cutter wheel alignment on a carlton 5014 stump grinder

[Jimma]

I have a carlton 5014 stump grinder. It has never cut very smoothly and I'm trying to smooth it out a bit. The outer cutting teeth on the left side is only about 1/8 inch from the guard and the right side is about 5/8 in from the guard. It seems to spin evenly and smoothly when not under a load, but when I cut deeper and get ground level on below, it struggles. Anyone that has a 5014 model, could you just take a peek at the wheel and see if it sits in the middle between the wheel guard or if one side might be a little closer to the guard? I have the razor cutting wheel on it and it has about 900 hours on it and this may be a pretty good time to change it. But I really don't want to sink that kind of money into it until I am convinced that will take care of the problem. There are 2 spacers on the shaft, one on either side between the bearings. One is bigger than the other . The smaller one is one the belt side.

 

[Eq Broker]

Hi Jim,

I hope you've been doing well.

I think your issue is with the hub that holds the shaft in the cutter wheel. I would loosen the locking collars on the bearings and the bearing housing bolts as well. You want to loosen the hub and move the shaft toward the side that has more room. It's hard for me to talk your thru this without seeing it.

Hope this helps!

Dave
700-420-6400

 

[Jimma]

Hey Dave, hope you are well. I was going to try just that. But I figured I would have to remove the bearing. The last bearing I trued to remove wouldn't budge and had to cut the shaft to replace the whole thing. When I was looking at the hub, I noticed one of the bolts must have broken off in the hub. Don't think I can get at it without removing the bearing anyway. But if I can back the hub out, will the shaft slide?

 

[Franklin318]

Hey Jim I have a 5014 and I was looking at my wheel and the cutter teeth on the right side are closer to the guard then the cutter teeth on the left side. this is when I am standing in front of the machine looking at the cutter wheel.

 

[Jimma]

Good morning Franklin, thank you for looking at the wheel and getting back to me. I thought that was the case but I wasn't sure. Where the wheel is aligned on the shaft is apparently determined by where the hub is set. I guess it has been like this for some time and has been stable. I will take the bearing and shaft off and try and re-align it, but I just wanted to make sure it can wait a bit and I don't have to rush out right now and tackle it. Probably going to have to replace the bearings and shaft. They don't come apart easily. Thanks brother.

 

[Franklin318]

Good morning Franklin, thank you for looking at the wheel and getting back to me. I thought that was the case but I wasn't sure. Where the wheel is aligned on the shaft is apparently determined by where the hub is set. I guess it has been like this for some time and has been stable. I will take the bearing and shaft off and try and re-align it, but I just wanted to make sure it can wait a bit and I don't have to rush out right now and tackle it. Probably going to have to replace the bearings and shaft. They don't come apart easily. Thanks brother.

 

[Franklin318]

yeah I thought it might be something wrong when I first saw it but I got it brand new and it's been fine ever since. I was wondering do you pump a lot of Grease in those cutter bearings and the Jack shaft bearing? it seems like I can put 50 pumps in before it will even start to purge.
just wondering thanks.

 

[Jimma]

I normally push about 20 or 25 pumps. On one of the bearings that seem a bit noisier than the others, I put in enough to see it just start to ooze out. Mine doesn't cut a smoothly as it should and get very noisy when I get to ground level and increases the deeper I go. Brand new teeth smooth it out quite a bit, but I can't effort to change the teeth every 2 or 3 stumps. Thought it might be a bearing and changed the lower ones, but it didn't help much. But when I went to change the bearings, they refused to come off and had to cut the shaft and replace that too, so I don't really want to touch them unless I have to. Sharpening the main cutting teeth help, but doesn't solve it and they only last for a couple of cuts. I've owned a a dozen types of grinders, but I still haven"t quite figured this one out yet. Like to get a complete repair manual from Carlton, but I haven't been able to locate one.

 

[Franklin318]

I normally push about 20 or 25 pumps. On one of the bearings that seem a bit noisier than the others, I put in enough to see it just start to ooze out. Mine doesn't cut a smoothly as it should and get very noisy when I get to ground level and increases the deeper I go. Brand new teeth smooth it out quite a bit, but I can't effort to change the teeth every 2 or 3 stumps. Thought it might be a bearing and changed the lower ones, but it didn't help much. But when I went to change the bearings, they refused to come off and had to cut the shaft and replace that too, so I don't really want to touch them unless I have to. Sharpening the main cutting teeth help, but doesn't solve it and they only last for a couple of cuts. I've owned a a dozen types of grinders, but I still haven"t quite figured this one out yet. Like to get a complete repair manual from Carlton, but I haven't been able to locate one.

yeah I'm not looking forward to changing those bearings. I might be getting back with you when I have to do that though.
Do you have a website?
thanks, Paul

 

[Jimma]

If you are changing the shaft also, when changing the bearings. It's a little laborious because you have to take off the belts the pulley's, and everything else. But if you can cut the shaft or cut off the bearings without damaging the shaft, not so bad. There is probably an easy way to free up the bearings, but I couldn't find it.I do have a web site, beaverstumpgrinding.net.

 

[Stump Grinder52]

If you are changing the shaft also, when changing the bearings. It's a little laborious because you have to take off the belts the pulley's, and everything else. But if you can cut the shaft or cut off the bearings without damaging the shaft, not so bad. There is probably an easy way to free up the bearings, but I couldn't find it.I do have a web site, beaverstumpgrinding.net.

 

[Stump Grinder52]

Hey Jim hope all is well, my machine is a 4012 and the Sandvik wheel which is dead center,1 1/2"each side.As far cutter wheel wear goes, took my machine to my local welding shop and had the wheel had Hard Faced so far has held up good.I have always found those Sandvik wheels don't like grind on a flat surface, say your grinding and your at your depth and their's stump left underneath, that's when the wheel jump and make noise.If I grind a pine, and plunge right thru it no problem.

 

[Eq Broker]

Hi Jim,

Sorry I couldn't get back to you sooner.

If the bolt is broken, weld a nut to it and back it out.

I'm now carrying the Timken sealed bearings and I should have the 1 11/16" in stock soon. Rexnord/Linkbelt has changed their bearings for the worse and the seal are coming out pretty quickly. I do have some Timken's in for SP7015's. The Timkens are holding up a lot better but they're having problems getting the housings out of Canada.

Sorry, I couldn't get back to you sooner.

Hope this helps!

Dave
Global Equipment Exporters
770-420-6400

 

[Jimma]

Thanks Dave. I have a spare set of bearings. I got a set to change the top bearings but they didn't need it so I kept the bearings. I just smoke the belt on the motor side and it broke a hydraulic line on the way out. So I changed that line and put on a new belt. Had to take the Hydraulic motor off to get it one. When I got all back together and put in hydraulic fluid, it turned cloudy as soon as I used the machine. I had the hydraulic fluid in my shed for a couple of years but can't see how it would be contaminated. any thoughts?

 

[Eq Broker]

Jim,

You can do one of two things. An old timer told me to put a quart of denatured alcohol in the hydraulic fluid. Do this before you do a big job as you want the hydraulic fluid to get hot. You could also drain all hoses and tank. When replacing the hydraulic fluid, don't start the engine. If you have a Murphy/safety switch, don't press it while trying to start it. You want to prime the hydraulic pump. After bumping the engine a few times, then you can start it.

Hope this helps and have a Happy 4th.

Dave
Global Equipment Exporters
770-420-6400

 

[Jimma]

Hi Dave, thanks for the info. Although I don't get the denatured alcohol thing, I"d much rather try that than drain the fluid. Not sure what would cause the fluid to cloud up and was afraid to run it like that. Maybe the fluid spoiled, although seems unlikely, when it was in storage. It was opened and I used a few quarts from it over the last couple of years. But always care to clean off the spout and cover when using it. But I would much prefer to add a quart of alcohol than to empty the tank, (no drain plug). And if that doesn't work then I will pump it out and replace the fluid. But it will have to wait, the sun and heat beat the crap out of me today. Thanks for responding.

 

[Eq Broker]

The denatured alcohol is to pull the water out of it. I'm wondering if the bucket had condensation build up. Keep it in a room temp building if possible.

 

[Jimma]

It was in my unheated shed for a couple of years after I used a portion, so that could very well be the case. Don't do any big jobs anymore, but I can manage a few small ones and leave it running between them to heat it up.

 

[Eq Broker]

Good. Have a Happy 4th!

 

[Jimma]

Thanks Dave, you have a blessed one too