Changing belt on Myford ml8

[John ryland]

Has anyone got experience of changing belt on ml8?.
Is it just a matter of unscrewing the bearing adjusting collar and driving the shaft out from left to right?
Any help etc appreciated.

[julcle]

Hi John,  If you have a V-Belt fitted to the lathe then yes you will have to remove the spindle from the headstock. The original belt was a linked segmented belt to you just unclipped the belt and wrapped the new belt around the pulley and clipped it back together. My ML8 has been in the shed for a couple of years since upgrading but I never had to replace the belt. I do have a sort of manual for it though if it may be of any use to you, it does have a parts list and exploded diagram.  --  Julian

[John ryland]

Thanks, my ml8 has a v-belt so have tried to get spindle out but the headstock pulley seems to be stuck solid, even after removing grub screws. I have some diagrams but am cautious about using levers etc to free the alloy pulley from spindle.
So thanks for response, I think I'll just get a segmented belt.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

John just check that you have undone all of the grubscrews, sometimes they put one over another so you have 2 in a hole.

[Norman Billingham]

As others have said, the ML8 was supplied with a link belt.  You could most easily cut the V-belt off and use a new link belt - they are still available - though in PU not leather these days.

I replaced the spindle on my ML8 a long time ago.  My memory is that there are two sets of grub screws in the pulley but it was still hard to remove the spindle because the grub screws leave burrs on the spindle and its tight in the inner races of the bearings.  I had to drive it out carefully.  If you are going to do that, I would make up a wooden washer big enough to fit over the RH end of the spindle and about 5-6 mm thick.  Take off the RH bearing housing and put the washer over the spindle then bolt the housing back as far as it will go.  That way the inner race of the RH bearing cannot shift as you drive the shaft out - if it is allowed to move then the bearing can become noisy (and new bearings are a frightening price).  Also remember that unlike the Myford metal lathes, the ML8 spindle in not hardened so don't hit it will a steel hammer or you can burr the thread.

Good luck!