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Lifting Machine to change leveling pads

dksoba

Hot Rolled
Joined
Apr 8, 2011
Location
San Diego
First off, how many people are using rubber mounts on their VMCs?

I have mounts like this: http://www.controlnoise.com/storage/Level Rite 3 002.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1294496004834

I want to replace them with pads like this: FadalCNC: LEVELING PAD 1.5 PLC HYDROSWEEP

The vibration pads (yellow) pose a problem because the machine moves back and forth a lot, which causes the doors (and everything else) to vibrate a lot. My machine makes a lot more noise compared to Fadal 4020's I've operated in the past, and I'm pretty sure this is the reason.

So, my main question here is to ask how to lift the machine high enough (on the front or the back, one side only of course) to remove the existing pad and slip in a new one? I guess one idea would be use move the leveling screws to the maximum position on one side, slip in a piece of material that fits just right, then lower the level screws, then remove the pads and put the new pads in. Not sure if I have that much room on my leveling screws.

Anyone else know how I might approach this problem?

Matt
 
Assuming there is enough room under the coolant guarding...everyone needs a hydraulic toe jack of some sort...even the Chinese ones from Northern Tool are better than nothing. But if you want a proper one, think GKS.

Northern Tool - Torin Industrial Toe Jack - 2-Ton Capacity (Toe), 3-Ton (Head), Model# TRJ7102 customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings

http://www.gksweb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=66&Itemid=136

A proper "heeled pinch" type of pry bar might do the trick if you have a helper. Keep in mind I'm talking about a ~$160 forged prybar here, not one of those worthless POS ones like you might get at Lowes or HD.
 
Assuming there is enough room under the coolant guarding...everyone needs a hydraulic toe jack of some sort...even the Chinese ones from Northern Tool are better than nothing. But if you want a proper one, think GKS.

Northern Tool - Torin Industrial Toe Jack - 2-Ton Capacity (Toe), 3-Ton (Head), Model# TRJ7102 customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings

Hydraulic toe jacks (max. lifting capacity 44,000 lbs.) | GKS PERFEKT - Georg Kramp GmbH & Co. K

A proper "heeled pinch" type of pry bar might do the trick if you have a helper. Keep in mind I'm talking about a ~$160 forged prybar here, not one of those worthless POS ones like you might get at Lowes or HD.

You can lift nearly anything with a GOOD one, patience, and plenty of safe blocking material to put under what is being lifted.

Bill
 
Thanks for the replies guys. Any idea if this is even necessary? It'd be good to know if it's required before I spend some $150+ to change the pads on my VMC.

Matt
 
Thanks for the replies guys. Any idea if this is even necessary? It'd be good to know if it's required before I spend some $150+ to change the pads on my VMC.
Just figured you are going to need a toe jack and/or proper pry bar for something in the future as well...thus the $ is not a one time deal but "investment". But if you want to cheap out and work up a sweat turning leveling screws that are bearing 1/4 the weight of the machine, that plan would work fine if you have enough screw travel and timbers just the right height. Obviously you have to not quite max out the screws so you can raise it even higher on the new pads to get the timber out before lowering. Sounds like a mighty time consuming, elbow grease and excruciatingly boring process however.
 
Use a railroad jack which is like Don described. The great thing about them is they work like the old jacks that hook into a slot on the bumper your car. Flip the cam up jack it up, no worries about expensive pry bars, flip the cam other way jack down slowly and don't lean over the jack handle it will come up with some force and speed. Slow and steady wins the race. As to procure a rilroad jack most used machine dealers have them, as to the price I am not sure but it one of those things that you will purchase for this task and then a few months later wonder how the ____ did I get along without this.
Very versitile, simple piece of kit.
 
Just figured you are going to need a toe jack and/or proper pry bar for something in the future as well...thus the $ is not a one time deal but "investment". But if you want to cheap out and work up a sweat turning leveling screws that are bearing 1/4 the weight of the machine, that plan would work fine if you have enough screw travel and timbers just the right height. Obviously you have to not quite max out the screws so you can raise it even higher on the new pads to get the timber out before lowering. Sounds like a mighty time consuming, elbow grease and excruciatingly boring process however.

The pure caveman concept of a pinch bar is just TOO complex for some folks I guess ;-). As it Arcimedes who said "give me a big enough lever and I can move the WORLD ? Funny he did not say "give me a enough jackscrews and I will move the world :-)".

The easiest way to get a machine as high as it will go on jackscrews is ask a guy who has never leveled a machine to level it, 9 times out of ten the machine seems to end up as high as the screws will take it, and it still is not level. And I am laughing at US when that happens because I sure as hell did it too myself the first time :-)....ADDING seems more human nature than taking away for some reason :-).
 
Use a railroad jack which is like Don described.
Uh...no it's not. The railroad jack differs from a proper hydraulic toe jack in at least four key areas-

1. The railroad jack "toe" is usually way too thick to get under the small space between a VMC base and the floor

2. The railroad jack, toe is in a fixed gross position. GKS toe jacks the toe can be fixed in 3 different gross positions, which can be very handy depending on machine configuration.

3. The railroad jack itself is probably way too tall to get under the overhanging coolant guarding of a VMC

4. The railroad jack has to be jacked right there at the jack...which is sometimes impossible to actually do, due to machine obstructions. GKS toe jack has QC adapter for remote pump.

But really it's points 1 & 3 that kill it for his particular use.
 
The pure caveman concept of a pinch bar is just TOO complex for some folks I guess ;-). As it Arcimedes who said "give me a big enough lever and I can move the WORLD ? Funny he did not say "give me a enough jackscrews and I will move the world :-)".

The easiest way to get a machine as high as it will go on jackscrews is ask a guy who has never leveled a machine to level it, 9 times out of ten the machine seems to end up as high as the screws will take it, and it still is not level. And I am laughing at US when that happens because I sure as hell did it too myself the first time :-)....ADDING seems more human nature than taking away for some reason :-).

I've got to agree with your last paragraph. People persist in levelling up and up, I always try to level down if possible. Regards Tyrone.
 
Dont you have an overhead crane? what about a 20,000 lb forklift geez. I use the jedi technique try not just do. LOL. Get the pry bar but if you have the cash one of those toe jacks would be sweet.
 
What exactly is the "Fadal Hydrosweep" anyway ? If it's just a fancy name for a glob of cast iron with a depression, you might as well make your own out of steel bars. (Flat squares or from round stock if you have some large enough diameter to cut up some disks) That way you could make some about the same height (or less) as the current rubber pads and each screw could be unscrewed enough to lower the base onto shims that matched the gap between base and floor, unscrewed a little more to get old foot out, slide in new solid foot and level it back to where it was, remove shims, rinse and repeat...

The name "Hydrosweep" for footpads sound like something the secretary conjured up....I don't think I'd want my machine supports "hyrdoplaning" or "sweeping" across the floor.
 
...even the Chinese ones from Northern Tool are better than nothing

i have used the Omega brand out of northern tool with no complaints.
they will easily lift there rating repeatedly for years at a third the cost of the others
i have put 2, 10 ton together and lifted makino A82's (possessing 3.6 percent of the worlds population ;) ) many times with no ill affects.
 
i have used the Omega brand out of northern tool with no complaints.
they will easily lift there rating repeatedly for years at a third the cost of the others
i have put 2, 10 ton together and lifted makino A82's (possessing 3.6 percent of the worlds population ;) ) many times with no ill affects.
When I ordered my first GKS toe jack direct from Germany way back in 1993, those Chinese toe jacks didn't exist. So, I had the exact same idea....why not make one out of a cheap bottle jack ? No gross positioning of toe, no "ways" per se, no adjustable feet, no remote jack possiblities, no wheels to roll it around on. But it would be cheap and way better than nothing. But then I thought, nah....someone else will do the same thing about the time I start marketing mine...and sure enough, woods is full of 'em now.
 








 
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