SPINDLE ASSEMBLY
Headstock assembly began with the first step: pressing the large spindle bearing onto the shaft. I decided to use a jury rigged drawbar made from all-thread
rather than hammering
it on. Plastic pipe was used over the spindle, which worked, but was probably not the best solution. A piece of steel pipe with properly squared off ends and some guide bushings
would probably have been better.
After that the spindle went into the vise and the take up nut tightened by the punch/hammer method.
Both bearings are pressed onto the spindle and are light press fits to the headstock. The bull gear key (LA-240) was installed next. One point to keep in mind for both disassembly
and assembly is that this key passes through a slot in the bearing cover (LA-134). If they aren't lined up properly, the key will damage the cover. The slot faces up.
The shaft was assembled next into the housing with bull gear, cone assembly, belt, and retaining collar (LA-131). The double row bearing was tapped into place until the large snap
ring on it's OD seated into the housing. I used a 4" diameter steel ring and a block of wood on the bearing cap to tap it in squarely. Very little force was required.
When I first tightened the three screws that secure the bearing cover there was a little binding in the bearing. I had carefully cleaned the recess in the headstock and the
face of the cap before assembly so it was a little puzzling. Changing the order that I
tightened the screws in and bringing them up gradually did the trick, and now the bearings
are perfectly smooth.
The rear bearing was pressed onto the aft end of the spindle by installing the retaining collar (LA-130-1) and placing a large socket over the end of the spindle before before
pressing it into place with the draw bar. It could be tapped into place with a hammer as long as the other end of the spindle was properly supported. After that the key for the
spindle gear, and the gear itself were installed and the take up nut at the end of the shaft tightened. The nut is really a collar with a hole drilled in it for a pin wrench.
I looked online and never found a wrench in inches that would fit, but it turns out a 40-42mm metric wrench (DIN 1810) works perfectly. I found
it online with no problem for about 13 bucks.
The only item left is to secure the bull gear to the shaft. It's keyed and secured with a set screw. I'm planning on emailing Scott Logan to ask about how much clearance there
should be between it and the cone assembly, unless one of you knows the answer. Then it's on to back gear assembly!