Help! W/Belts

[Dwaddle]

Anyone interested in making a buck or 2, or a couple of six packs or bottle wine?
I been try to put on new belts, several/many times over the last couple of months but to no avail, I have one belt one but can't seem to get the other on. I would pay or trade to anyone who could help getting the last belt on. I live in Carrollton and would travel most anywhere in the metromess. Any one game?

thanks
DWaddle

[jmayko@sbcglobal.net]

belt replacement

Hello Dwaddle,

This is an article I am working on to post. I can not figure out how to get the pictures to show up in it. If you want the pictures, E-mail me(jmayko@sbcglobal.net) and I should be able to send it to you as an attachment.



Hello everyone,

I just spent an interesting couple of days with my BT3000. I broke a belt and had “one of of those days”.
First I did a search on this site and read just about everything on belt and arbor bearing replacement.
I choose Replacing Arbor Bearings on BT3000 by big tim.

Replacing Arbor Bearings - BT3Central Forums

AndBelt Replacement Instructions By Ed Ellickson

http://www.bt3central.com/articles/articles.asp



Big tim’s post is an excellent step by step way to do this with many clear photos. Other then dinging the pulley, everything went smooth.

Now to the fun part.

Having to R&R the belts two and a half times I think I have found an easy way.
First time I did it by Ed’s way, I made the conduit tool and it work pretty good the first time. I still thought there might be an easier way. I remember reading a post by slick_rick where his daughter thought of using a wrench to rotate the arbor. I tried it and it worked. But not having a ten year old at hand, 3AM, things were a little tight with both hands in there. So here is my final solution.

First put the arbor nut on the arbor.

Use a 19MM deep socket with a long extension and rachet. This gets your one hand out of the way.

Now rotate the arbor counter clockwise and deflect the top edge of the belt downwards onto the arbor to catch the grooves.

Continue to work the belt around and checking the belt at the motor shaft.

Once the belt is in place work in down by deflecting the top edge of the belt.

You will probably think I am a glutton for punishment because I had to R&R the side panel, dust cover, guide holder and belt to do this post. Total time was 20 minutes, including taking the pictures with one hand.

As to belts and parts, here is the link to Sears. Put in BT3100 for Model Number.

http://www3.sears.com/

Belt is $9.20 + S&H and here in three days. I bought four to have two spares.

I hope this helps and I want to thank all of the members for their posts on these subjects.

John

[markham56]

Bad link to Ed Ellickson drvive belt replacement article?

I can't find an article anywhere on this site written by Ed Ellickson. The web link listed by John Mayco doesn't work anymore. Can I get a PDF copy somewhere?

[LCHIEN]

I think the text that follows the link to the missing article is describing what JM said is a better Method. Basically using a socket wrench and extension to turn the arbor while working the belts on.

BTW, the arbor nut is 3/4" - this is the proper size altho the 19mm suggested in the text is close enough if you don't have the 3/4" socket.

Here's JM's article of his improved way to put belts on, with pictures:

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=31202

I haven't done it but it looks good to me.

[LCHIEN]

Here is the text of the Ellison procedure from my BT3 FAQ, i f you still want it. J Mayo's suggestion to use a socket wrench is at the end.


The BT3 FAQ Rev 4.10 Apr 7, 2011
Copyright 2009,2010 by Loring Chien Page 35 of 57
This text is from a post on the Ryobi Power Tool Forum by Ed Ellickson titled
"belt replacement” dated 9/13/98.
When I broke my belts installing a zero-clearance throat plate, the search engine
was down. The tech place where I bought the replacement belts didn't provide
much help or direction. For those who have the problem later on, here is the
procedure I figured out, which is quite fast:
1. Unplug the saw.
2. Remove the six screws holding the angled cover onto the left side of the saw
and remove the cover.
3. Remove the seven screws holding the dust cover [e.g. blade shroud] on, then
remove the cover.
4. Remove the saw blade, guard, arbor spacers and nut.
5. Remove 4 screws holding the slides together.
6. Remove the 2 screws holding the arbor bearing in place. Pull straight out on the
bearing assembly, exposing the two shafts and belt area.
7. Fabricate a "spoon" tool. I used a foot-long piece of regular electrical conduit
and made a 1" cut lengthwise through the middle of the tubing, then cut off one of
the halves, creating a hollow tube / spoon lever or prybar.
8. Start the first belt with about 1/3 of its edge halfway onto the upper shaft (left
side), and hold it with your left hand. Stick the spoon tool through the free end of
the belt (hollow side toward the shaft) and using a right-handed circular motion,
pry the bottom of the belt onto and around the lower shaft, while turning the upper
pulley clockwise with the left hand. Once the belt is started on both shafts, prying
with the tool in a circular motion on the lower shaft will stretch and work the

belt back onto the shaft. Then, turn the upper shaft with a wrench or other tool.
9. Repeat this process 3 or 4 times until the lower belt is seated. Remember, while
you are turning the upper shaft with a wrench, as long as you hear a "snapping"
sound, the belt is still moving back onto the upper shaft.
10. When the first belt is all the way to the rear of both shafts, repeat the process
with the second belt. When done, the second belt will be exactly flush with the
outer edge of both shafts.
11. If you haven't done so already, clean off all sawdust, etc from everything.
12. Using a dab or two (small) of wheel bearing grease or Vaseline, align the two
flat shims onto the motor. (You should be able to tell the correct orientation by the
wear marks on the shims). The two shims with the 90-degree bend mount onto the
arbor bearing housing; again their proper orientation can be determined by
friction marks.
13. Working carefully, just start the two screws holding the arbor bearing onto it's
back plate. Then start the four screws holding the entire arbor bearing assembly.
When all are started properly, tighten the two bearing screws alternatively, then
tighten the other four screws last.
14. If still needed and you are careful, mount the blade and the zero-clearance
throat plate. After checking that the blade rotates freely, not binding on the throat
plate or saw body, plug in the saw,
turn it on, and by gradually raising the blade, cut the slot in the throat plate while
you can see what's going on. (Wear glasses, because plastic bits will fly
everywhere!)
15. When done, re-install the dust catcher and the end panel and you are done!
Total time 20-30 minutes, depending upon speed and dexterity.

One hint I have seen is to thread the arbor nut back on the arbor with the blade removed. You can
then use a ¾” socket and a ratchet to turn the arbor shaft which will make it much easier to walk
the belts on than turning the assemblies by hand alone.

[cabinetman]

One hint I have seen is to thread the arbor nut back on the arbor with the blade removed. You can
then use a ¾” socket and a ratchet to turn the arbor shaft which will make it much easier to walk
the belts on than turning the assemblies by hand alone.

Kinda like running a belt over the edge of a pulley to get it on.

.