Just wondering what is acceptable or normal heat on spindle bearings and brake bearing(s). I have been running my "new" early '60s 102-80 at the two highest spindle speeds (2800 and 3600), checking performance.
I was suspicious of grease being used in the bearings, but previous owner said he only uses DTE oil. After pumping AW 32 hydraulic oil in every zerk and running the machine, I quickly noticed grease being pushed out of the bearings :(. The rear spindle bearing(s) get warm first, and both ends of the spindle housing warm up after 10 minutes. When running at 3600 RPM, the rear rear bearing area becomes noticeably hot, still touchable but concerning. The brake down below, right where the center zerk is, gets even hotter. At 2800 RPM, less heat is produced but it still gets very warm, which makes sense.
I know grease shouldn't be in these bearings... Am I ok to keep adding oil, flushing the grease from them? Grease that new oil pushes from the front spindle bearing sure comes out clean, and I was thinking I will just keep flushing it out, running the machine at short intervals.
Bearings sound/feel excellent. The brake bearing/clutch spot down below that gets hot quick is weeping dark slime as I oil it. I was thinking of using a vacuum where it weeps.
Is it simply the grease causing this overheating? And should heat issue lessen as grease is purged from these bearings?
I hope the bearing preload is not set incorrectly (the lathe has definitely been disassembled, cleaned and nicely repainted in its past). I'm just wondering if the foolish use of grease alone could be the cause of excess heat.
I was suspicious of grease being used in the bearings, but previous owner said he only uses DTE oil. After pumping AW 32 hydraulic oil in every zerk and running the machine, I quickly noticed grease being pushed out of the bearings :(. The rear spindle bearing(s) get warm first, and both ends of the spindle housing warm up after 10 minutes. When running at 3600 RPM, the rear rear bearing area becomes noticeably hot, still touchable but concerning. The brake down below, right where the center zerk is, gets even hotter. At 2800 RPM, less heat is produced but it still gets very warm, which makes sense.
I know grease shouldn't be in these bearings... Am I ok to keep adding oil, flushing the grease from them? Grease that new oil pushes from the front spindle bearing sure comes out clean, and I was thinking I will just keep flushing it out, running the machine at short intervals.
Bearings sound/feel excellent. The brake bearing/clutch spot down below that gets hot quick is weeping dark slime as I oil it. I was thinking of using a vacuum where it weeps.
Is it simply the grease causing this overheating? And should heat issue lessen as grease is purged from these bearings?
I hope the bearing preload is not set incorrectly (the lathe has definitely been disassembled, cleaned and nicely repainted in its past). I'm just wondering if the foolish use of grease alone could be the cause of excess heat.