American pacemaker lathe head stock repair

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Dulldrillbit

Plastic

Joined

Aug 9, 2017

• Aug 10, 2017

• #1

I have an American Pacemaker 14x78 lathe Mfd. In 1945. It has the 27 speed head stock. Still used for daily production and is my main lathe. Never given me an issue in the 10 yrs I've worked here and never given the 30+ yrs old timer before me an issue either. I finally had an issue with it not wanting to shift into 445 and upon removing the cover I have two gears popped off of the oil pump shaft. Looks like a sheared key. I'm looking for anyone with exp. In rebuilding and repair of these old girls. If anyone has any tips or information in regards of the do's and dont's please share. I was told not to mess with the shifter mechanisms but I see no other way to access the shaft other than going from the top which would require removal of the shifting mechanism. Thanks for any and all advice. Production has slowed in the Machine Shop until i get her running again.

 

johnoder

Diamond

Joined

Jul 16, 2004

Location

Houston, TX USA

• Aug 10, 2017

• #2

Parts book may be helpful - thanks to Greg Menke for hosting it for me

http://pounceatron.dreamhosters.com/docs/atw/atw-pacemaker-parts-bulletin-20-1966.pdf

 

D

Dulldrillbit

Plastic

Joined

Aug 9, 2017

• Aug 10, 2017

• #3

Thanks. I'm going to tear into it next week.

 

johnoder

Diamond

Joined

Jul 16, 2004

Location

Houston, TX USA

• Aug 10, 2017

• #4

Dulldrillbit said:

Thanks. I'm going to tear into it next week.

Click to expand...

Its complex - especially with 27 speeds. Makes sense to document everything with photos - with notes you can make sense of in a month or whatever

 

D

Dulldrillbit

Plastic

Joined

Aug 9, 2017

• Aug 11, 2017

• #5

Thank God for smartphones and camera capabilities always at hand. Thanks again.

 

E

ewlsey

Diamond

Joined

Jul 14, 2009

Location

Peoria, IL

• Aug 11, 2017

• #6

I think the standard Pacemaker had an option of 9, 18, or 27 speeds. Its the same headstock, so they just add an extra gear set on the primary to get you another range.

There's a lot going on in there, but it's not much different than any other lathe. If you need a manual, you can buy one from Bourn and Koch.

 

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hanermo

Titanium

Joined

Sep 28, 2009

Location

barcelona, spain

• Aug 11, 2017

• #7

If, as seems, your income/business is impacted, get a consultant for a day.
I am not a consultant on PM lathes ... and am not looking for business.

Paying 1k$/day for someone who knows about them, is probably extremely beneficial.
I do not mean, at all, that You cannot fix it on your own.
I mean that You will fix it far faster, and cheaper with your work-hours included, if You use someone to help You.

 

M

Mike C.

Diamond

Joined

Nov 25, 2004

Location

Birmingham, AL

• Aug 12, 2017

• #8

I have not been deep in the headstock of the 20" 18spd HD Pacemaker at work, but I did have to take the shifter quadrant off the top to get in and fix the left hand thread idler (somebody put it in backwards, so it wouldn't cut left hand threads). The shifter system seemed simple enough and there are index marks to get everything lined up right. That one had been put together wrong in the past and would jump out of gear now and then. Fixed that, too. Just another piece of machinery. Do it right and pay attention.

 

E

ewlsey

Diamond

Joined

Jul 14, 2009

Location

Peoria, IL

• Aug 12, 2017

• #9

hanermo said:

If, as seems, your income/business is impacted, get a consultant for a day.

Click to expand...

You're not likely to find anyone above ground with vast first hand experience with an American Pacemaker. The last ones built would be pushing 50. But, if you can find a general machine repair company, they should be able to get it done.

If he wants to pull the headstock and ship to me, I but I can make it work. But, I doubt that's the answer he wanted.

 

M

Mike C.

Diamond

Joined

Nov 25, 2004

Location

Birmingham, AL

• Aug 13, 2017

• #10

After I bought my Suzuki RE-5A Wankel engine motorcycle at about 19yrs old in 1984, I learned a very valuable lesson... with things like this, nobody knows any more about it than you do, even if you know nothing about it. You get a manual and you dive in. It's just a mechanical device, pay attention to how all the parts go together, watch for spacers and such, don't break anything tearing it down. Fix it.

That theory powered me through the repair of a Van Norman 22L knee, the restoration of my L&S lathe, repair of my Twin Turbo 300ZX and a nice paying repair of a Cincinnati Hydrashift lathe. Once you get into it you realize it's not that bad.

 

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climb-101

Cast Iron

Joined

Dec 12, 2013

Location

montana

• Aug 13, 2017

• #11

i have had some of the headstock apart on my 27 speed pacemaker. the shift mechanism isn't really that complicated. the important thing is to get the gears lined up, they all have punchmarks that face together when it lined up propped. all the forks are connected to the trays up to.

drain the oil, use a flashlight and watch how the forks move stuff around and where they go. take more pics than you think you will ever need of where the forks go and how gears are.

the reason i had mine apart was because the shifter had only lowmid range and no neutral. someone before me had it apart and didn't have the gears lined up right. if i remember right you can lift the tray closest to the check so you can rotate the gears to get things lined up right

 

DocsMachine

Titanium

Joined

Jan 8, 2005

Location

Southcentral, AK

• Aug 13, 2017

• #12

Mike C. said:

After I bought my Suzuki RE-5A Wankel engine motorcycle at about 19yrs old in 1984, I learned a very valuable lesson... with things like this, nobody knows any more about it than you do, even if you know nothing about it. You get a manual and you dive in. It's just a mechanical device, pay attention to how all the parts go together, watch for spacers and such, don't break anything tearing it down.

Click to expand...

-Spot on. Found the same thing with my Springfield lathe; it's by no means an obscure model, but there's very little available documentation on the brand. Tony's lathes site has a few general details (but only on models either newer or older than mine) and another PM'er was kind enough to send me a sort of sales brochure for the machine, but I've so far found no cutaways, no drawings, no service manuals, no real technical data.

But, I was able to record the disassembly with a digital camera, and store the pieces in well-marked bags. Diagnosis of problems was simple- I didn't need a manual to tell me there were teeth missing off that gear - and with a little thought, even odd problems became clear (like someone repairing the shear pin for the leadscrew with a woodruff key.)

The tricks work for any machine, from a Cuisinart to a Combine- take pictures before and during disassembly, take notes, keep parts labeled and sorted, diagnose wear and damage as you go.

Doc.

 

D

Dulldrillbit

Plastic

Joined

Aug 9, 2017

• Aug 14, 2017

• #13

My boss said he's going to get a repair man in to fix it. He signs the check so I'm not going to argue, but if they decide to not fix and get a newer machine I'm not going to be happy and I'll lay claim to the old girl and do it myself.