new 1 for me

[Clutch Plate Member Find all posts View Profile Close Clutch Plate]

I came into work on Tuesday of last week. The manager said that lane #15 was all jacked up, and the desk guy said that the ball return fell off.

After being in this business for a long time, I basically listen to the first 2 words they say and just ignore the rest.

I goto the back and find the upper ball lift yoke had fallen off. Found the safety pin had sheared off. I repaired the ball lift , then it was time to find out why the belt fell off in the first place. Looked at the lift rod covers and noticed a shiny blue goo all over them. I thought it was grease and went to wipe it off and realized that the rod covers had melted. If I were to grab the covers anywhere I would just be pulling off pieces of rail cover. It was going to be impossible to remove the covers in machine.

I removed rails and fortunately I had two spares. Got machine all fixed and leaned the old rails against the wall in my storage room. Came in the next day and ALL of the cover had melted off all over the floor. It looked like thick, blue candle wax. Im going to have to wait until next winter to clean it up.

Have you guys ever seen rail covers melt?

[Ted Tech of the Year 2006 Find all posts View Profile Close Ted]

Re: new 1 for me

Yes I have.

When machines had been on the water for 3 weeks in a container that got pretty hot inside.

In my case, it was the 1) blue urethane that covered the c-tracks, and 2) the blue urethane wheels - both in the power lift, but exactly as you describe.
Some got so hot, the c-track covers were melted off and was all on the base. The wheels fared better. They didn't fail until after running a few days.

[Clutch Plate Member Find all posts View Profile Close Clutch Plate]

Re: new 1 for me

Originally posted by Ted:
Yes I have.

When machines had been on the water for 3 weeks in a container that got pretty hot inside.

In my case, it was the 1) blue urethane that covered the c-tracks, and 2) the blue urethane wheels - both in the power lift, but exactly as you describe.
Some got so hot, the c-track covers were melted off and was all on the base. The wheels fared better. They didn't fail until after running a few days.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">After this happened I checked all other machines, fortunately this pair was the only one with these type of tubes.

[Ted Tech of the Year 2006 Find all posts View Profile Close Ted]

Re: new 1 for me

I'm curious clutch, how long they been in? Or is this lift rail assy one you just got from someone not too long ago?

[Clutch Plate Member Find all posts View Profile Close Clutch Plate]

Re: new 1 for me

Originally posted by Ted:
I'm curious clutch, how long they been in? Or is this lift rail assy one you just got from someone not too long ago?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">We got these machines about 3 1/2 years ago. They were on the machines when we got them.

[AIR FORCE MECH Members Find all posts View Profile Close AIR FORCE MECH]

Re: new 1 for me

Originally posted by Clutch Plate:
Came in the next day and ALL of the cover had melted off all over the floor. It looked like thick, blue candle wax. Im going to have to wait until next winter to clean it up.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yikes!!!! [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif[/img]

Get your lazy a$$ back there and clean it up :p ...Why do you have to wait until winter to clean it up?

[Mike Stalker Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mike Stalker]

Re: new 1 for me

Clutch, what have you been smoking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like someones played a practical joke on you.

Damn, I will have to remember that one. The old candle wax rail cover trick... [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img]

[Fish Bowl Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fish Bowl]

Re: new 1 for me

Could be the heat. Had blue rail covers, on a sure pik coversion rail(that replaces the leather belt),that we took off and put in storage with no A/C and came back to find them all soft and gooey. Also in the same storage room had rubber cushion that became soft. Now I only store metal and wood in the storage room.South Florida heat and humidity are bad.

[Clutch Plate Member Find all posts View Profile Close Clutch Plate]

Re: new 1 for me

I know it sounds crazy, and I was also amazed by this. We were and are still having a heatwave. Its been 100 degrees plus for the past week. I havent been able to do much work on the machines, exept fix this machine.

AF the reason I have to wait until next winter is that the stuff is way too gooey. The cold temps will harden the stuff then I can just chip it off the floor.

[misterx Find all posts View Profile Close misterx]

Re: new 1 for me

Sounds like Gremlins !! [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif[/img]

[Megatech Members Find all posts View Profile Close Megatech]

Re: new 1 for me

It probably is a new 'urethane virus'. It came all the way over to Holland as well! Since the last 3 years I have the problem that in the summer the pinwheels and distributors are getting very sticky and covered with a black layer off dirt. Also the pins don't slide into the cups properly and fall over during spotting. I just recently found out that the rails in the C-90 ballreturns are getting soft and sticky and the balls and pins are spreading this 'ex-urethane' stuff through the whole pinsetter. These rails are 12 years old now and never had this problem before.

[partnumber Members Find all posts View Profile Close partnumber]

Re: new 1 for me

Trek je portemonee maar!
These urethane rails are very expensive!
you need 4 per ballreturn. We had to replace 40 rails. not so funny.

[70/70 Members Find all posts View Profile Close 70/70]

Re: new 1 for me

We found some BAD urethane? I had a ball stalled on the rails. the covers turned into the BLUE GOO that Clutch mentioned.
Worse than bubblegum

[Lampie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lampie]

Re: new 1 for me

Are the centers with problems using the same kind of lane oil or cleaner??
Post it and compare...

[Megatech Members Find all posts View Profile Close Megatech]

Re: new 1 for me

The center I was talking about allways uses Levab cleaner. I don't think anyone in the States does?? For conditioner they use Legends.

I know these rails are expensive. The worst thing is that you still get the same urethane ones for that money!

I am pretty close to having someone put on a new coating on the old rails. Saves about 50 % in costs. Have to see if it holds though. Have you saved your old ones partnumber?