Help - Bandit 1590 Bearings went bad and ceased.

[Greenclimber]

I have a 2003 Bandit 1590 and the non belt side or driver side bearing started smoking and then ceased. Smoke started coming out of the chipper chute which was accompanied by a loud clunking sound.

Where can I get new bearings? I know I can get them through Bandit and through my local dealer, but my local dealer doesn't have any in stock and they need to order some directly from Bandit... I know that Bandit likely gets them from somewhere else and then changes double, then the dealer likely chargers a bit on top of that plus $130 an hour in labor..

Is there anywhere else that I can go to get them? I am not sure what happened or why they failed.. I grease my machine every time I use it. This is a used machine and I have put about 35 hours on it since I have owned it back in March.

Does anyone have experience changing out a bearing?


Thanks!!

 

[gorman]

The last time I bought bearings for my bandit I shopped around online and found out the dealer landmark machinery in MI had the cheapest price. That was three months ago.
If you’ve never done them before you might want to forgo leaning. It’s not easy and you have to be good with a torch to get the races off the shaft without damaging the shaft.
The guy who sold it to you likely had an idea they were going. Usually they run hot and develops a small noise before they seize.

 

[Greenclimber]

Well, it was an auction item. I have put about 25 hours on it. It had 18.2 on the hour meter and now it was about 42. I had greased it a lot when I first got it. At least every day or twice a day.. In the morning and then after the job. At least 1 full dump truck load which is about 10 yards. I mean really purging the bearings. Then a few days ago I started a large job. I probably did 30 yards over 1-3 days.

I only greased it once with about 3 pumps after hearing some abnormal noise on the 3rd day, but only into a few hours of total chipping time. It stated on some big wood too. I have chipped bigwood before, but maybe not as much and one after the other. That's when it started on a big piece. In total probably about 5-7 hour of just running the machine and chipping, but non for a solid 5-7 hours... spread out over a few days. So this is cmpaired to 1-2 hours of the machine running. I think I also missed a morning and then after the job greasing 2.5 times.

So, It started on the 3rd day after what would have been the 3rd dump truck load. I shut it down and applied grease. When I started it about 45 minutes later for a few branches it sound fine. Then next day it sounded fine too. I didn't grease it, and I wish I did. About about 30 minutes of chipping I started to smell something and then saw smoke coming out of the chute. After shutting off the machine I saw smoke coming out of the bearing. I started to grease it, but I think it was too late at that point. So If i was supposed to grease daily. That means every time I use the machine even if it is just for a few hours. Not every 8 hours, but every day... I missed 3 days.

Does this sound about right for burning up a bearing?

 

[gorman]

You didn’t cause them to fail by going three days without grease. It was probably neglect from the previous owner. I usually do about 10 shots per bearing every four to eight hours of operation.

 

[Luztree]

Don’t purge the bearings by spewing grease out of the seals. Just a few pumps

 

[lone wolf]

Well, it was an auction item. I have put about 25 hours on it. It had 18.2 on the hour meter and now it was about 42. I had greased it a lot when I first got it. At least every day or twice a day.. In the morning and then after the job. At least 1 full dump truck load which is about 10 yards. I mean really purging the bearings. Then a few days ago I started a large job. I probably did 30 yards over 1-3 days.

I only greased it once with about 3 pumps after hearing some abnormal noise on the 3rd day, but only into a few hours of total chipping time. It stated on some big wood too. I have chipped bigwood before, but maybe not as much and one after the other. That's when it started on a big piece. In total probably about 5-7 hour of just running the machine and chipping, but non for a solid 5-7 hours... spread out over a few days. So this is cmpaired to 1-2 hours of the machine running. I think I also missed a morning and then after the job greasing 2.5 times.

So, It started on the 3rd day after what would have been the 3rd dump truck load. I shut it down and applied grease. When I started it about 45 minutes later for a few branches it sound fine. Then next day it sounded fine too. I didn't grease it, and I wish I did. About about 30 minutes of chipping I started to smell something and then saw smoke coming out of the chute. After shutting off the machine I saw smoke coming out of the bearing. I started to grease it, but I think it was too late at that point. So If i was supposed to grease daily. That means every time I use the machine even if it is just for a few hours. Not every 8 hours, but every day... I missed 3 days.

Does this sound about right for burning up a bearing?

It was shot when you bought it no doubt!

 

[Greenclimber]

So, do I have to pull the drum to replace the bearings? Anyone have experience with this? Do I need to replace both, or just the side that went bad? Does the drum need to be re-balanced?

What gets me is that the drive belt side was always getting warmer. The one that went bad never got was warm... It was noticeably cooler to the touch.

 

[Del_]

It sounds like you are in over your head.

 

[gorman]

So, do I have to pull the drum to replace the bearings? Anyone have experience with this? Do I need to replace both, or just the side that went bad? Does the drum need to be re-balanced?

What gets me is that the drive belt side was always getting warmer. The one that went bad never got was warm... It was noticeably cooler to the touch.

Always replace bearings in a set. No sense doing one side and then the other a year later. It’s not easy and like I said, you gotta be good with a torch. Don’t bother learning unless you have all the tools and someone to help.

The drum doesn’t need balancing. Make sure the shaft is unsullied.

 

[mrhemihead]

I just went through this on my Vermeer.
This video was helpful.

 

[Greenclimber]

I just went through this on my Vermeer.
This video was helpful.

I am not sure why, but I can't see the link to the video.

 

[Greenclimber]

It sounds like you are in over your head.

Well, There is a bandit/bobcat dealership about 1 hour away from here. I am outside of Nashville. They have never changed a bearing before. Doesn't seem to hard to do, but I am 500 miles away from my buddie's welding shop. Grinder, torch, forklift, etc.

That being said, do you know of anyone withing a few hours from Nashville that has done this and can assist? I would feel more comfortable having someone do it that has experience doing one, vs taking it to a dealership that has never done one before. I would just as easially see doing it myself, but would prefer having access to a shop and experience.

 

[mrhemihead]

I am not sure why, but I can't see the link to the video.

You should be able to click on the video for it to play. Or go to YouTube and search
Replace Chipper Bearings

 

[gorman]

Well, There is a bandit/bobcat dealership about 1 hour away from here. I am outside of Nashville. They have never changed a bearing before. Doesn't seem to hard to do, but I am 500 miles away from my buddie's welding shop. Grinder, torch, forklift, etc.

That being said, do you know of anyone withing a few hours from Nashville that has done this and can assist? I would feel more comfortable having someone do it that has experience doing one, vs taking it to a dealership that has never done one before. I would just as easially see doing it myself, but would prefer having access to a shop and experience.

Hold on, your local dealer has never changed a bearing out on a chipper before. That is a bright red flag. I would find someone who works on heavy machinery before I’d trust that dealer.