Not AGAIN!!!

[farmboss45]

Attention all you woodsplitter builders out in AS land!!!! Help, last winter I built a woodsplitter and it has been working great except one problem. Twice now the 3 piece shaft adapter has failed. The rubber in the middle breaks up and lets the three jaw couplers make direct contact until they chew each other up and wear the teeth right off!! I never know this is happening until the pump stops pumping in the middle of splitting! I have double and triple checked my alignment of the shafts and the adapter plate and can find nothing there, and nothing else is damaged. I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem? Is the rubber too weak for a 15.5 horse engine with a 22gpm pump? Any input out there is welcome.....:bang::msp_confused:

 

[lone wolf]

Attention all you woodsplitter builders out in AS land!!!! Help, last winter I built a woodsplitter and it has been working great except one problem. Twice now the 3 piece shaft adapter has failed. The rubber in the middle breaks up and lets the three jaw couplers make direct contact until they chew each other up and wear the teeth right off!! I never know this is happening until the pump stops pumping in the middle of splitting! I have double and triple checked my alignment of the shafts and the adapter plate and can find nothing there, and nothing else is damaged. I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem? Is the rubber too weak for a 15.5 horse engine with a 22gpm pump? Any input out there is welcome.....:bang::msp_confused:

Im runng mine with a 13 honda so i doubt it . Are you using off brand China crap or what? They last me hundreds of cords.

 

[brenndatomu]

My experience on this type of coupler failing is, most of the time, misalignment. Your too small for the application theory is possible though...can you find any manufacturer ratings?

 

[farmboss45]

I order all my splitter parts from burden surplus, not sure of the origin of manufacture. I have checked and rechecked the alignment and can find nothing off. The failure is the rubber in the middle, then the jaws, that is why I question the application. Maybe I need to step up to the urethane?

 

[lone wolf]

I order all my splitter parts from burden surplus, not sure of the origin of manufacture. I have checked and rechecked the alignment and can find nothing off. The failure is the rubber in the middle, then the jaws, that is why I question the application. Maybe I need to step up to the neoprene?

If you can go a step up then do it.

 

[Dogsout]

Are you talking about a Lovejoy coupler?

 

[Jim Timber]

Are you talking about a Lovejoy coupler?

Sure sounds like it to me.

I'd go urethane too.

 

[dingeryote]

It sounds like too much torque if alignment is good.

It also dosn't sound like a Lovejoy, and more like one of the fish head eating things sold at TSC.

If ya know the torque range you're dealing with and shaft sizes, this here application guide might help.

Lovejoy, Inc. : Products : Coupling Pre Selection Guide

Lovejoy wont normally sell direct, but Motion industrys carries them and they are quick.

Good luck!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[farmboss45]

It sounds like too much torque if alignment is good.

It also dosn't sound like a Lovejoy, and more like one of the fish head eating things sold at TSC.

If ya know the torque range you're dealing with and shaft sizes, this here application guide might help.

Lovejoy, Inc. : Products : Coupling Pre Selection Guide

Lovejoy wont normally sell direct, but Motion industrys carries them and they are quick.

Good luck!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

I deal with Motion a lot for a wide variety of things, I will check with them, I plan on calling Burden tomorrow and talking to their tec, he has been very helpful in the past, I think the few extra bucks to go to urethane might be the answer.

 

[GeeVee]

The rubber you are using must not like the heat and freeze cycles or something. Go urethane.

 

[PLAYINWOOD]

and if thats not it, in an industrial setting where I am from, I would be checking the pump. Motor twisting the rubber off just as its meant to do,meaning the pump is turning hard.

Just a thought

 

[Garmins dad]

and if thats not it, in an industrial setting where I am I would be checking the pump. Motor twisting the rubber off just as its meant to do,meaning the pump is turning hard.

Just a thought

Playinwood is onto something here.. I would be testing that out also..

 

[MATTYB11]

Misalignment will do it. I have seen even the US made couplers torn up due to the two shafts being out of alignment.

 

[brenndatomu]

Urethane might last a little longer, but, I can say from experience, will still fail, don't treat the symptoms. When you say you have checked the alignment, how was that done? Using dial indicators, straightedge, what? Got any pics of your setup?

 

[Dogsout]

Urethane might last a little longer, but, I can say from experience, will still fail, don't treat the symptoms. When you say you have checked the alignment, how was that done? Using dial indicators, straightedge, what? Got any pics of your setup?

If it is indeed a Lovejoy coupler a straight edge will be plenty good. It has been my experience that this type of coupler will take a little misalignment and still preform OK. If you are shelling these out at a good clip are you bolt bound so as not allowing proper alignment? Even the cheap ones of this type of coupler are fairly dependable. If the problem persist I wonder if you could work an Omega coupler in for this type of application? Would be very interested in what you decide to try and fix this problem.

 

[brenndatomu]

If it is indeed a Lovejoy coupler a straight edge will be plenty good. It has been my experience that this type of coupler will take a little misalignment and still preform OK. If you are shelling these out at a good clip are you bolt bound so as not allowing proper alignment? Even the cheap ones of this type of coupler are fairly dependable. If the problem persist I wonder if you could work an Omega coupler in for this type of application? Would be very interested in what you decide to try and fix this problem.

Yeah, they will take a little misalignment, unless, coupler is on the small side for the horsepower involved. I had this happen, coupler was sized properly by mfg's specs. (barely) but would only last six months tops. I took it off and installed an Omega, it's been 2-3 years now, no more problems. I recently had to replace the motor (40 hp.) on this machine, when doing the alignment I used our new laser alignment tool, found out that the alignment done on the original motor (with the reverse alignment procedure) likely wasn't as close as I thought (though within specs.), and therefore probably the original problem. Point is, +1 on the Omega if it could be made to work, I know there is usually not a lot of flexibility or extra room if the pump is mounted on an adapter plate. Give your guy a call, you'll get it sorted out.

 

[PLAYINWOOD]

Misalignment will do it. I have seen even the US made couplers torn up due to the two shafts being out of alignment.

Misalignment would be and still is my first guess, but OP said alignment is bang on.
He may have the OD in but would like to see the face.
If it is a lovejoy, the "rubber" should be impervious to outdoor elements for years to come, which leads me to the pump, if the motor was failing it would be slow if the bearings in the pump were going it would be hard to turn over. One of a non rigid couplings jobs is to be the weakest link in a chain,think slip clutch,or shear bolt.
Just some more thoughts

 

[PLAYINWOOD]

Yeah, they will take a little misalignment, unless, coupler is on the small side for the horsepower involved. I had this happen, coupler was sized properly by mfg's specs. (barely) but would only last six months tops. I took it off and installed an Omega, it's been 2-3 years now, no more problems. I recently had to replace the motor (40 hp.) on this machine, when doing the alignment I used our new laser alignment tool, found out that the alignment done on the original motor (with the reverse alignment procedure) likely wasn't as close as I thought (though within specs.), and therefore probably the original problem. Point is, +1 on the Omega if it could be made to work, I know there is usually not a lot of flexibility or extra room if the pump is mounted on an adapter plate. Give your guy a call, you'll get it sorted out.

Combi, Rotoalign,Optalign ?
Omegas are allowing like ten thou misalignment or something, they are widely used in industry. I like them.
Most people should just use a drive shaft and U joints IMO

 

[Dogsout]

I don't recommend running anything that is not in alignment, but it is not a perfect world and yes the Omega coupler is about as forgiving as you can get. When the OP says he has the alignment bang on, I suspect that if not using a laser or dials and checking for soft foot to start it probably isn't "Bang on." Follow some of the suggestions made by previous posters and I bet you will have a problem free coupler and eliminate this headache once and for all. Keep us posted how it goes.

 

[farmboss45]

Update

Due to the common opinion on alignment, I went back to the drawing board. I took the damaged half's of the Lovejoy, flipped them flat to flat and bolted everything tight. I was about a very skinny 32nd out. I don't know if this was too much for the joint, but it is now "dead nuts" with a straight edge. Hoping that the half's are true and centered, this should fix the problem along with the upgrade to a urethane center which is rated for 50% more torque, we shall see!!!