dewalt dw735 belts burning up?

[jesse ross]

Is it me, or does the Dewalt dw735 planer tend to burn through belts?

I've had mine for almost a year, it has always been used with a byrd shelix head, and I've just had my 3rd belt burn up. I do a moderate amount of planing, and find 2 x 4s tend do be the culprit, but that may just be a coincidence.

Anyone who has changed a belt on these machines knows they're difficult to install, and expensive at ~$25 a pop. But beyond the task being annoying, it seems unnecessary and either a flaw in the original dw735 design, a flaw in the way the byrd head and dw735 work together, or a problem on my end in my particular model, the components, or how I'm installing the belts.

Had anyone experienced this issue?

This is probably a question for dewalt and byrd, but being the Friday after tgiving, i thought i'd throw it out to the creekers and see if anyone's had this problem... One thing I'm finding is that the pulley wheel has a little play even after tightening the nut and washer prior to installing the new belt...

[Dave Sweeney]

I've yet to have to replace a belt and I run the stock style knives.

[Myk Rian]

Find out why the head moves. Are the bearings seated thoroughly?
Make sure the pulleys are coplanar with a straight edge across them.

[Mark Bolton]

I will bet you may find its due to the shelix head being in 100% contact with the material being planed as opposed to the stock head with straight knives. You know what dewalt is going to say.

We had this same planer with the stock head and literally planed thousands of board feet of lumber, much of it chestnut oak, and never had a problem.

Mark

[Myk Rian]

I have a DW735 with a Shelix. No problems with this one. The head requires less hp than the stock one does.
There is something else going on.

[Jim Mackell]

Stock knives, one year old, about a thousand feet or so planed, no belt issues yet.

[Don Alexander]

sounds like something is out of alignment to me

[Jeff Monson]

When you say "burn up", what is the result? Do the belts burn through the ribs? or does it burn sideways, removing a rib? I had no issues with my dw735 and a shelix head, I'd say an alignment issue if sideways burning or too heavy of a cut if its burning through the ribs.

[Jim Mackell]

Stock knives, one year old, about a thousand feet or so planed, no belt issues yet.

Well, that spell of luck finally ran out! Burned one out tonight. And no one online including Dewalt has them in stock! Backordered for several weeks.

Is there an online direction on how to replace it? Got the old one out but can't seem to figure out how to apply the new one - once I can get it!

Jim

[Kyle Iwamoto]

wow, I better order one now then....... I would like to say mine hasn't burned out yet, but don't want to jinx myself.

[Rod Sheridan]

I would suggest that there are two tricks involved;

1) PM (Preventive Maintenance) is a great undertaking. Occasionally inspect, clean and adjust your machinery

2) Before the belt shreds itself, take it to an industrial power transmission supplier and have them match it up. Probably less expensive than a genuine DeWalt part that isn't made by DeWalt.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. On my limited hobby use schedule I inspect my machinery twice a year, and it coincides with the changes to daylight savings time. It's a good reminder as I'm also doing the fire extinguisher checks and smoke detector batteries.

[Myk Rian]

It seems to me I had a problem installing the pulley when I put the Byrd in. Either the washer was supposed to go on the inside, or I had the pulley backwards.
Make sure the head turns freely. Also, see that you have the bearings fully seated.

[Jim Mackell]

And no one online including Dewalt has them in stock! Backordered for several weeks.
Jim

Found a distributor in Mass who had 2. Bought them both and should be into the fixit mode on Tuesday.

[Chris Christenberry]

I burned mine a couple of days ago. I also have a Shelix cutter head. I think it was definitely my fault................I just plain took too big a bite. The belt literally melted. Contacted Dewalt Service here in Oklahoma City and they ordered one.........but said it would be a week to get it. So I got on-line and ordered one "overnight air". Dewalt called today........two days later to say it was in. My on-line order will be here tomorrow! :D Oh well, now I'll have a back up. Anyway, I think the reason they burn up is because the cutters are always in contact with the wood and the machine never gets a "breather". I'll just be more careful in the future to not take such big bites. Now, to try and figure out the best way to install the darned thing!

[Chris Christenberry]

Er, uh, bad news. Just installed the belt. Was careful to make certain all the ribs were lined up and all ran smoothly. Ran the planer for about 15 minutes..........never taking more than 1/32" bite on a half inch wide piece..................and the belt melted!!!!!!!!!:( In fact, when I stopped the machine, I had to cut the belt and rip it off the spindle pulley. Something is definitely wrong here! I'll update when I figure it out. Thank God I've another belt coming tomorrow.

Oh, and I might add..........I'm aware this thread is old, but melted belts are still a problem.

[Larry Frank]

Among the other things that I would check is that the heads are turning freely and not binding in the bushings.

I had a problem with my DW733 with the same bushings. The shaft became stuck in the bushing and broke a chain drive pulley.

I have planed a lot of wood with mt DW735 without a problem and am using standard knives.

[Myk Rian]

Something is definitely wrong here!
Did you make sure the pulley is on right? It will turn hard if not. Does the head turn easily?

[Jeff Heil]

3000 bd ft or more of QSWO and hard maple through my 735 on the original belt. I think you might have something else going on.

Jeff

[Chris Christenberry]

Did you make sure the pulley is on right? It will turn hard if not. Does the head turn easily?

It's a brand new planer...............so I'm assuming the pulley is on correctly.

[Chris Christenberry]

Head is turning freely. I'm using the Shelix head so I don't think we are talking apples and apples.

[Chris Christenberry]

Are you using the original 3-knife head or Shelix?

[Myk Rian]

Head is turning freely. I'm using the Shelix head so I don't think we are talking apples and apples.

The reason I ask is because I had a problem when changing to the Shelix. Been a while, but it was either the pulley on wrong, or a bushing behind it was.

[Chris Christenberry]

I'm going to tear into it today to try and figure it out. Have to admit, though, I'm tempted to take it to the service center and just have them install the new belt just so I know it's done correctly.

[Bob Wingard]

Not familiar with that particular machine, but it sounds like the bearings might be getting hot & seizing up. Those belts are not fragile, so it should take a lot to burn them up that quickly, but, if the motor spins up and the head resists going along for the ride .... you know the results.

Have you inspected or changed the bearings ??? Sometimes, they "feel" OK, but have gotten some crud in them that could create these problems.

[Chris Christenberry]

Bought the machine (new) in December. Installed a Shelix head. Have run less than 200 square surface feet of material through it. Bearings spin like brand new ones. So I highly doubt the bearings are bad or "crudded up".

[Jeff Lapin]

Jesse - I have had my 735 for over 5 years and run hundreds of BF thru it with the same belt. But my cutter head is the stock one. The problem may be with your retrofit head causing more drag on the belt than the orig.

[Chris Christenberry]

Jeff, I'm obviously not Jesse, but I'm sure the drag from the Shelix head is laboring the belt. I can't take more than 1/32" off per pass. I'm okay with that, but not okay with the melting belt problem.