Grizzly 4000 Lathe Carriage Handwheel

[chip maker]

Hi everyone, was just wondering if anyone else with this lathe has the play in the carriage handwheel? I'm sure it has always been there but today was just wondering if there is any way to adjust that out? I looked in the owners manuel and also on a few of the rebuild sites for this lathe but no luck with either. Mine has about 3/8 of free play before it starts moving the carriage assy. left or right. By the parts picture looks to be just a gear to gear setup. Any ideas or is this something just there and I live with it as I have anyway. Thanks

 

[Mitch Alsup]

It is something that rarely harms your ability to use the lathe,
and when it does, you resort to dial indicators instead of the dial on the face of the wheel (or a DRO).

 

[chip maker]

This play is in the carriage hand wheel so there is no dial readings it is to move the carriage back and forth but it would be nice to not have the play. May be just something I will have to just keep living with.

 

[Dave Paine]

Looking at the G4000 manual, the carriage should have a dial, part 722.

The handle part 731 has a roll pin part 732. This looks to go through the screw part 733. The screw part 733 looks to screw into the 17 tooth gear shaft part 730.

I would remove the roll pin, the handle and the screw, inspect then reassemble and put some blue thread lock on the screw into the shaft.

 

[chip maker]

I also looked in the manual but my Lathe does not have that dial the reason being is because my is an older unit. I purchased mine in 2000 and the parts book is not the same. I also have the newer manual and it is like you said with the dial. Even with that I still don't see and adjustment to remove any of that free play unless I am missing something. Thanks

 

[WarrenP]

It seems it is virtually impossible to get rid of the play , as Mitch says. As long as the rod your handwheel moves with your handwheel then the play is in the gears and even if you found a way to get rid of that it would come back as it wears. Good thing is the carriage wont move until you get to the same point on the handwheel was at as long as you go past the point then come back to the same mark. There are articals out there where someone tries to make something up to get rid of backlash but there are always problems with them, at least what I have seen. Its Just something to screw with your mind while your working. : )

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Guys,

Is the rack adjustable ? On some lathes the rack can be moved to alter the drive dog mesh, and hence the play in the handle.

 

[chip maker]

You are correct as it has been this way since It was new and must just be the way it is made. I was just messing around looking for something to get in to the other day and thought maybe someone else had tried to get this play out of the gearing. Thanks to those who replied and by the looks of it the newer machine must be set up a bit different than the one I own.