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Quill downfeed worm wheel re-installation

specfab

Titanium
Joined
May 28, 2005
Location
AZ
I have a disassembled downfeed clutch from a J-head on my hands, which came about as a result of what seems to be loss of the retaining ring that keeps the quill feed pinion shaft from being pulled out from the quill handle clockspring side. It looks like that was what drove the disengagement of the clockspring from the pinion shaft during use of the machine, and of course one thing usually leads to another in machine repair...

In any case, the bronze worm wheel doesn't seem to want to reassemble in a way that will then allow the quill pinion shaft to pass through the main bronze sleeve bearing in the quill housing and then the worm wheel. I don't seem to be able to get the worm wheel engaged enough with the drive worm to achieve co-linearity of sleeve bearing and worm wheel. When I install the pinion shaft first, the worm wheel will not engage properly, apparently because the tooth height at the edge of the wheel is too much to pass under the worm shaft diameter.

Any suggestions, or other insights? It came apart easily...;-)
 
Pull the cover for the feed gears. Manually, advance the feed so the worm will time with the wheel.
Thick grease for the woodruff keys. Don't forget the key for the pinion or it all has to come apart again.
Everything is a slip-fit, no hammer. That bronze sleeve is easy to distort. The bronze sleeve has to be located by the set screws(2).
If the bronze sleeve has walked out of position the head has to come off to get at the set screws. See the large view.
Over tighten the first set screw and the sleeve will distort and there will be a fit problem. The second set screw is just the dog.

After the pinion shaft passes thru the wheel spacer, wheel, and clutch the snap ring should fit.
Left Side.jpgLeft Side - large.jpgRight Side.jpg
John
 
Just to conclude this brief saga:
Spoke with Barry at H&W, and he said to just tap the gear in lightly with hammer and appropriate hollow block. As I surmised, the top of the worm wheel teeth are slightly interfering with the worm shaft, and the gear "pops" into its centered location once you get it under the worm shaft. He mentioned that there is further explanation in one of the videos they have on their website.

Jhruska, I did consider the extra disassy needed to screw the worm back into position and engagement, but I was hoping to avoid the extra work. The snap ring does indeed just fit now as you note.

Thanks to H&W for the assistance.
 








 
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