Delta/Rockwell Contractor Saw Arbor

[Tom Grice]

I recently bought and cleaned up an old Rockwell "Model 10" contractor saw. The arbor had a bearing going bad, so I replaced both bearings and thought all was well.

I'm getting a bit of a rattle when I run the saw now. I tracked it down, and its what I am going to call a "shield" that goes between the two arbor brackets, sits on the edge of the bearings, and goes all the way around the arbor. It's a tube the length of the space between the arbor brackets and about 1 1/2" wide and just slips over the arbor when the whole thing goes together. My guess is that it was supposed to protect the arbor from hitting the tie bars below?

Sorry for the horrible description, but this thing is not even listed in the parts schematic for my saw. The diagram doesn't even show it on the arbor assembly.

So I'm down to two options - either I didn't get bearings seated tight enough in the brackets (because this tube is a friction fit on them) - or I should just remove the guard because it doesn't seem to do anything but rattle.

Should I just get rid of this thing? Or how can I stop it from rattling? Any thoughts? Right now I'm leaning to just removing the part. I don't like the idea of something rubbing on the arbor bearings.

Thanks for your help!

[Bruce Wrenn]

It's actually a spacer between the two bearings. I locates the arbor/ bearings. On pulley side of arbor, there is a fine thread nut that is used to remove play. Being fine thread, be CAREFUL of over tightening this nut. Threads will stip- I know!