Gauntlet S Indexer bearing issue?

[ZooCity]

Looking to pre-emptively educate myself on this situation.  Picking this press up next week.  I had about half an hour to check it out running and this was the only issue I could make out. 

There's a ring that covers the big taper bearing and it tends to stick to the carousel base and clang around as it lifts/lower.  Concurrently, the machine will stop or intermittently cycle when this starts happening.  Previous owner thought the program was bad but it looks to me like the index prox switch (in pic two) is shooting in the line of the cover that is going where it shouldn't and my guess is that prox is what gives the press the go ahead to cycle again.  Therefore, fix the issue with the bearing cover flopping around, allow the sensor to get a correct signal on lift/lower and solve the problem.  I tested and tested with the time I had and see no issue with the controller or program, all seems to function perfectly.    I could be very wrong but it seems clear this is the issue. 

Anyone seen this and is there anything I need to know about fixing it?

I'm not sure why this would be happening, my guess is just nobody bothered to crawl under there and tighten a few things down since this press is literally gathering dust in it's current shop.  The grease probably just set up in there and this ring apparatus sticks. I don't see any problems with the bearing, looks well greased, just needs cleaned now that it's cover has been intermittently off. 

[Binkspot]

I have seen it on a few older Gauntlets. Never knew it to be an issue other then the clank, did not inter fear with operation. I'm sure there is a fix for it but have never perused it. The sleeve you see flopping around is the race for the bearing, bearing is there for the carousel to rotate on.

The prox in the picture picks up the cam bearing not the center sleeve. If that prox is the problem it could be it is weak and the ability for it to sense the bearing is sketchy at best (if one bearing is just slightly further away for what ever reason then the rest it may not pick that one up and cause the issue). If it is weak you can adjust it closer to the bearings and it my have better luck picking them up. Or swap it out with another one on the press that is the same type. If you do adjust it, be sure all the bearings will clear it and not hit it before running it. If the adjustment works just order a new one.

[Homer]

we had the clank. what you need to do is get out the mineral spirits and clean all that garbage grease out of there, then repack it with fresh....problem solved.....just make sure when you raise the table to get under there, you prop a few 2x4 under the arms or something in case it feels the need to drop.

also, make sure that cap falls back into position when you drop the table. I rememeber we had it a bit cocked and it jammed up the table. was a little tricky to get out.

[jsheridan]

There's a ring that covers the big taper bearing and it tends to stick to the carousel base and clang around as it lifts/lower.   

very common with that series of machine, Ask Rich as they made an aftermarket bracket that holds it down.

You can also clean it best you can, then use the new clear silicone based grease that isn't as 'tacky' so the ring won't lift and drop.

[broadway]

I was told years ago M&R did have a clip to hold down the ring. I never got one. Even when cleaned and packed withe grease it will still clank on occasion. Only once has it created a problem when it got stuck at an angle and the carousel would not lower. What i did was i took a 3' yard stick and placed it in front of the bottom, front, right sensor. This will activate the yellow light on the sensor, then on head 1 i pressed "lift pallets" button and i was ready to go.

[mk162]

we had the same issue here.  never was a problem...tricking the prox sensors is a great trick to fix it.

is this an all air machine?

The only thing I can tell you is this...if you start having a problem where 1 head is dead or the whole press shuts down, check your prox wires on the heads, chances are one got pinched and split.  I've had it kill the whole machine before, and kill just a single head.

[broadway]

Another tip is after you clean the whole machine. Spray the machine (blue areas) with pledge furniture polish. You can spray it directly on or spray it on a rag and wipe it on. It will reduce dust, lint buid up and make cleaning the machine later easier. You can even use baby oil on a lightly soaked rag. The only other problems that i have ever had are the yellow  safety cables. I would inspect all of them and make sure the are working properly.

[244]

I was told years ago M&R did have a clip to hold down the ring. I never got one. Even when cleaned and packed withe grease it will still clank on occasion. Only once has it created a problem when it got stuck at an angle and the carousel would not lower. What i did was i took a 3' yard stick and placed it in front of the bottom, front, right sensor. This will activate the yellow light on the sensor, then on head 1 i pressed "lift pallets" button and i was ready to go.

Newer presses have a permanent ring that captures the bearing race and keeps it down regardless of how much grease is down there. Older presses had three springs on bolts that if adjusted properly and not broken will push the race away from the bottom plate.

[mk162]

Don't tell anyone I said this...but if it's an air press, cut the cables and wire them together in the center of the machine.  Those things are a pain and frankly don't work that well.

The newer style safety is much better.

[JBLUE]

My Challenger does it as well. The race has never gotten in the way in the way down but it will stick. My springs are shot and that is why it sticks. Never been an issue.

[ZooCity]

Thx, y'all.  Lot of good tips there.

What's this silicone grease? Is it the super lube M&R recommends currently? I like that stuff and use it frequently in the shop.

is it one type of prox or various in this machine?

[ScreenFoo]

I don't know about the S, but the old GT had all square Omron sensors.  If it's the same, at least you only need one type of spare--and that's definitely one you want at least two of.

I've never tried silicone grease, but we have a few cans of silicone spray here that work quite well after you do a decent job wiping the grease off the bearing surfaces.  Been meaning to try Tri-flow or some other PTFE light viscosity lube to see if it lasts longer before sticking. 
Seems to help if you lube the center shaft and then clean the bearing race after running for a while so some of the grease has squished out the bottom--it's usually not too long after hitting the zerks that it starts sticking...

[broadway]

Thx, y'all.  Lot of good tips there.

What's this silicone grease? Is it the super lube M&R recommends currently? I like that stuff and use it frequently in the shop.

is it one type of prox or various in this machine?

On my "95 Gauntlet S the part number is #1010012, Proxy Switch Round

[mk162]

you will go through head prox sensors a lot faster than indexer prox sensors.  A lot faster...by that I mean I probably replaced 10 of them over the life of our Gauntlet, and I never replaced the ones below.  They are out of the way and out of the zone where employees with screw them up.