FlashJim Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 I recently bought the Sears Craftsman 22401 14" Bandsaw. I love the saw, but had a problem. If you haven't replaced your guide bearings yet, be prepared to. I had a grand total of maybe 10 minutes on my new 22401 when it started slinging grease. I hope this helps someone. Metal seal completely gone Use the 22401's included hex wrench for removal Everything will be reused except for the bearing itself The biggest lump of grease left by the bearings All of the bearings are removed in the same fashion The tube of 10 new bearings were bought on Ebay. Reuse the hardware including the sleeve Reassemble in reverse order All I have to do is replace the bottom bearings and I'll be done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 If you have low miles on those bearings your set up is not correct. I have been running a set of bearing for quite some time now(I am not sure if skateboard bearings are the same quaality, but you can get replacement bearings from just about any woodworking store or hardware store- they are pretty standard). Your blade should not be pressing against the rear guide bearing while running(it may touch lightly, but not press). If it is pressing the blade is probably not running properly on the wheels. When you set up your guides. Loosen all your bearings so that the blades moves without touching them. Spin the wheels by hand(be sure the machine is not plugged in) and get your blade to travel correctly without guides. Then set your bearings so that they are close(some have them lightly touch) to the blade, but to not distort the travel. Also if you run the bearings close. Be sure to clean the blade and bearings frequently to avoid buildup. This will create friction(which kills bearings as well as blades). Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biliousfrog Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 brilliant, thanks for the tutorial. I don't have that saw but I guess that the bearings are usually the same size? seems like a worthwhile upgrade & looks funky too! [EDIT] you can get various makes of skateboard bearings, I'd guess that they're of equal or better quality then those used on bandsaw's as they have to put up with a lot of constant pressure...especially from pro-skaters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlashJim Posted February 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 brilliant, thanks for the tutorial. I don't have that saw but I guess that the bearings are usually the same size? seems like a worthwhile upgrade & looks funky too! [EDIT] you can get various makes of skateboard bearings, I'd guess that they're of equal or better quality then those used on bandsaw's as they have to put up with a lot of constant pressure...especially from pro-skaters. Yep, standard size: Bore: 8mm Diameter: 22mm Width: 7mm The bearings I used were 608-2RS ABEC7. I have 4 extras, so I'll probably tear one apart to compare them to the originals. The originals have a stamped metal seal. That's the weak point of these bearings. All would be fine if they did their job ... seal. The thrust bearing actually saw action and spun the seal off on the first time the blade touched it. It's a common problem with this model saw. Luckily I know a few dozen people that own the same saw and I planned ahead. I bought the new bearings before I bought the saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherokee6 Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 I'm not sure skate bearings are the way to go. A bandsaw runs at a higher rpm than skates. 2 large size router bearings may be more suitable. Give it a try and let us know how it turns out; just be careful if they start to go. Always wear a face shield! Nice tutorial though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 The originals have a stamped metal seal. That's the weak point of these bearings. All would be fine if they did their job ... seal. The thrust bearing actually saw action and spun the seal off on the first time the blade touched it. It's a common problem with this model saw. Luckily I know a few dozen people that own the same saw and I planned ahead. I bought the new bearings before I bought the saw. Blows my mind that these bearings are a known problem, and they don't use different ones. It is such a cheap but critical part. If you just touched the bearing and it failed. My responce is way off base . I imagined it would take a good deal of heat and a good bit of pressure to cause that kind of failure. I do wonder if the thrust bearing not having a guide slot will effect perfomance. I am sure you will know the first time you give it a go. I am not sure how much more expensive Carters replacement bearings would be vs skateboard(Carter sells them for about $2.50, Thrust w/slot is a bit more), but if the skateboard bearings don't pan out that is an option(and I know they are good quality). Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlashJim Posted February 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 I do wonder if the thrust bearing not having a guide slot will effect perfomance. The OE bearing didn't have a slot. I am not sure how much more expensive Carters replacement bearings would be vs skateboard(Carter sells them for about $2.50, Thrust w/slot is a bit more) Actually, Carter sells the replacement bearings for their 2300 series for $8.25 each. Part # BRG-38 Carter Parts List for 2300 series conversion kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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