Hello all. I acquired a Husky 22 gallon, 5hp air compressor with a broken belt. I replaced the belt, but after letting it run a few minutes, the new belt snapped off in half. Could it be the motor is becoming weak and putting a drag on the belt, or is it the pump that's starting to become weak? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Air Compressor belt breaks
- Thread starter Levaughn
- Start date
ez-duzit
Well-known member
The pulley alignment sounds weak.
G_P
Well-known member
Misaligned pulleys or rusted/chipped pulleys are a possibility. Did the machine make any odd sounds before the belt snapped? Did the pump lock up suddenly?
A brand new belt should not snap after mere minutes of use unless something is drastically wrong.
A brand new belt should not snap after mere minutes of use unless something is drastically wrong.
MacMcMacmac
Well-known member
Sounds like you have an obstruction in the compressor discharge that's letting pressure get way too high between the pump and check valve. Does the belt just snap, or is there evidence of the belt being ground apart, like black dust and uneven strands of cord left over. That's one of the weirdest setups I've seen. No where near 5hp either. Some machines require very specific belts as well. I know you couldn't just throw anything on a Kaeser and expect them to last.
I just snapped. There was no black dust or uneven strands. It just ripped right apart just like the first one I saw when I got it. I started it after installing the new belt and after a few minutes it just snapped off.
jallyn
Well-known member
belts break from being overloaded. so the motor is not weak. If it is not the motor, and not the belt since it was new, it is the compressor pump at fault. As the compressor warms up something is getting jammed from thermal expansion. compressor pump will have to be rebuilt and repaired, or possibly even replaced.
I took another look at the Compressor today and noticed on the other side of the larger pulley, there were bearing with some of them chewed up. I think this was the problem with it seizing up and and throwing off the belt. I removed the chewed up bearings and the pulley spun much more freely. I tried to remove the retainer ring (painted green in the photo) to add new bearings and grease, but I couldn't get it off. I tried to pry the ring off and broke two screw driver tips in the process. Is there a way to remove that green painted retainer ring? Thanks.
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ez-duzit
Well-known member
Horribly out of focus photo. Try again.
jallyn
Well-known member
you are on the right track...replacing a broken bearing. might have to press things apart if they are that tight.
yossarian19
Well-known member
You want to find a local fixit shop with a press. Don't go to an auto repair place, they don't have time for it.
Around here, we have an exhaust guy who also builds hot rods. I swear you look at his shop and he's 90% there to build hot rods in his spare time and as a sideline business but really, he's running an exhaust shop. Anyway, he's 70-something and if you catch him when he's not doing anything, he's glad to operate the press and run bearings onto a shaft for $10 and a handshake.
That's who you need to find.
Around here, we have an exhaust guy who also builds hot rods. I swear you look at his shop and he's 90% there to build hot rods in his spare time and as a sideline business but really, he's running an exhaust shop. Anyway, he's 70-something and if you catch him when he's not doing anything, he's glad to operate the press and run bearings onto a shaft for $10 and a handshake.
That's who you need to find.
I have a 20 ton press. I'm thinking if I press it out on the pulley side, The green washer ring would still be intact. If I press out the green washer ring side, I would crush the remaining bearings and the area that holds them.
jallyn
Well-known member
you are going to be replacing the bearing since it is damaged. is the green ring part of the bearing and will get replaced along with the bearing?
I painted the ring green so everyone could see the part I was talking about. The green ring looks like it's pressed onto the end of the shaft. It's the only thing that's holding in the ball bearings. If I could remove that ring, I can install new ball bearings/grease and tap the green ring back on to the shaft.
G_P
Well-known member
That looks like it was a sealed bearing that fell apart. Yes, the green part is a part of the bearing and is pressed onto the shaft.
You dont replace the individual balls. You replace the entire bearing assembly. You'll need the part number of the bearing, or if its gone, the size of the shaft and the size of the bore the bearing is pressed into and order a new one.
The bearing should look similar to this. It might even be identical to the one on the other side.
You dont replace the individual balls. You replace the entire bearing assembly. You'll need the part number of the bearing, or if its gone, the size of the shaft and the size of the bore the bearing is pressed into and order a new one.
The bearing should look similar to this. It might even be identical to the one on the other side.
I decided in true "Tinkering" fashion to give the compressor one more try. I noticed there was a race sitting around the first ring I marked in green. I earlier tried to press out the shaft with no luck, that's when I noticed the race (on the left) around the little green marked ring. Next to the race is a cup that goes under the race. I pried the race out and it was broken. I don't know if I did it pressing it out or if it was part of the original problem. On the pump housing I painted green the area where the race sits into. Next I need to see if I can locate another race, add some new bearing, and see if I can put it back together.
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aczr2k
Well-known member
Like G_P said you need a new bearing, you cannot repair ball bearings.