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South Bend Fourteen Lathe: End gearing bracket locked up, not moving. Normal ?

geardoc

Cast Iron
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Location
So Far West In NC I might just be in TN or GA
I have circa 1987 South Bend Fourteen Reeves Drive Electronic Speed Control Lathe.

I had gotten the electric motor and Reeves drive running, but before I could run the backgear, or use the power down or cross feed, the two belts snapped.

I was about to order a tailstock for this lathe, as it was missing when I got it, but then the belts broke.

One thing I noticed is that the end gear bracket doesn't move or pivot on my lathe. I noticed in the 1980 service manual, it shows the idler gear engaging the idler gear. In other words the pictures in the 1980 service bulletin appear to show that the end gearing bracket pivots(or just pain moves) up and down such that the end gear engages the gear on the back of the headstock.

As of right now, that end gearing bracket does not move at all- the idler gear will of course move up and down the end gearing bracket, but the bracket itself isn't pivoting or moving.

I was wondering if that indicates the lathe is locked up, or if it isn't supposed to move without being under power, or if it isn't supposed to move at all.

Everything else on the lathe moves freely, the gear box controls, the apron, the headstock and chuck, all of it is free. I know the motor turns on, and I know the Reeves drive works.

If that pivot is locked up, then I figure the lathe is fubar, and not usable. If it is okay, with the fact the Reeves drive works and everything else is freed up, I figure it might be worth investing the money into the tailstock and the belts.

Any help ?
 
The primary gear bracket(banjo) is split in the bore that fit over the hub on the gearbox. The bolt that tightens the bracket on the gearbox is on the underside of the bracket (unlike all the other South Bends because the edge of the gearbox covers the top of the bracket).
Loosen the bolt and the bracket should rotate as required to so that you can mesh the idler with the stud gear.
Ted
 








 
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