Powermatic 66 from 1984.. Which bearings?

[Jonathan Freinkel]

This one has me thrown. After I couldn't align the saw I decided to pull the top and check what was going on.

I ordered belts and removed the arbor assembly but can't seem to work out what bearings to get!
Mine has cheap Chinese bearings without numbers, they are the skinny kind but several places online say it should be wider.

does anyone know where I can find an 84 model year manual? and has anyone tried the ebay bearings?

i asked on owwm but the recommendation by the only poster is to order what specs equivalent to what I have my hands on :/

[Tom Henderson2]

Hopefully somebody with detailed info will respond.

BUT -- you might take your arbor to your local electric motor or bearing shop... the bearings need to be the same ID, OD and width. They ought to be able to find you suitable replacements.

I realize you are looking for a "buy the XXXX bearing" kind of answer, but the above approach will get you a good outcome.

-TH

[Mike Schuch]

When I took my PM 65 arbor to the local bearing shop they gave me a competitive price on quality bearings then removed the old ones and pressed the new ones on for free! I simply asked them nicely "How much to pull the old bearings and press the new ones on"... "No charge".

[Jim Andrew]

Bearing stores use calipers to measure your old bearings and find suitable replacements. Just tell them you want the highest grade you can find.

[Jonathan Freinkel]

When I took my PM 65 arbor to the local bearing shop they gave me a competitive price on quality bearings then removed the old ones and pressed the new ones on for free! I simply asked them nicely "How much to pull the old bearings and press the new ones on"... "No charge".

Thanks guys!

i called Applied who is the only bearing supply place near me and they told me they don't stock ones in the size similar to a 6204 :(

the only other bearing supply place is about 60 miles away so my leaf wouldn't make it there and back.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Here is a picture of the two styles Powermatic used on the 66 arbor:

http://owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=133346&hilit=powermatic+66&start=75#p938411

My 1968 PM66 has the wide bearings and narrow spacer. Yours will have the narrow bearings and wide spacer. Looks like you are checking OWWM, also look at vintagemachinery.org for information.

Doug

[Jonathan Freinkel]

Thanks guys!
I went to an electric motor rebuilder as per the recommendation and they had 2 skf bearings for $21.

Now to determine how to get the old ones off.

Thanks again guys!!

[Mike Cutler]

Thanks guys!
I went to an electric motor rebuilder as per the recommendation and they had 2 skf bearings for $21.

Now to determine how to get the old ones off.

Thanks again guys!!

Jonathan.

These are not pressed in bearings, meaning that you'll need torches and liquid nitrogen to get them in, but they will be of an extremely tight tolerance. Generally a bearing puller, or sleeve allows a person to either pull the bearing off, or tap it off. An Arbor Press is ideal, but you would have to have the jig for that bearing size. "Cheap 1/2" and 3/4" in sockets make nice jigs. I've drilled out many in my day to replace bearings. Sometimes auto parts places, or motor rebuild business will have an "Arbor Press". You have a very common bearing so it's a possibility they already have the jig required to press them off, and get them on. (The amount of small motors with a 5/8" shaft is uncountable. ;)) Any local machine shop will absolutely be able to get those bearings off and back on in just a few minutes. You'll have to pay, but then you'd be on your way in no time flat.
In absense of an arbor press;
If yours look like the bearings in the picture linked in Doug"s post, they will tap off from one side, or the other, or possibly either. Sometimes you have to make the tool to tap them off. Obviously you would need to have the arbor shaft off.
In the case of what I see in that photo, I'd get a nice piece of dense wood, or 1/2" thick aluminum bar stock, and drill a hole in the center the diameter of the inner race dimension, 20mm. I'd then mount it in a vise, put the arbor shaft through the hole and gently begin to tap the end of the shaft with a nylon hammer and drive it out. If it's really stuck, I'd throw everything in the freezer for a day or two and then try it.
The key is that you have to be able to get the bearings off in the same manner that they will go back on. If you trash the bearings taking them off, you'll most likely trash the new ones going back on.
Both race flanges need to be supported getting the bearings on. Don't put any force on the space between the flanges. If you can only get pressure applied to one flange, it has to be the inner flange.

[Jonathan Freinkel]

Thanks!!
For removal, do you remove one bearing at a time or place the plate under both bearings and spacer and remove the 3 pieces at once?

I had planned to use a 3arm puller but would have to grab under the entire stack


Thanks
J

[Mike Cutler]

Thanks!!
For removal, do you remove one bearing at a time or place the plate under both bearings and spacer and remove the 3 pieces at once?

I had planned to use a 3arm puller but would have to grab under the entire stack.

Thanks
J

Without having the actual arbor and bearing assembly in my hand, I'd probably press the bearings off as an assembly, and put them back on individually. That picture in Doug's post indicates that this might not be possible.I don't know how the inside blade arbor flange is mounted on the arbor shaft. It appears to be threaded???
The 3 arm puller will get them off, but you're still going to need something to support the bearing face and flanges putting them back on.
One trick with that bearing puller is to get a large, thick, fender washer with a 5/8" hole and get the fingers of the puller to act on that washer instead of the bearing if possible.

Go gentle and slow and you should be good. Use some crocus cloth, and jeweler's rouge, to clean up the arbor shaft once you get the bearing off. It will make getting them back on easier. Take your time and don't whack anything with a metal hammer. ;)

[Jonathan Freinkel]

This went together like cake!

i used the bearing on a lightbulb trick and turned a can of compressed air upside down and froze the shaft. Bearing went on effortlessly!

arbor is back in and looks to be good! New belts should arrive soon and then we will be back in business!

Thanks to to everyone for their help!