Porter Cable model 334 ROS repair

[Lee Schierer]

So yesterday I went out to my shop to work on a project and started up my Porter Cable 334 ROS. It started up just fine and very quickly sounded like it was running in wet cement. I turned it off and note that the pad was hard to turn. I removed the pad and discovered that the bearing on the eccentric shaft was extremely stiff to rotate. I was able to remove the bearing without much difficulty other than the snap ring flew off the snap ring pliers and went flying and ricocheted off of a couple of things before it stopped. Fortunately I was able to find it after a very brief search of the floor.

The bearing was a NTN 6202/15 according to the labeling on the bearing. I called a local bearing supplier and they said they had the bearing in stock so I went to pick it up. Fortunately I took the old bearing with me and the man at the counter noted that the ID of my bearing was measuring 16 mm and the specifications for the new bearing said the ID was 15 mm. He was able to locate a different brand bearing with a 16 mm ID and identical thickness and OD. When I returned home and installed the new bearing it fit perfectly on the eccentric shaft. The shaft measured 15.8 mm so the 15 mm bearing would not have gone on. The sander worked perfectly with the new bearing.

The lesson here is that you should always take the old bearing with you when you are buying a new bearing.

[Dan Rude]

I have the PC333 model. Just the other week my 8 hole sanding pad disitgrated. I price them at around $20. It was Black Friday and both Lowe's and Rockler had the Bosch VS on sale for $50. I ordered the Rockler one, but picked up one from Lowe's for a little less. So have excuse to go to the Rockler store to return the other one. Figured the cost was close to 2 sanding pads, at that price. 😁 Dan

[Bruce Wrenn]

Over the years, PC has used a bunch of " non standard bearings." On one of my PC 690's the bearing has the standard number, but has an extended center race. Surprisingly the bearing was still cheaper from PC than thru a bearing supplier

[Bill Dufour]

I just replaced the pad on my 333. about $10 from ebay for no name brand. Make sure after you remove the old pad to replace screws with no pad and tighten them 1-2 turns beyond what they had been. then remove and install the new pad. You do this because the replacement pads are a little thinner and the self threading screws are too hard to turn by hand while threading and compressing the new pad. If you do not do this extra step the pad will rip out around the screws in a few hours of use.
You do not have to do the screw dance for the second pad repalcement

[Dan Rude]

Thanks, for the tip on the pad replacement. Dan