How To Repair Stump Grinder With Excess Vibration
- Rated as REALLY EASY
- 3 step by step videos
Cutters
If your stump grinder is vibrating excessively during use, stop the engine immediately. Strong and excessive vibrations usually mean that a moving component is loose or off balance, and continuing to operate the unit in this condition can be very dangerous. The first thing to check once the engine has been stopped is the cutters. If the cutters are loose or broken, their fast rotation when the machine is running can cause the unit to vibrate excessively. If the cutters are simply loose, tighten them until they are secure. If one or more cutters are broken, they will need to be replaced before the machine can be used again. Refer to your user manual for the replacement part numbers should new cutters be required.
Bearings
If the cutters are secure and in good condition, the bearings that the cutterhead spins on could be broken or damaged. These bearings allow the cutterhead to rotate freely with little resistance. Vibration related to bad bearingss will be caused once the bearing starts to come apart. As a bearing fails it will first begin to seize. The first symptoms of this will be loud squealing sounds from the bearing and excessive heat, to the point of bluing the metal parts of the bearing. If use is continued once the bearing has completely seized it will quickly fail causing some if not all of the steel ball bearings to come out of the bearing. When this occurs the cutterhead will not spin true, causing. Remove the cutterhead and inspect the bearings. They should be able to spin with relative ease. If the bearings are seized or show resistance when spun, they should be replaced.
Belt
A loose belt can cause your stump grinder to vibrate excessively. The belt should be snug and tight when in operation. If a belt is loose, it can wobble around and possibly run off the assembly altogether. This wobbling causes the machine to vibrate, and can be very dangerous as the belt moves at a very high speed. Stop the grinder completely and move the belt cover to inspect the belt. If it is loose, the idler should be adjusted to tighten it. If the belt is damaged or is running off of its intended path, it should be re-secured or replaced if necessary. Refer to your user manual for more specific information on how to adjust and care for your drive belt.
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