Sears BT3000 Height Adjustment

[dwhite572]

Hi folks. The height adjustment on my 10 year old Sears version of the BT3000 doesn't. The angle adjustment works just fine but when I shift the lever to adjust the height the wheel is extremely difficult to turn. Any help?

[Black wallnut]

Could be a number of issues or causes. Check your riving knife and anti-kickback pawls for rear opening clearance first. Check for shims being present, and check for the elevation screw turning. If you identify where the problem is we can talk you through the repair and cost.

[dwhite572]

Sears BT3000 Height Adjustment

The knife and anti-kickback pawls are off. Based on what I can see, the elevation screw is locked up tighter than a drum. Any thoughts on how to free the screw up? I've used this saw quite a bit and I suspect that sawdust may have gotten in the screw mechanism.

[Black wallnut]

Sometimes the bottom jam nut below the pinyon gears is too tight to permit easy turning. Check that first. If that is not the problem then a liberal application of a penitrating oil may free up the elevation screw. Sadly the most likely cause is that your motor boss where the elevation screw passes through is likely stripped and will need to be drilled, tapped, and a thread insert such as a Heli-coil will need installed. Spendy but not cost prohibitive.

[pelligrini]

It might end up being what Mark says, those can be the problems. Try cleaning and lubricating everything first, especially the crown gears and elevation screw. My later model Craftsman version started having some elevation problems. It ended up being a dirty crown gear and screw. Once I got them all clean and waxed everything moved smoothly.

Before I cleaned the gears, I thought I was having shim issues. I had pulled a lot of the saw apart and put it back togeather as I thought the problem was something else.

If you haven't seen it yet, get the FAQ from Loring. There's a lot of info in it.

[LCHIEN]

actually probably your threaded hole where the elevation screw is probably NOT stripped, or the crank would turn but not elevate. Probably a thorough cleaning of the saw with the sides off will reveal its jam packed with sawdust, if you have used your saw a lot and not used a vac on the dust port to help evacuate it.

My FAQ will list all the possible causes for elevation problems and recommendations on how to lube your saw and keep it clan so as not to jam it again.

[cork58]

Something I did after having the same problem was to make sure that I add dry graphite to the shims. No don't think that that will be the answere to your problem. You will still need to clean and keep clean the rest of the saw, gears, motor, ect. There is an shim update that I did on one saw and it worked so well I used it on the other. It helps the shims stay in place. It is quite the job and took about a day on the first one and just a couple of hours on the second. First time was trial and error. You will need to be ready to drill and tap new holes for the shim stays.

My 2 cents is keep it clean and well lubed, the whole saw, not just the gears on the saw. I just cleaned my motoers for the first time a month or so ago and was amazed at the amount of crud in the motors, of course it had been years of service. That has now become a yearly maintance as well. OH! The shim lube, when ever I have the blade all the way up for whatever reason I get the graphite out!

Download LORIN'S advice, it is worth at least a donation of $100.00 to the site, or maybe him LOL.

[dwhite572]

Sears BT3000 Height Adjustment

Thanks, folks, for your suggestions. I took the sides off as Loring recommended, vacuumed the sawdust out, oiled the elevation screw and, voila!!, I can raise and lower the height like it was brand new! Off and running, er, cutting!

Thanks again for all of your help!

[pelligrini]

Cool, glad to hear it.

That's one thing I like about my 21829 with the folding stand, maintenance is a lot easier with the saw in its side. I don't have to take any panels off. I'll clean and lube mine a couple times a year at least.

[LCHIEN]

Thanks, folks, for your suggestions. I took the sides off as Loring recommended, vacuumed the sawdust out, oiled the elevation screw and, voila!!, I can raise and lower the height like it was brand new! Off and running, er, cutting!

Thanks again for all of your help!

If you have a shop vac with a 2.5" hose, connect it to the dust port in the back of the saw. Run it when you run the saw. That will help keep the dust down a great deal within your saw. Clean and lube the saw periodically.


Preferably the shop vac should be plugged into a separate cirrcuit on a spearate circuit breaker because the load of the saw plus vac on a single circuit could exceed 15 amps capacity of most home circuits.