Tumbling Problem

Hi! I had that happen a couple of weeks ago in my Lortone 45C. Sounds like a loose belt. Locate the screw that adjusts the position of one of the pulleys. It should slide closer and farther away. Just loosen the screw, move the pulley farther away and tighten the screw back up. That should increase tension on the belt to make both shafts turn like champs. If not, check it by Rogue's suggestions to see if something else is up. Jo

I normally do it 3/4 full, but it didn't move then.
There's the motor, that works fine, then there's the belt attached to a wheel, that wheel won't spin when the barrel is on it, but as soon as I lift the barrel is spins perfectly, grip problem maybe?

Update: I cleaned the belt a bit works slightly better now, it spins then stops, then spins again, though sometimes it stops completely and needs to be pushed to start, but it's still quite slow.

I have a late 90's model 3A and they are very straight forward reliable units. Anything that goes wrong with them is usually due to lack of standard maintenance and can usually be taken care of without much hassle.

This particular problem could stem from one or a combination of the following...


First, unplug it & remove the top cover then slip the belt off the motor pulley. With your finger, give the small motor pulley a quick spin and note how long it takes to spin down. A properly lubed motor shaft will turn freely for 2-3 seconds before halting but a dry or partially seized motor shaft will stop within 1 second.

It's not likely to be the only cause of a lame barrel but the added friction in the motor reduces it's efficiency and power. Keeping the motor's head&tailstock bushings properly lubed is the first step to smooth operation. Also ensure the pulleys line up with each other and don't wobble excessively.

The next thing to check while the belt is still off is to spin the drive and drone rollers by hand to ensure they turn freely with no noticeable resistance. All four of the roller bushings must be periodically removed, cleaned & relubed along with the shaft ends and reassembled to keep them turning freely. This entails removing the drive roller pulley and requires a small hex key to loosen the set screwthat holds the pulley to the drive roller shaft.

If your unit has been running for several years, you should also check the condition of the bushings and ensure they are not worn through or otherwise damaged and unserviceable. This is not usually an issue with newer units unless the bushings are defective but eventually (years of use) they will wear out and need replacing.

Once the roller shafts, bushings and motor shaft are confirmed to be turning freely, clean the motor and drive roller pulleys with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab (preferrably ethanol over isopropanol). The belt can also be cleaned with a wad of paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol by running it in circles between your fingers.

Next, remount the belt and then stop the motor pulley from being able to move by holding your fingers against the fan blade and then try to rotate the drive roller with your fingers while the motor shaft is stationary. If the drive roller turns like this without much resistance than your belt tension is too low.

You will notice three cap nuts on the rear of the unit that hold the motor to the rear housing. By loosening off the cap nuts a bit (with a small socket driver or vice grips etc) you can slide the motor back and fourth a bit in the slots to increase or reduce the belt tension and then retighten the cap nuts in the new position. If the motor is already at the end of the slots and the belt is still too lose you must replace the belt as it has streched or worn beyond tolerance.

When the belt tension is correct, you should be able to seize the drive roller with your hand, plug it in, and the motor shaft should still turn (although laboured). If the motor shaft will not turn at all then it's too tight and if it barely slows down then it's too loose.