Jet sander belt/disc combo, belt tracking issue

[cody michael]

Hello,

I have a Jet Belt/disc sander the bigger free standing one, it takes I think a 6x48 belt and a 12 in disc.

The belt does not want to track, when I get it in the center and try to sand something it goes off center, I have to spend about 25% of my sanding time adjusting it back and forth. Is there any recommendation to fix this? What would happen if I crowned the aluminum wheel it rides on like a bandsaw?

[Travis Porter]

I think I have the same sander. If I remember correctly, I had the same issue several years ago, and I want to think something was loose. It was not obviously loose, but I had to start taking it apart if I remember correctly. I want to say it was something to do with the tracking mechanism or the frame, but I can't remember for sure. Thinking it was the upper wheel......

I would not crown the wheel. You should be able to get it to track properly without having to do something like that, which I kind of think wouldn't work.

[John K Jordan]

The belt does not want to track, when I get it in the center and try to sand something it goes off center, I have to spend about 25% of my sanding time adjusting it back and forth. Is there any recommendation to fix this? What would happen if I crowned the aluminum wheel it rides on like a bandsaw?

Is this also with a new belt? I had one that quit tracking when it was older. Could it have stretched a bit?

I thought one pulley on most belt sanders was crowned. I can check my 6" belt the next time I go to the shop but I know for certain that the 1" belt on my knife-sharpening machine has one crowned wheel. I can't remember if it is the drive wheel.

JKJ

[cody michael]

I think I have the same sander. If I remember correctly, I had the same issue several years ago, and I want to think something was loose. It was not obviously loose, but I had to start taking it apart if I remember correctly. I want to say it was something to do with the tracking mechanism or the frame, but I can't remember for sure. Thinking it was the upper wheel......

I would not crown the wheel. You should be able to get it to track properly without having to do something like that, which I kind of think wouldn't work.

I believe everything is tight, it is a pretty simple machine but I will check out it.

The belt is a year or 2 old but has seen very little use up until the last few weeks where I used it to sand out a few parts.