Belt Tracking Issue - KMG

A

Augus7us

Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
694
Hey Guys,

I got my new KMG up and running yesterday after wrestling with flexible conduit and wire that was most likely a gauge or two oversized... After flipping the switch and rejoicing at the lack smoke or fire I put a belt on and gave it some power. I noticed the belt appeared to be wobbling left and right about a quarter inch. I thought I had something wrong called it a night and returned today to fix it and had no luck. I tried upping the tension, changing belts, changing platens and nothing seemed to take the wobble out. Increasing the tension helped but it was still going back and forth enough to make it impossible to grind anything strait on the edge of the platen.

Everything on the KMG appears to be fine but I don't know how small an imperfection can be and cause this issue. Having changed out the platen and trying two different belts I am assuming the issue lies in either the wheel on the tension arm, the wheel on the drive shaft or these belts. The belts were an amazon discount special, fandeli maybe? Any ideas? Its killing me going to my shop and not grinding a knife out!!!


Thanks!
 
Belt seam is likely the issue. Get a good quality belt and likely problem will be gone.

If you have a vfd, you can slow down and watch the deviation at the same place on the belt as it comes around.

Make sure the CENTER of all wheels are the same distance from the frame. The top plate for the tool arm can be adjusted if all else fails. Rob will provide directions off needed.

Good luck.
 
Belt seam is likely the issue. Get a good quality belt and likely problem will be gone.

If you have a vfd, you can slow down and watch the deviation at the same place on the belt as it comes around.

Make sure the CENTER of all wheels are the same distance from the frame. The top plate for the tool arm can be adjusted if all else fails. Rob will provide directions off needed.

Good luck.
 
Wow that is a bunch something is going on there. I have never seen a belt cause the belt to move a 1/4" each way. The worst I have seen on very cheap belt is maybe a 1/16" I guess it could happen though if the belt splice is way way off. Like PT doc said check to make sure the wheel centers are all inline.
Shoot me a PM if you need help on how to check the wheel centers are in plane.
 
If you try a new good quality belt and the answer is the same you might look at the tightness of the tracking wheel. When my KMG was fairly new I had a slight belt (about 1/8th") wobble and I checked the belt tension first but later discovered a slight amount of play on the tracking wheel. Grab it and try to move it . If there is the slightest play then tighten the bolt that runs through the piece that the tracking wheel is screwed in to and while you are at it check the tightness of the tracking arm pivot. It has to be tight enough to hold the arm steady but not so tight as to cause the arm to bind and not move up and down from the spring tension. (you can lubricate the pivot too) I check this about every six months. In my case I have been using a KMG for over five years and love the machine. One other cause can be if the tool arm axle is not perfectly perpendicular to the wheel. I made all my own tool arms and got one hole drilled and tapped slightly off. That can cause belt problems for sure but a stock KMG tool arm is going to be right. When you put a belt on and put tension on it the tracking arm should be about level. If none of that helps call Rob Frink at Beaumont Metal Works and ask him for help. You can also contact Brett Mathews as suggested. He builds grinders and is very knowledgeable.
 
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Larry, thanks for the tip on belt wobble, I checked everything you mentioned on my KMG which had a slight wobble. I tightened up the pivot arm and the tracking wheel, now it perfect , no wobble.
 
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