how to remove belt on Cowboy 4500

[Tent99]

The simplest of tasks, I'm sure, but I didn't install the belt that drives the handwheel on my new, never sewn a stitch with,  Cowboy 4500 so don't know how to remove it.  I need to take the handwheel off to make sure the screws are aligned with the V-groove.  But, I can't take it off without removing the belt.  There has to be an easier way to take the belt off and put it back on than it seems?  I have read the directions and searched the archives (maybe I'm not doing that right, I just joined), and can't find anything.  Just need to take it off, check the wheel, and put it right back on. 

 

Thank you

[dirtclod]

I would think whoever set it up of checked that. To get the belt off loosen the speed reducer and maybe the motor. You will be able to raise them a little and get the belt off.

[Uwe]

Servo motor mounts usually have a pivot point and some way to adjust how taught/loose the belt is. You can loosen the belt via the motor mount and then you can remove the belt. If you have a speed reducer pulley, that may need to be loosened as well.

 

[Tent99]

33 minutes ago, Uwe said:

Servo motor mounts usually have a pivot point and some way to adjust how taught/loose the belt is. You can loosen the belt via the motor mount and then you can remove the belt. If you have a speed reducer pulley, that may need to be loosened as well.

 

looked for a way, but nothing looks adjustable from the motor mount, really...but probably just total lack of knowing what to look for/try

Edited September 7, 2016 by Tent99

[OLDNSLOW]

well it is a very tight fit when it goes on, oops its a cabooie, well no matter it is the same as a cobra and many others in the same style and class.  If you go to cobras page they might have it up on their web page and it would be the same process.

[Uwe]

A few things:

You gotta tell us what you have. Pictures always help. My crystal ball showing me your motor installation is all foggy today.

If you can't figure out the belt tension mechanism on your setup by looking at it, perhaps it's not such a great idea to start taking things apart. 

Whoever sold this thing to you probably has a phone and an interest in keeping you happy. If you don't trust that person to assemble things properly, perhaps not such a good source for purchases.

I'd advise against taking things apart just to check whether they were properly installed in the first place. Quite often you introduce new problems unless you really know what you're doing.

I'm not sure why you feel this is an important first thing to do before commissioning the machine. There are perhaps a dozen of grooved rods and bars with set screws. Do you plan to check all of them?

 

[JLSleather]

On my piece of cobra, I can put the belt on or off without loosening something else.  Much like the old bridgeport mills l..

 

[brmax]

What can I ask is your reason to check this. And to be a bit easier take look at the end of the shaft for the vee, then with a corresponding bolt in alignment and with the next further step you could remove that particular bolt / set screw to verify its in a position to secure the pulley / handwheel. if this check is done a re install torque may be good to know for the screw / bolt.

Floyd

 

edit

that's funny JLS "piece"

Tent99: Oh ya anyway I found from last week disassembling n loading a purdy class4 and re assembly that just the power pulley could have been loosened for adjustment. But I wanted to see if I could fill the folgers bucket full of parts, just to hear them jingle 200 miles.  Yours may have one of the new reducer box types Bob has in the shop now, I wish he'd send me one just because he is cool ; )

Edited September 7, 2016 by brmax
Cool

[Wizcrafts]

You can remove the belt from the flywheel by loosening the upper bolt on the outside right side of the square mounting bracket that the reducer wheel mounts to. This is under the table. After loosening the upper bolt, lift the entire reducer assembly all the way up, then tighten the bolt to hold it in the raised position. The v-belt should be loose enough to flip off the pulley on the flywheel. When you are ready to reassemble it, pull the belt onto the wheel, turning it towards you if necessary. With the belt inside the pulley, loosen the bolt and push down hard on the reducer wheels to tension the belt, then tighten down the securing bolt.

You may need to loosen the adjuster nuts on the long threaded bolt on the front of the motor, allowing it to move up with the reducer assembly. Start by loosening the top nut. I think it needs an 18mm wrench.

[CowboyBob]

The belt tension is pre-set,so it's best not to loosenthe reducer or motor.Just take your hand & start pulling the belt off on the back & turn the handwheel towards you & it'll slide off,you can also roll it back on the way by starting it on as far as it will go & trun the wheel towards you.

[dikman]

I'm really at a bit of a loss as to why, on a brand new, unused machine, you feel the need to check this one particular part. What makes you think that it's not fitted correctly?

[CowboyBob]

They called me towards the end of the day yesterday wondering why the belt pulley was turning & the machine wasn't.I asked them if they were sure to line the 2-bolts in the grooves before tightening the handwheel,she didn't know.Apparently it wasn't.All  these larger machines are shipped w/the handwheel off.

 

[JLSleather]

1 hour ago, CowboyBob said:

The belt tension is pre-set,so it's best not to loosenthe reducer or motor.Just take your hand & start pulling the belt off on the back & turn the handwheel towards you & it'll slide off,you can also roll it back on the way by starting it on as far as it will go & trun the wheel towards you.

That what I dun said ... .like the old bridgeports ...

Bob-- answer yer phone ... been wiling to try that cowboy thread!

 

OH!  By the way.. I know I'm the only one prolly would need to be told this... but I put the handwheel on, linin' up the bolt with the groove.. then I always gotta remember to tighten the bolt into the groove!  Sometimes, it helps if somebody reminds me stuff like that

 

 

Edited September 7, 2016 by JLSleather

[CowboyBob]

If I don't answer it's cuz I'm talking on the phone ..so leave your ph # & I'll call back ASAP !!

Thx

[Tent99]

6 hours ago, CowboyBob said:

They called me towards the end of the day yesterday wondering why the belt pulley was turning & the machine wasn't.I asked them if they were sure to line the 2-bolts in the grooves before tightening the handwheel,she didn't know.Apparently it wasn't.All  these larger machines are shipped w/the handwheel off.

 

Thanks Bob, was just trying to avoid bothering you on the phone again yesterday,  Remind me not to ask questions on this board again. sheesh.  ha  The handwheel was loose, like you suspected...but I'm still getting stuff tangled in the bobbin.  Im workin' on it...

Edited September 7, 2016 by Tent99

[Tent99]

16 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

You can remove the belt from the flywheel by loosening the upper bolt on the outside right side of the square mounting bracket that the reducer wheel mounts to. This is under the table. After loosening the upper bolt, lift the entire reducer assembly all the way up, then tighten the bolt to hold it in the raised position. The v-belt should be loose enough to flip off the pulley on the flywheel. When you are ready to reassemble it, pull the belt onto the wheel, turning it towards you if necessary. With the belt inside the pulley, loosen the bolt and push down hard on the reducer wheels to tension the belt, then tighten down the securing bolt.

You may need to loosen the adjuster nuts on the long threaded bolt on the front of the motor, allowing it to move up with the reducer assembly. Start by loosening the top nut. I think it needs an 18mm wrench.

thank you! I have learned a lot by reading through lots of your posts, btw.  

Edited September 7, 2016 by Tent99

[Tent99]

6 hours ago, JLSleather said:

That what I dun said ... .like the old bridgeports ...

Bob-- answer yer phone ... been wiling to try that cowboy thread!

 

OH!  By the way.. I know I'm the only one prolly would need to be told this... but I put the handwheel on, linin' up the bolt with the groove.. then I always gotta remember to tighten the bolt into the groove!  Sometimes, it helps if somebody reminds me stuff like that

 

 

thank you, and no, I need to be told every lil detail.  The only sewing i have ever done was on plain ol fabric sewing machine in home ec class.

[JLSleather]

Not to worry.. these are pretty simple to figure out.  My experience with sewing was dating a couple girls who knew how to sew (though, they never actually did it around me -   ).

Bottom line, if I can do it, YOU can do it!

 

[dikman]

Thanks for that Bob. It's nice to know there was a genuine reason (just sounded a bit strange as no mention was made of slipping).

[Uwe]

So how did the belt get on the machine if you didn't install it and Bob shipped the machine with the hand wheel removed? 

[Uwe]

On 9/6/2016 at 9:20 PM, Uwe said:

If you don't trust that person to assemble things properly, perhaps not such a good source for purchases.

I'll rephrase that: Don't trust the person who installed the belt to do things properly. Read the manual and do it yourself.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Uwe

[dikman]

1 hour ago, Uwe said:

So how did the belt get on the machine if you didn't install it and Bob shipped the machine with the hand wheel removed? 

The logical assumption is that someone else did it for the OP. If that is the case then I would hope they didn't touch anything else 'cos if they couldn't even fit the handwheel correctly then they shouldn't be touching the machine at all.

[CowboyBob]

15 hours ago, Tent99 said:

Thanks Bob, was just trying to avoid bothering you on the phone again yesterday,  Remind me not to ask questions on this board again. sheesh.  ha  The handwheel was loose, like you suspected...but I'm still getting stuff tangled in the bobbin.  Im workin' on it...

I would much rather have you call than fight a problem that you don't know or understand how to fix! Looping underneath is usually a threading issue,you need to make sure you have the thread wrapped around the 2nd tension 1&1/2x,also ALWAYS hold your needle thread when you start sewing the first 3-4 stitches so it doesn't loop underneath too.Many times when it loops underneath people loosen the top tension thinking it's too tight when all it was is the threading or not holding the needle thread.

 

[Uwe]

Please forgive us if we come across harsh, but we don't answer questions that sound a lot like "How do I get this stuck knife drawer open?" with a simple "Press down on the safety latch and pull on the handle."

[JLSleather]

Wait... aint that purdy simple to figure?  I mean.. start the machine.. no material.. don't even need a needle.  Get it rollin'.  Grab the handwheel.  If you can stop the wheel, without stopping the machine, then 'you aint in the groove, man"...

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by JLSleather