Ask Hytrol: How to Replace the Take-up Pulley on a Center Drive
For this Ask Hytrol, we are going to demonstrate how to replace the take-up pulley on a center drive.
You will need the following tools:
- 3/4″ and 9/16″ wrench
- Needle nose or channel style pliers
- Tape measure
- Hex wrench set
- Torque wrench
- Lockout-tagout equipment
- Experienced help, if available
For your safety and others around you always perform lockout-tagout procedures on all machinery before removing any guarding for repair. Loosen the jam nuts on the 2 take-up bolts. Back the tensioner pulley off all the way to the rear of the drive. Unlace and loosen the belt from the unit. Remove the slope guard or short guard, depending on the type of conveyor you have. After the slope guard or short guard has been removed, remove the six 3×8 inch bolts that attach the take-up angles. Remove the take-up angles.
Now, you can remove the take-up assembly from drive. With the take-up assembly removed from the drive, loosen the set screws in the take-up bearings and remove the bearing and take-up plates. Discard the old take-up pulley. Install the bearings and bearing plates on the shaft of the pulley but do not torque the set screws yet. Next, slide the take-up assembly back into the drive in the take-up guides. Re-install the take-up angles and hardware. Adjust the take-up pulley inside the drive by tapping the shaft with a dead blow hammer moving the pulley left and rights. Center the pulley in the drive, ensuring that there is an equal amount of space between the outside of the pulley and the drive channel on both sides.
Now that the pulley is nested in the drive, you make now torque the set screws on the three-bolt bearing to the correct torque setting found in your installation and maintenance manual. This torque spec will differ depending on your drive. Be sure to make the set screws with a visual aid for future maintenance logs. Lace the belt and using the ¾ jam nuts, properly tension the belt for operation. After the belt is laced and tensioned, reinstall the slope or short guard to the drive.
You have now successfully replaced a take-up pulley in a center drive. The machine is now ready to return to service.