearings (on their shafts) and soak them in a small (very small...baby food sized) of WD-40. Let 'em soak for a while. They will unseize. This is a temp fix until your new ones come in. Oh, and yes, blow them out when you are done so the WD-40 doesnt' get spun all over your next project. Note: When you blow them out with compressed air, don't let the bearing spin a hundred miles per hour. They aren't meant to spin THAT fast. A little spinning (what you would get with the blade touching them) is ok, but just don't overdo it.

I just ordered some from Grizzly. Yup, they are cheap, both in quality and price, but for the price, you can replace them without breaking the bank. I went to a local bearing place to get "good" ones and they were $15 plus each. For the upper and lower ones behind the blade, and the 4 guide bearings (two on top and two on bottom) it was going to cost about $100. No thanks, I called Grizzly...

Agreed, I wouldn't pay that for bearings either!

[Elijah Fontenot]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I put on a new blade and was inspecting and adjusting and just happen to notice the lower bearings were frozen so thats how it happened. I've measured and found that the 608zz bearings posted earlier were the right ones to fit the bandsaw.

I don't have a local bearing dealer where I live, so I just ordered the ones off ebay. You get a bunch for an ok price.

Once again, Thanks again!