bearings for HSD spindle

[Greybarn]

I want to replace the bearings in my HSD spindle. Does anyone know where I can find a repair or maintenance manual for it? I can't really find anythign on line that is very good.
Regards
Peter G. Smith

[beacon14]

What size spindle is it? HSD doesn't service the 2.2 HP model as they consider it disposable, that is, the cost to replace the bearings is more than half the cost of a new unit.

I was able to have my bearings replaced, pretty sure I used PDS (http://www.pdscolombo.com/info_loc.php) in North Carolina, but they had some issues with getting the unit apart for the repair.

[Brady Watson]

I want to replace the bearings in my HSD spindle.

Aside from noise, what makes you believe that the bearings are 'bad' ? Chances are the top bearing is bad, and not the bottom 2 matched set. Which is good, because they are usually a lot easier to replace than the bottom ones.

I would pull the fan off the top of the spindle, and peek in there and see how hard it is to remove the top dust cap/bearing land. If it isn't too difficult, I would start there, and replace only the small one.

Here's a little reality check - You may have the spindle rebuilt & it may sound the same or worse than it does now. A typical fee to rebuild a spindle is $1200-1500. A new 2.2hp is around $2300 & a 4hp is around $2800 WITH a new VFD...so in the long run, it may be cheaper to just buy a new one - OR run that spindle until it explodes. What's the difference?

Noise means nothing. The only way to tell if the spindle is jacked is to check runout with a dial indicator et al that can resolve 0.0001" or better. I believe factory specs are advertised @ .0002-0005" run out. If you can hold 0.0005-0.001, I'd leave it alone. These things are a lot more durable than you would believe.

I rebuilt my Colombo 5hp spindle about 5 years ago, and it turned out only the top bearing was marginally 'bad'. (It was an ABEC-7 version of a GM alternator bearing - kid you not!) - and I shelled out $500 for a matched set of lower steel/ceramic bearings. The originals were steel. It was just as loud as before I did the rebuild, but at different RPM, and I have since cut thousands upon thousands of parts. There's a lot more to it than just replacing bearings...you need the correct grease, you need to clock both inner & outer races correctly, and you need to get the thing apart & back together properly (which means, not like a caveman).

Hope that gives you some insight to make a decision.

-B

[Greybarn]

Thanks for the great advise. I will check the run out, but regardless of what I find, I will probably just leave it alone until it comes apart.
Regards
Peter

[zeykr]

Peter,
The upper bearings were replaced in that spindle by local spindle shop not too long before you got it. They said lowers were fine.