Near Impossible to Change Router Bases

[cwsmith]

I finally got a chance to change the motor housing this afternoon. My apologies for not getting to it sooner, but I am running a bit behind on my current home project.

So, how successful was this little motor housing change? NOT VERY! The new housing is worse than the old one. I can barely get it to fit in the base at all.

I figured I would simply do the job, make sure everything fit correctly, and then repeat the process and document and photograph the process. But after going through it, I couldn't get the motor assembly with it's new housing to fit into the base at all. Frustrating!

So, I disassembled the base... removing the adjustment collar from the base casting. (The collar is retained to the aluminum base with a hard-plastic, O-ring-like piece that slides into a groove from the inside.) I was hoping that once the adjustment collar was removed, I could better see where the motor housing was binding. But the fact is, it's diameter is just too large for the opening in either the adjustment ring or the aluminum base.

I can get it to slide into the base, but you almost have to force it, and it's definitely binding, especially right at the nose of the housing. Trying to slip just the adjustment ring around the housing is even more difficult, and it definitely binds. Together, there is no way that this thing is going to fit without jamming so tightly, I might not be able to get it apart again.

According the website, (posted earlier) this part is from a new supplier and I don't know if that is part of the problem or just a nice duplicate of a part that is wrongly dimensioned.

One thing that I did notice was that the housing isn't consistant along it's length. I placed a straight edge against the side, along the centerline, and checking at several points around its circumferance, I noticed that the straight edge touchs only at the collet end and at the base. Elementary observation for sure, but obvioiusly the diameter varies along it's length, with the collet end being larger in diameter.

At this point, I need to call Ryobi again. But I think I'm beating a dead horse. Obviously the part isn't right, this tool is long out of production, and considering it's cost, I'm beginning to wonder if it's even worth pursueing. But darnnnn, I hate to see something that simply "isn't right".

I should point out that neither the base or the housing has ever seen any lubricant or chemical of any kind. You can see marks on the motor case and on the base, where friction is occuring as one tries to fit these parts together.

BTW, changing the motor housing isn't a particularly big deal, but they didn't tap the screw holes very well and in trying to re-install the mounting screws, you've got to be very careful not to tear out the Phillips Heads. Also, when you remove the collet-end plate, it securely holds the motor rotor and on slipping it out, the brushes will spring forward. You'll have to also pull the cap, the dress molding (blue plastic piece with the decal). To put the thing back together will require removal of the brush assemblies (for each, there's one screw with a retaining tab). Once the rotor is in place, the brush assemblies simply slide into position and are fastened with the screw and tab.

More to come, and I'll get some photos,

CWS

[pelligrini]

This might be a lot of work; but what about sanding one of the housings down and polishing so it will fit into the bases batter?

[phi1l]

I am curious to know if this is just a one time change in dimensions or if it contines with time.

[cwsmith]

Pelligrini,

Thought of that, and it may be a solution, but the housing is spiral grooved to "thread" with the adjustment collar. The motor housing appears to be some kind of glass-filled plastic, as it appears pretty durable. My first thought was that it might be Delrin, but I don't think so. Certainly that will be a step that I may have to take, especially since it does properly slide into the aluminum portion of the base. If it fit there, then I would have considered to just sand the inside diameter of the adjustment collar, with appears to be more of a hard rubber-like material.

Phil,

It appears to me as a problem that continues with time. When first purchased, everything worked, adjusted, fit quite well. Within a year it was so tight that it couldn't be adjusted. I originally had mine "serviced" under warranty and the service center told me that they replace the motor housing. When I got it back it was perfect, but here we are a couple years later and the thing is so tight that it is no longer useable in either of the fixed bases.

In the plunge base, where it simply slides in and locks in position, it works great (no adjustment collar there) and that is where I have used it. But a month or so ago (see earlier posts) I tried putting into the D-handle base, and it once again, wouldn't fit (same in the standard fixed base).

I presumed it was the motor housing (based on first experience with service center), but this new housing simply will not fit into the bases (as described).

Other owners (as also previously posted) appear to be having the same problem, but my conversation with Ryobi is that they have no reports/history of this problem and that they have thoroughly researched the materials well ahead of production. The concern of course is whether out of a few thousand sold, if the infinitely small number of complaints received have simply been judged not enough to be concerned with, or whether they don't have a proper tracking system in place (the individual assured me that they do track these things). Also, I know that while people do share their concerns with other forum members, do they really complain to the manufacturer?

On a personal note though, I'm thinking that I'm being a PIA over such a cheap tool that is now somewhat dated and well out of production. (In other words, maybe I should just shut up and buy a Porter-Cable or Milwaukee multi-base router.) But, money comes too hard to just throw things away and buy a new tool everytime I run into a challenge.

CWS

[Mr__Bill]

But, money comes too hard to just throw things away and buy a new tool everytime I run into a challenge.

CWS

Think of it as an opportunity to make a slot mortising machine.

We will be expecting photos and timely updates...

Bill
it's not more work if someone else is doing it.

[phi1l]

Think of it as an opportunity to make a slot mortising machine.

I know I wouldn't need that much of an excuse to make one