No Love, No Joy

[SolarAndWood]

The coupling came apart on me while I was splitting last night. I backed the set screws out this morning and it seemed to go back together fine. I noticed that the shaft on the pump has a lot of play in it in and out of the pump? Is this by design or is this possibly the cause of the failure?

 

[jimbom]

Pump end play not necessarily bad. Make sure there is a little gap in the coupler if possible to allow the motor shaft and pump shaft to move slightly relatively to one another. Keeps thrust off the pump shaft.

 

[oldspark]

If the coupler and the pump are not lined up it will make the coupler back off also.

 

[SolarAndWood]

If the coupler and the pump are not lined up it will make the coupler back off also.

I was wondering if that may be part of the problem too. I probably have 100 hours on it since swapping the gas out for electric. The alignment isn't perfect, one of those temporary permanent installations. I also may have knocked the pump while splitting some big Oak rounds. At some point when I have a bunch of time on my hands, I'll come up with a permanent configuration.

 

[RNLA]

What others said. The coupler is to make a flexible connection or shock absorb. The shafts need to be lined up really close to perfect, center on center. I use to see lots of problems with conveyors we built and serviced.

 

[amateur cutter]

End play is usually not the problem as stated above. Misalignment kills those things, I'll often use a stainless steel exhaust band clamp on the coupler for alignment, tighten the mounts & remove the clamp. A C

 

[SolarAndWood]

It blew up on me within 20 minutes of firing it up after I put it back together again. Went to TSC and got a new spider. Put it together and it was running extremely smooth while just circulating. Then, I figured out what is going on. When retracting the cylinder, the pump was pushing the motor, mount and all, away from the pump. Eventually, far enough away that it no longer engaged. I threw some ratchet straps to hold it together so I could get my current job split. Time to upgrade the motor mount to a piece of steel.