Wheel scrubber not scrubbing

[Jimmy Buffett]

My wheel scrubber is not spinning on one side. The motor is running so I'm fairly certain that the keyway is out. Today is the first sunny day that we have had for several days and we are washing several cars. I don't want to have to do repairs on a rare sunny day. My question is; is it hurting anything for that to spin without the keyway? I'm wondering whether it is better to wash one side or just turn the scrubbers off until I get another rainy day. It is rarely long between rainy days in Oct. in Kentucky. I think that is either caused by global warming (also known as climate change when it's cold). Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

[DiamondWash]

My wheel scrubber is not spinning on one side. The motor is running so I'm fairly certain that the keyway is out. Today is the first sunny day that we have had for several days and we are washing several cars. I don't want to have to do repairs on a rare sunny day. My question is; is it hurting anything for that to spin without the keyway? I'm wondering whether it is better to wash one side or just turn the scrubbers off until I get another rainy day. It is rarely long between rainy days in Oct. in Kentucky. I think that is either caused by global warming (also known as climate change when it's cold). Any thoughts?
Thanks

I would turn them off reason being is that it's odd that the key came loose inside the gearbox where would it go?

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Good point. Any other ideas though as to what it might be? I can hear the motor running.

 

[DiamondWash]

Check the 3 square headed bolts that attach the wheel scruber to the shaft of the gearbox they may need tighten or replaced other then that it would indicate a gearbox issue.

 

[RykoPro]

Its the key stock between the motor and the gearbox. You can screw up both the gearbox and the motor by running it. No way to tell until you fix it.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Thanks,
I turned them off. It's supposed to rain weds. so I'll dig into it then.

 

[NJpdq]

if the keyway is bad most likely the motor and/or gearbox are most likely worn out as well.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Well it's not the keyway. The motor seems to be working ok. I guess that leaves the gear box. Are those things repairable at all? It's a pretty pricy friggin part for a wash where it rains every day!

 

[DiamondWash]

That's a good question on repairing those if you can find a machine shop that rebuilds gearboxes you "may" have a chance to save a few bucks, I knew it couldn't of been the keyway because where would it have gone?

 

[randy64]

That's a good question on repairing those if you can find a machine shop that rebuilds gearboxes you "may" have a chance to save a few bucks, I knew it couldn't of been the keyway because where would it have gone?

They rust away into powder. By the way Ive never heard of anywhere to get a gearbox fixed but you could take it apart yourself and see if it is something obvious. (after you get a new one)

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Anybody ever buy one of these from anywhere but Ryko or Astromatic? The price is pretty ugly. Is this something that an old mechanically challenged guy can change or is it better left to a pro? That likely depends on how hard it is to get the old one off.
Thanks

 

[randy64]

Can't help you with the price, but they are pretty easy to change...you said you could hear the motor spinning can you hear any grinding in the gearbox or will it spin in reverse? Did you take the motor off the gearbox? I have seen the motor shaft break before.

 

[DiamondWash]

Well Randy you were right about the keystock rusting away I just had a wheel scruber bearly spinning I went to grab it and it fell off the shaft the keystock was corroded I suspected a gearbox issue but a 94 cent keystock from home depot fits the budget better.

 

[DiamondWash]

Well it was more then the corroded keystock, the shaft on the gearbox the keystock sits in is ruined so a $800 gearbox is ruined and ryko is the only place I know where to get this gearbox unless somebody here know a better gearbox to replace it with.

 

[randy64]

If you mean the shaft that holds the brush mount then drill a couple set screws in it if its the female end where the motor shaft goes that can be cleaned up sometimes with a file. If you would like me to look at it for you give me a call. I'll pm you my number.

 

[mac]

There are a couple of ways these can fail. Sometimes the keyway, the slot cut into the shaft that holds the keystock, will wobble out and the keystock will fall out. If this is the case you can successfully repair it with a high grade epoxy. Don't go to your Home Depot and get JB Weld, go to an industrial supplier and get the good stuff. If it is the gearbox that failed, you are pretty much screwed. The replacement shafts for the box usually cost close to what a new box costs. By the time you repair it you have the cost of a new box, but no warranty. You can try taking the box to a good industrial supplier (look in the yellow pages under power transmission) and see if they can match it with an off the shelf one. Many manufacturers take a standard box and spec out some non important part as different so that the entire box is special. I have seen it where they will spec a high temp seal in place of the regular one. A lot depends on how good you are at scrounging and asking questions.

 

[DiamondWash]

There is a couple places here in Des Moines, Iowa that say they work on these gearboxes (electra-gear) but if what you say about the price for the shaft then forget it, if anybody needs the price of these gearboxes they are about $660.00 a piece.

 

[jimbeaux]

There are a couple of ways these can fail. Sometimes the keyway, the slot cut into the shaft that holds the keystock, will wobble out and the keystock will fall out. If this is the case you can successfully repair it with a high grade epoxy. Don't go to your Home Depot and get JB Weld, go to an industrial supplier and get the good stuff. If it is the gearbox that failed, you are pretty much screwed. The replacement shafts for the box usually cost close to what a new box costs. By the time you repair it you have the cost of a new box, but no warranty. You can try taking the box to a good industrial supplier (look in the yellow pages under power transmission) and see if they can match it with an off the shelf one. Many manufacturers take a standard box and spec out some non important part as different so that the entire box is special. I have seen it where they will spec a high temp seal in place of the regular one. A lot depends on how good you are at scrounging and asking questions.

Mac, can you give a little more detail on repairing the wobbled out keyway slot on the shaft? My air compressor motor keyway is in pretty poor shape. I figured I would have to replace the motor.
Thanks

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Turned out to be a missing keyway between the motor and the gearbox. I can't say where it went but it was gone.

 

[DiamondWash]

I wish my problem was that simple with my wheel scrubber I currently have it at a shop that is a service center for electra-gear gearboxes so hopefully they can fix it if they can't I an going to bring in the triangle the brush bolts onto then goes on the shaft of the gearbox as a template and have them drill two holes through the shaft and then insert 2 grade 8 bolts with nylon nuts to hold in place.