Belt tracking problem

B

Bristol Bear

Joined
Dec 13, 2018
Messages
7
hi can anyone help I am building a newer grinder but after completion when I put a belt on all the belt wants to do is track to the left , I have checked all wheels are aligned near on perfect also I have tried a different belt but no matter what I do it just tracks left
I am stuck for ideas so I have turned to any of you guys for help please.
 
does it track to the left when you are not grinding, or just when you grind ? if it moves over when you are grinding, usually that is a sign of the belt not being tight enough.
 
In addition to what john said, i had an issue of too much play in the tracking/tensioning wheel setup. All the wheels were in the same plane, but that one wheel would twist under tension due to the play and it threw off the tracking. I believe this should only happen if, when changing belts, the belt slips off the left side of the wheels (i.e. they are mounted to the grinder with right side of wheel facing grinder).
 
Hi no the belt is tight and I am not even grinding I’m just pull the belt to check before turning on I’m trying to find out how to upload a video to show it happing
 
You really need to upload a photo using one of the free imaging hosting sites. Personally I prefer https://imgbb.com/ but there are other sites available - ANYTHING other than photobucket!!

Your photo needs to show the type of tracking system you've got and how it's adjusted.
 
Bristol Bear said:
hi can anyone help I am building a newer grinder but after completion when I put a belt on all the belt wants to do is track to the left , I have checked all wheels are aligned near on perfect also I have tried a different belt but no matter what I do it just tracks left
I am stuck for ideas so I have turned to any of you guys for help please.
Click to expand...
If they are near perfect you will have no tracking problem .Check them again ,this time in ALL direction .Wheels are only moving part on belt grinder ....so ;)
 
d4d2Wby
Hi not sure because I’m using an iPad but I can’t imgbb does not recognise the video format how difficult is this
Thanks for you help I can’t workout how to upload a video file
 
Several suggestions:
Checking by hand rotation isn't going to tell you what seeing it running will. Try and set the tracking manually, then turn the grinder on and adjust while running.

Rigidity is one of the biggest factors with belts constantly tracking left. If the tool arm or other arms have any flex at all, the belt moves left. Is you tool arm solid or square tubing?
Wheels align in three axes. Check that they are in alignment from front to back with a good straightedge. Place the edge on the centerline of the contact wheel and the drive wheel. They should touch both front and rear on both wheels. The tracking wheel should be similarly aligned. Then check that all are the same along the shaft axes vertically. Hold the straight edge vertical along the centerline of both wheels and see if either has a cant.

Check that the tracking arm does not have flex. People forget that the tracking arm needs to be just as solid as the tool arm. It also needs a strong tension spring. It is tighter than one would think if they aren't used to grinders. Adjustable tension is a plus.

Is the motor bolted to the frame C-face, or a shaft and pulleys. Make sure that there are no loose bolts.

Try dialing your tracking to the right all the way and see if the issue reverses.
 
Bristol Bear said:
d4d2Wby
Hi not sure because I’m using an iPad but I can’t imgbb does not recognise the video format how difficult is this
Thanks for you help I can’t workout how to upload a video file
Click to expand...
Could you post the video to youtube ? then you could just give the youtube link
 
Your tracking mechanism looks like it needs to be moved outboard some. Try a few washers at a time.
 
I don't see how the tracking system works - is the tracking wheel just mounted to that thin (looks <1/4") metal strip? Move the camera around a bit showing the tracking system from different angles and how you adjust it. Make the video at least 30 seconds, better a minute or so long. You're right, not time to start grinder yet - need to get it tracking when turning by hand as you are. Once you get it tracking by hand, then you can run grinder and do the final adjustment.
 
Yea what the tracking wheel is mounted to looks way to flimsy. Question- you said "I have checked all wheels are aligned near on perfect" - how did you check for that? I stopped the video at 15 seconds and the tracking wheel is not even close to being lined up correctly. How do you adjust tracking? the tracking wheel needs to tilt back and fourth , looks like tracking wheel needs to be tilted so the top goes left and the bottom moves right
 
Also I can easily make my belt move to the left like that if I move my tracking adjuster , then I could turn it the other way and make the belt go off of the other side. Trick is to find the sweet spot
 
Bristol Bear said:
d4d2Wby
Hope this works
Click to expand...
Judging by what I see at the end of this clip , you need more tension on belt .Tension changed tracking on belt grinders , different tension different tracking . ...And don t pull belt by hand when test , you don t pull straight down you pull on side to . Try to turn belt with one wheel .....
 
the tracking wheel, as seen/viewed in the video angle, needs to move downward to the right. in the video it is too high to the left, and that is why the belt i moving to the left.
 
at 0:12 in the video i can see the belt is way too loose because you should not be able to move it like that with a finger. the belt should be tight enough that the unsupported edge vibrates like a guitar string when you puck it.
 
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