Thread: Van Norman 16M cutter head question

downloaded manual says to grease spindle bearings every 6 mo.,,this spindle takes nmtb 30 ....manual pic show only C collets .BUT on quill spindle 16 S ,the mnbt draw bar is shown , also an insert for C collets...i.start to remove the cover for front bearing ....original paint ...looks like never off ...tap a knife blade in & it separates ..cover cannot come off since the 30 taper head is larger than the C collet head ..this means i have to PULL the spindle to lube the bearings ....... hard to believe van norman wanted spindle pulled 2x year ....on the quill head 30 taper they have zerk fittings.....ok lets look at rear bearing ...pulled the cover , grease is not hard /dried up ,,,w/out unscrewing the lock nut , i can see the edge of the bearings & the cap has a positive imprint in grease of the ledge where i can see bearings ..so i filled the ledge & put th e cap back on & felt some pressure pushing grease .....
from past bad memories of "gilding the lily " on well running machines , i do not want to pull the spndle & then reset the end float on a well running spindle !! it is another story on a spindle NEEDING repair ...am i too timid ?????....the helical drive gear that the ram pinion meshes with is lubed from the ram ....the 16 M spindle has two seals ,interior to front & rear bearings to block this oil i reckon ,,,MAYBE the seals are worn enuf to alow some oil thru to the bearings or maybe van norman left out the front seal for that purpose ...????,,,,,,i hate to just run it till i hear it start to get noisy & THEN pull & REPLACE the bearings ..on my more than a dozen machines , i dont remember pulling a spindle to greasw a bearing ....front auto wheel bearings , yes , but none on machinery ....advice please !!!!!
tnx
doc

jus wanted to bump it back up in the hopes of getting some advice
tnx
doc

You may have plugs in the grease holes. I have never seen a VN of any type without access to grease the spindle bearings.

Mike ....that statement was what i neeeded to look harder & think straighter
.didnt realize a grease entry wud have a plug & not a zerk like on the quill head ...i saw the two allen heads & just figured they were oil in /drain plugs ..if i had been thinking straight , i wud remember that the ring gear had seals on both sides & bearings called for GREASE ...plugs were a fine thrd , probably 3/8 24....removed upper / lower , & there was evidence of older grease...reckon i will put zerks in ,,,,,,why didnt van norman? .....or shud i just push some grease in????
how many pumps on my farm grease pump ??? .6? .3? ...using a lithium based general purpose grease....thru the hole ,i see no evidence of grease XCEPT just inside on the threads of the hole ,,,, sure dont want to OVERPACK ....
has anyone rigged a mtr for the knee , to swing into engagement when needed , worm /gear or DC gear mtr ? .....it looks very doable
last week i drilled some 1/2 in holes & plunge cut vertically w/1/2 in endmill, by bracing my arm on thigh & cranking up ...also tried bumps of a thou or so on the crank
....seemed to work OK ...so may be an option if really needed.....
likeing the mill more as i get used to it ....much more solid than my worn out M head..will be glad to relegate it to drilling.....
again ,tnx for your help ,
doc

removed allen screw "plugs & miked the screw ...they are .400 X 24 .....called am industrial maintenance man neighbor & he said "plugs" were common on industrial machinery ...zerks got knocked off too frequently ...said most came w/ proprietary fittings & small grease guns ..........a stndrd 3/8 x 24 zerk screws in loosely ....we will see if it holds/strips out pumping grease ...still no idea how much to put in ...i cant see any loose grease inside th e hole other than on the inside edge of the threaded hole ...

maybe fill it up to bottom of the hole ?????????
doc