Bandsaw problem - a little help needed please

[Melektro]

Although not strictly a woodworking problem, I've got issues with my nuts...

Replacing the blade on my bandsaw, I noticed the tracking of the lower wheel was forcing the blade forward slightly (towards the door). Adjusting the upper wheel doesn't solve the problem, so I adjusted the lower wheel/hub to tilt it forward slightly, tightened everything back up and nothing had changed. Further inspection showed the lower adjusting bolt has lost it's thread and needs to be replaced.

Wherein lies the problem. I can't get it unscrewed from the nut (which is snuggly nestled in the hub housing), nor can I simply hacksaw the bolt and lift out the nut as there is not enough clearance between the housing and the hub ('hope I've made myself clear - see pic).

So to cut a long story short, any suggestions as to how I can remove the nut from the bolt without having to remove the lower wheel assembly?

Cheers.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

With a nut on the inside i suspect the thread on the square housing has stripped and the end of the bolt has mushroomed.
You should be still able to adjust it and lock it into place with the other nut.

Pete

 

[GCR]

Do I take it that all 4 bolts pass through the (unthreaded) housing and a nut inside the housing provides the necessary force to make the shaft move?

If so, I have had some success in the past using a screwdriver wedged between shaft and end of bolt to provide enough end pressure to get the nut to re-engauge on the thread - be careful not to damage the end of the screw or you will be back to square one.

If the nut is not too floppy careful drilling through one flat to weaken the nut, followed by a small cold chisel to split the nut can work - same principle as a nut splitting tool, but more brutal. You will of course damage the bolt as well.

Bob

 

[paulm]

Fein or similar multitool with hss blade to cut through the base of the trapped nut and through the bolt ?

Cheers, Paul

 

[Melektro]

Pete, your prognosis of my nuts is correct. However, I was trying to tighten the nut last night and it proved unsuccessful. The nut is just turning without engaging the thread of the bolt, nor the bolt engaging the square housing.

Bob, all four bolts do indeed pass through the square housing and contact the hub to keep it in position. The lower bolt has a nut inside the housing to lock it in position. I'll try your tips today and report back.

Paul, I'd thought of that, but I don't have such a tool anymore. It's really tight on access to the bolt too. I thinking a drill and a file is probably the best option to remove the nut.

Cheers everyone.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Al

Then use the lower nut to pull the bolt through the striped nut, hold the bolt with one spanner/mole grips and wind the nut up to pull it out.
Then replace it with a high tensile bolt and nuts from and engineering suppliers.

Pete

 

[Melektro]

There's definitely some tension on the thread between the bolt and the nut in the housing, it just doesn't want to tighten up. The bolt requires a fair amount of pressure against the hub to move it at all, so the top of the bolt has been compressed in the past (mushroomed as you say), that will create a problem in simply pulling it through the nut.

Cheers.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Al

Stripdown and hacksaw blade, posibly junior, looks like the best way forwards.

Pete

 

[Melektro]

Success! Drill, chisel, hammer = sorted. It's all tracking well now. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

Drilling my nuts.

The culprit.

Cheers.