Ball Wheel Belt Replacement Instructions
| PART REMOVAL | BALL WHEEL BELT |
| ESTIMATED TIME | 45-60 MINUTES |
| REV DATE | 12-09-2020 |
| DIFFICULTY | BASIC-AVERAGE PINSETTER KNOWLEDGE |
TOOLS NEEDED:
3/8” drive ratchet
3/8” extension preferably 10” or longer
3/4" socket
3/4" wrench
11/16” wrench
9/16” socket
9/16” wrench
1/2" wrench
At first, changing a Ball Wheel belt will seem like a nearly impossible task. With a little practice and some hints and tips it can be done in 45 minutes or less. There are several possible procedures for this belt change, the following is one of them.
Follow the manufacturers safety recommendation for your machines.
1. Remove the power from the machine and for extra safety, disable the machines on each side.
2. Remove the rear Elevator Guard.
3. Remove the spring tension from the Ball Wheel belt idler pulley.
4. At this point you have a decision to make, you can cut the old belt or remove it in 1 piece. I like to remove the old belt intact if possible. This way if there was a manufacturing or labeling error with the new belt, I still have a belt. (It might not be great, but still better than having no belt)
5. If you cut the belt (or it is broken), remove it from the machine, if you wish to remove the old belt in one piece proceed to step 6.
6. Using a 3/4" socket on an extension with a ratchet, remove the Left-hand Ball Wheel guard.
7. Remove the Motor to Gearbox and Motor to Elevator belts.
8. Remove the Cross Conveyor drive belt.
9. Remove the Long Turret drive belt tension spring and the Long Turret belt.
10. Remove the Ball Wheel belt tension idler pulley and shaft by removing the 2 bolts that protrude through the elevator frame and each end of the shaft with a 9/16” wrench.
11. With a 9/16” socket and ratchet and a 9/16” wrench remove the 2 bolts and nuts that attach the top work platform to the elevator frame.
12. This is a good time to hook the new belt onto the top of the elevator frame and remove all twists.
13. Loosen both sets of upper Ball Wheel guide rollers and rotate them slightly away from the Ball Wheel. This will allow you to lift the Ball Wheel enough to remove the belt from the lower ball wheel guide roller on the 10-pin side of the machine.
14. Unplug the pinsetter motor and loosen the bolt that mounts the motor mounting shaft to the center frame.
(Do not remove this bolt before checking to be certain that the other end of the motor mount shaft is fastened to the elevator frame.) Loop the Ball Wheel belt around the motor and remove the mounting bolt on the center frame. (Motor mounting shaft might drop a little.) Push the Ball Wheel belt between the mounting point on the main frame and the Motor mounting shaft.
15. Remove the Ball Wheel belt from the Pit Conveyor Idler pulley.
16. Lift the Ball Wheel belt so it can be removed from the Elevator frame. Push inward on the leg of the top work platform bracket and pull upward on the belt.
17. Remove the bolts holding the ball return track and track support brace to the track support. Feed the Ball wheel belt around the support brace and under the ball track.
18. Remove the Turn Pan spring. (Hint, you can use the spring from the Elevator Cross drive belt idler as a spring removal tool)
Pull downward to remove the Turn Pan spring.
19. Remove the nuts, lock-washers and flat-washers from the J-bolts that secure the Cross-Conveyor to the Elevator frame. (The Cross-Conveyor will drop slightly. Place your foot on the Ball Lift rods and support the Cross-Conveyor with your knee)
Pass the old belt under the turn pan and over the cross-conveyor frame. You should now be able to remove the old Ball Wheel belt from the machine.
The new belt will be installed following these instructions in reverse. Make certain to readjust all parts properly and check for proper alignment of the hardware. When the new belt is installed, double check the routing and tracking.
CLICK HERE to view a belt replacement video from our friend William Pike.