Oil Seal Diameter for Shelix Head Installation

[Michael Stockdale]

Guys and Gals,

I am in the middle of installing my Byrd Shelix cutterhead in my General International 15" planer... Got everything ripped apart and as I am replacing the bearings I notice that the seal diameter on the new Byrd head is different than on my General head... By close to .4"! I seem to remember reading somewhere about the possibility of needing to replace the oil seals, but for the life of me, I cannot find the article/pdf. I believe it was in a Grizzly document, but navigating their website for supporting documentation like this is maddening!

Does anyone know of the issue I am speaking about, and if so, can you point me to the correct document so that I can order the correct seal? The last thing I want to do is reassemble this thing and have it weeping oil all over the place!

Thanks in advance...

Mike

[Thomas O Jones Jr]

Guys and Gals,

I am in the middle of installing my Byrd Shelix cutterhead in my General International 15" planer... Got everything ripped apart and as I am replacing the bearings I notice that the seal diameter on the new Byrd head is different than on my General head... By close to .4"! I seem to remember reading somewhere about the possibility of needing to replace the oil seals, but for the life of me, I cannot find the article/pdf. I believe it was in a Grizzly document, but navigating their website for supporting documentation like this is maddening!

Does anyone know of the issue I am speaking about, and if so, can you point me to the correct document so that I can order the correct seal? The last thing I want to do is reassemble this thing and have it weeping oil all over the place!

Thanks in advance...

Mike

I am installing a Byrd Shelix in my Grizzly G1021 15" planer. I got the Grizzly installation instructions and they are silent on a size differential for the seal. (go to grizzly web site for these instructions) I inspected my seal that remained in the gear box housing when I removed the old cutter head. I had to use a big commercial press to get the old cutter head and bearing out of the gear box housing. We put the Shelix cutter in a lathe and filed the shaft on both ends so that the bearings would fit snugly. At that point, I could have easily gotten a new seal to install that would fit both the gear box housing opening and the cutter shaft. Maybe the difference you have is the diameter of the opening in the gear box or the shaft on your old cutter head. The seal Grizzly calls for is 28 X 40 X 8mm. The bearing is a 6204-2RS. I'd be interested in your results! Tom in Greensboro, NC

[David Ragan]

HOw about calling the folks where you bought the Shelix? The place I got mine from seemed very helpful.. Holgren (?)

[Michael Stockdale]

I called Byrd directly thins morning and they confirmed that the shaft on the new Byrd Shelix head is indeed about .035 smaller than the original. I also discovered where I had read about the different sizes... It was in the instructions that came with the head... Duh! Here's a quote from the instructions:

OEM CURRENT SHAFT/SEAL ID IS 1.037 PER PLANER MFG REQUEST 2.2.11 NOTE: AND WILL CHANGE AGAIN TO 1.031 ON THE HEAD PER PLANER MFG REQUEST SOMETIME IN THE FIRST PART OF 2013.

OLDER SEAL IS 1.050-1.070 UP THROUGH 2006 USE OF THE OLD SEAL AND A NEW HEAD WITH A SEAL SHAFT DIA OF 1.037 CAN CAUSE THE GEAR OIL TO LEAK AND RUN DOWN THE SIDE OF THE GEAR BOX. IF THIS IS A CONCERN A NEW SEAL CAN BE PURCHASED FROM US FOR $17.00 OR FROM WWW.EREPLACEMENTPARTS.COM (http://WWW.EREPLACEMENTPARTS.COM) 15” PLANER PART #6284843 20” PLANER PART #6292760



Sara at ByrdTool was very helpful and confirmed that the p/n 6284843 would work perfectly in my planer even though my numbers don't agree with the above... She said that the outer diameter of the journal keep changing and they haven't updated the instructions to reflect... My old head measured 1.040"... the new one 1.0027.

I ordered two this morning (just in case I mess one up installiing it) and have already received confirmation that they have shipped. Total cost with shipping for both of them was less than $15.

Thanks to Thomas and David for responding... I think I have this one handled. I hope so, anyway. We will find out in a few days.

Mike

[Michael Stockdale]

Ok... SO, my measurements in the above post are wrong... I failed to zero out my micrometer, so if I add .03" to both measurements, they fall right into the correct range.

Got the new seals today from ereplacements.com and they fit the new Shelix head nicely. Planer going back together this afternoon. Will report on the performance of the Byrd Shelix head, but from everything I have read, and from my experience with my jointer, I expect good things!

Mike