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Wheel Head Bearings Are Finally Worn Out On My Cxc


Mark C.

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Well it took since 1982 to wear them out but my main go to wheel has a loose bearing-that is the shaft staring sounding like a loose bearing was loose. Now I can move the shaft as it has slop in it. I'll order a new 14 inch head and bearing and shaft combo in AM. This took 34 years of heavy use. This is my 3rd wheel head and bearings as I wore my model C out a few decades ago as well

I love these Brent wheels.

My guess is this is a $225 repair.

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Whenever I repair any studio equipment, beit ours or for someone else; I always source my bearings from someone other than the manufacturer. It's a lot cheaper that way. That being said, I haven't done wheel head bearings on a Brent yet. I just checked and they show a pillow block bearing and a complete assembley (which doesn't appear to use a pillow block bearing, that may be for Amaco wheels).

 

It appears they use a one piece hub; is there any way you can see to split the hub and get to the bearings? I can't see them casting aluminum around sealed bearings so there has to be some way to change out just the bearings. If you would, please post pics of the hub assembly once you get it off. You may be able to save some money. IMO, $220 is too much for just a couple of bearings, wheel and shaft included or not. All new car manufacturers do something similar now with wheel bearings and I absolutely hate it.

 

What used to cost $25 in parts is now $250 and they don't last like they used to; no joke !

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I replaced the pillowblock bearings on my old kickwheel a couple of years ago. If I remember correctly, I bought them from Grainger at a really good price. You might give them a try for the bearings and go to Brent for the wheel head.

JK

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The TS bearings are set into a machined aluminum block, and I tried and tried to get the bearings out of that block, but nothing worked. I don't know if they're glued in, or pushed in with a press, but they wouldn't budge. Otherwise I could have replaced the bearings for $15. But I figure $75 over 12 years isn't too bad, considering how much income those wheels have brought in. Kick wheels, especially the Thomas Stuart, have simple off the shelf parts that are easily and cheaply replaced.

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Brent presses a bearing into a block onto the shaft . Then pounds the head on and uses a roll pin to attach head. As far as I can see its not made to service.

The head is not made to remove as well as the outer flanged casting with bearing pressed into it. This flange also is cast with a flange that catches the splash pan.

One would need to get the wheel head off than press of the bearing flange from shaft without damaging the cast flange-then press the bearing out and then reverse the procedure .

We used to have some great machine shops around but all are long gone.Last time i went thru this I just bought the whole assembly which bolts on bearing flange shaft wheel head. Then you slip the bottom pulley on with a key in keyway after using the 3 bolts that hold it to deck.

I have no issues with the cost after 34 years-I usually turn these into a banding wheel in a large wood block.

I'll let you all know what Brent says as to options.

 

After speaking to Brent-the options are new part#22017T for 220$

Its pressed as I noted above and made not to come apart.They make the wheel head shaft and bearing all as one part

I'm ok as that part lasted 34 years in a production daily situation .Looks like I will have another banding wheel soon.

Parts on the way-I have 4 others wheels that work fine and I have been working on this one with this issue for over a year.just a little noisy at this point.

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 As far as I can see its not made to service.

 

 

Not made to yes, but it can be done with the right knowledge and tools. It may not be worth the hassle for you (which I completely understand) but I would do it simply out of principle. I don't appreciate manufacturers trying to force me to spend more than I need to. I've made my entire career out of work-arounds of such efforts.

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I have the know how and a friend with the press but what I do not have is the time-that is I would rather be doing something else with what Time I have. I can produce that $ in far less time that doing the repair with making my ceramics. I Can fix my own autos If I choose but I decided long ago that I would let others do this as I really did not want to even though I have the knowledge .Its what I want to do with my time. Fall is my busy season-fishing in the calm  ocean season or scuba diving -apple pressing gardening and oh ya make a living throwing pots xmas is around the corner. I'll spend the time bolting on the new one and make a wood bracket for the old one turning into a banding wheel. My time is what I now value more than when I 1st started out. Work arounds are fine if thats my last resort but in this case its not even close.The same is true recycling clay its about the time vs the cost.Brent has made this configure  of a pressed head and bearing since the beginning . My wheel I bought from Robert Brent himself in LA area in 1970  when he first started it had the same setup. I worn that one out as well and by then they upgraded to 3/4 inch shafts and different belt drives and pulleys. That was a pricy upgrade on my old model C I thought at the time but they gave me a new motor for free. Those where the days. Those folks are long gone. Heck back in the 70's repairs were free-Brent used to give me free clay to try out when they where in Healdsburg Ca.. I have a long history with this company.Now it a big mega company but the bones are still good.

Imagine a hobbist using this wheel that took me a full time production potter to wear out the bearings in 34 years. Its a lifetime deal.My model c lasted about that same about of time bearing wise.

I can say they do use high quality parts.

Back in that day they where very few power wheels on the market and this design has held up the test of time.My CXC deck is 5 /16 steel thats something that they lightened up years ago. This wheel is build like a tank.

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I understand where you are coming from completely on the time thing. I think my C is from around 72 or 73 so I know what you mean on the weight. Bearing quality across the entire manufacturing field has taken a huge dive in quality over the last few years. A lot of the English classic cars guys are now looking for minimal wear used bearings and trans syncros v.s new ones . QC now is nonexistent it seems.It's both a good and bad thing you now have no idea what's going on your car or you'd be pulling your hair out trying to find decent quality parts now.

 

I've fought a shake on her car for the past three years only to find out after putting several new tires on it that it was defective tires...and they aren't "cheap" tires. It's good thing I have a dynamic tire balancer here now or else I never would have caught it (distributor installed all the tires). Manufactures are currently turning out garbage because they know there no longer is that big of a choice for quality. For $125 each you would think folks could make a tire round and true. Fortunately I found a set of USA made BF Goodrich tires for a decent price and the car drives like it should again......$1500 in unneeded lower quality parts later to find that out though....and I had a lot of quality trouble with those too... Last week I received a brand new $279" Made in USA", SKF hub assembly (OEM) that felt like it had gravel in it. (SKF/USA is actually made by Timken USA now and "Timken" is made offshore as well as "regular" SKF.)

 

What's worse is the price of new cars, the lack of quality therein and the excessive amount of technology involved. Things will only get worse as long as folks are willing to take it laying down. It may cost me more time and money to repair,but when I'm done what I have will outlive me by a good margin and IMO, that's the way it should be.

 

While she does have a "newer" crappy little fan for drying glaze pieces, the latest any other fan in the house was made is 1942. Our 1941 war-time Emerson has run every night for the last 13 years and will continue to do so till we are both dead. The only thing I've ever done to it was blow the dust off and oil it once a year.

 

30 years from now, my 300/C6 F150 will still be dragging newer cars off to the crusher where they belong. ;)

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