We have seen some spindle bearing failures in the last month due to
incorrect or over-lubrication of the flexshaft. The issue stems from excess
grease making its way into the spindle bearings and causing them to degrade.
As the grease is introduced into the high speed bearings they will
immediately start to heat up and eventually the grease will destroy the
bearing cage. There are two signs that this is happening: 1) the vertically
translating cutting head heats up significantly, 2) there is considerable
amount of hardened dark material around the top bearing. If you discover
either of these to be the case call us immediately.
Lubrication on the flexshaft core should be minimal. We recommend white
lithium grease as the lubricant. It can be found at any hardware or
automotive store. The grease should be applied to the shaft along the
entire length. The grease should be thoroughly worked into the exterior of
the shaft and then all excess grease should be removed. Do not use any
materials such as rags or paper towels to remove the excess grease. These
materials can leave contaminants in the grease that can lead to other
issues. We have found
that applying the grease with bare fingers yields the best results.
Please see the below pictures for examples of correct and incorrectly
applied flexshaft grease.
Best Regards,
Your Carvewright Team.