Question for Heuer 140mm Vice Owners

[g3d0re]

Does anyone here own a new version heuer vice? I bought the 140mm non replaceable jaw model and wanted to ask owners if this was normal. I'm coming from an old record english vice that would only need my finger to open and close the vice with very small movement of the finger.
The heuer vice needs quite abit more muscle to open and close it, I'm not sure if this is the design or if my vice was damaged during shipping.

Thanks

 

[Vicks]

I don't own one yet, but will be buying a 120mm version soon so i have been researching quite a bit about these Vices and have found out that there is an adjustment process to set the preload on the base of the vice. If the adjusting screw is not set correctly, it could potentially lead to misalignemnt of the dynamic arm on the base causing binding that you are experiencing. somewhere on youtube is a video showing the maintenance procedure for the Heuer Front Vice including this adjustment step.

Hope this helps.

By the way, do you have any initial impressions of the Heuer 140 ? whats your intended application ? I wanted to buy the 140 but for my home usage (small fabrication, fixing things around the house, working on my cars/motorcycles etc) i thought the 15Kg Heuer 140 would be overkill so have chosen the 9Kg Heuer 120. The 20mm jaw width reduction wont terribly affect my usage i guess.

 

[mikronwf2]

there is a bolt at the bottom to adjust the the guide tension is that tight?

 

[g3d0re]

I don't own one yet, but will be buying a 120mm version soon so i have been researching quite a bit about these Vices and have found out that there is an adjustment process to set the preload on the base of the vice. If the adjusting screw is not set correctly, it could potentially lead to misalignemnt of the dynamic arm on the base causing binding that you are experiencing. somewhere on youtube is a video showing the maintenance procedure for the Heuer Front Vice including this adjustment step.

Hope this helps.

By the way, do you have any initial impressions of the Heuer 140 ? whats your intended application ? I wanted to buy the 140 but for my home usage (small fabrication, fixing things around the house, working on my cars/motorcycles etc) i thought the 15Kg Heuer 140 would be overkill so have chosen the 9Kg Heuer 120. The 20mm jaw width reduction wont terribly affect my usage i guess.

I saw the video and am yet to full remove the spindle part from the vice. All I have tried so far is remove the screw completely and that did not change a thing. The vice looks fine with no damage physically that I can tell but the box was a bit beaten up. I'll try removal the spindle completely and inspect it. To me it looks like it could well be the design of this vice being a bigger model, it's like the spindle is under tension when you turn the handle. It opens smooth and closes without binding its just it requires more than 1 finger effort to open and close.

I used to have a Record No 3 100mm vice and a Dawn Australian made vice both being cast iron but wanted an all steel vice. I was looking at the 120mm Heuer originally but the price difference between the 140mm wasn't that much only about 40€ so I opted to go bigger considering the different wasn't that much. It will be used in the home garage for fixing stuff and some restoration projects. I got the rotating base as well which is pretty nifty.

 

[g3d0re]

there is a bolt at the bottom to adjust the the guide tension is that tight?

Not overly, if I remove it completely it makes no difference.

 

[exmaxima1]

Does anyone here own a new version heuer vice? I bought the 140mm non replaceable jaw model and wanted to ask owners if this was normal. I'm coming from an old record english vice that would only need my finger to open and close the vice with very small movement of the finger.
The heuer vice needs quite abit more muscle to open and close it, I'm not sure if this is the design or if my vice was damaged during shipping.

Thanks

I had the Heuer 140 with the replaceable jaws and it operated very smoothly. Due to the design, it's very possible that something on yours got bent. It wasn't as "rigid" as my Ridgid 140 (also made in Germany) so I sold it off very quickly.

 

[rancherbill]

I don't own a vise that has this problem.

I have bought other things that I thought were stiff. I used valve grinding compound on the sliding surfaces and the threads. I wound the item in and out with compression and tension. Then I thoroughly cleaned and lubricated and they worked fine. I got rid of the imperfections and smoothed things. It's amazing the increase in pulling power on some pullers.

 

[g3d0re]

I pulled the assembly out and it has resistance with nothing attached to the spindle. Seems like it's internal, tolerances must be too tight.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uUsH_ZqBXOByOAswkWZru_sbDK4KPPPG/view?usp=sharing

Also the Heuer Maintenance

Shows at 2.05min mark the spindle popping out and having to adjust it but mine does not budge.

Still waiting to hear from Heuer if this is normal.

 

[Vicks]

I pulled the assembly out and it has resistance with nothing attached to the spindle. Seems like it's internal, tolerances must be too tight.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uUsH_ZqBXOByOAswkWZru_sbDK4KPPPG/view?usp=sharing

Also the Heuer Maintenance

Shows at 2.05min mark the spindle popping out and having to adjust it but mine does not budge.

Still waiting to hear from Heuer if this is normal.

hmm... i dont have any inputs since i don't own one but one thing i will say is don't hold your breath for Heuer's reply LoL.....

 

[g3d0re]

hmm... i dont have any inputs since i don't own one but one thing i will say is don't hold your breath for Heuer's reply LoL.....

Ok so Heuer replied and said that's its normal, below is their explanation hope it helps other potential buyers.

In the front jaw of the vice are some parts mounted.

These parts are necessary that the spindle key is just under power and you have directly contact to the front jaw.



Depending on the distance between the spindle head and the snap ring, the effort required is higher or lower on the spindle key.

We prefer a little more effort to have a better feel on the spindle key.

If you want to have less effort. You can unmount the spindle and grind the spring a bit shorter. After assembly the rotation is easier.

But over time, the tension of the spring will also decrease, so the vise will be easier to move.

 

[Shiftless]

Uhh…

What does this mean? “Better feel on the spindle key” ????

 

[Vicks]

Uhh…

What does this mean? “Better feel on the spindle key” ????

I guess they mean that the slightly higher friction/drag provides better control of the handle. If it was too smooth, the handle would be flopping all over the place.

 

[lexbman]

I know this is an old topic. But I wonder if replacing the ring behind the spindle head with a needle thrust bearing could help. I have the 120mm version and was thinking of ways to make it more smooth. Based on those diagrams there is a surface the bearing could ride on.