Accelerator and retarder ball return - what to use to repair, slow down or remove

[KWagner]

The accelerator system and retarders here are a mess and most of them are broken. The leather retarders are mostly all broken at the area where the flap goes around the metal holding device. Some of them are just falling all apart. I thought about going to a leather repair shop but that is expensive.

Most of the carpet strips are somewhat ok but not great. All of the ball wipes are broken or missing the rods to hold them and such.

The motors have a larger pulley on them and are way too fast for the worn out retarder system. The pulley size appears to be 2 23/32nds with a 1/2" bore.

Can I change these to the 1 1/2 pulley and then remove the leather retarder set up? I wouldn't mind just going to straight gravity feed but with the accelerator pans track and retarder track up front,I guess I can't unless I hunt for used parts and track.

I get ball damage at times and lots of banging balls into the power lifts because these things are too darn fast with the condition these things are in.

The guy who worked here before me didn't do anything to up keep the place, fix or repair a thing. Now it's my mess to fix.

Is there a cheaper place to get the smaller pulleys? Brunswick wants about $28 each for them (as much as I like to buy Brunswick, I'd like to save some money). The belts are around $7.00.

I hate these things!

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

You can slow these down, remove the retarders and repair the retarder tracks/carpets. I would use a 1/2 bore V pulley on the motor with about a 1 1/2" OD. (Yes, a V belt will work on this setup ) This would be your cheapest and quickest way to get to where you want to be. Hope this helps.

[CHIP300]

I would slow them down by using a smaller motor pulley and remove the leather retarder up front. And also, try installing the Zot accelerator support kit..worlds of difference! Use accelerator ball wiper and downsweep ball wiper..instead of the leather ball wipers up front. I believe the accel motor pulley I use is one size down from the largest..can't remember the exact size. Just order a few at a time..each time you order oil, cleaner, and lino duster. That's what I always do so im not overloading the budget

Chip

[KWagner]

I'm going to shop for the 1 1/2 V belt pulleys and slow them down. Waiting on the shock mount and heli-coils to come in and now with this project of slowing down the accelerators and repairing them will keep me busy for a few days!

[Litgrm47]

You can get your pullys at grainger that is where i always got mine

[KWagner]

What length V belt should I be looking to get. I found some cheap pulleys at Grainger.

[Roscoe]

Kwagner:
Add the diameters (in inches) of the two pulleys and multilpy that sum by 1.57, to that product add twice the distance (in inches) betweeen the two centers of the shafts.

[Litgrm47]

it's been a while but i think i was useing L230 v belts from grainger

[KWagner]

This is what I've come up with.


http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON-V-Belt-3L230?Pid=search - Belt

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/CON...t-Pulley-3X892 - Pulley

[A_Ike]

I have an on-topic, off-topic question. Have any of you guys had issues with light balls not making it to the Powerlift because of the Downsweep Cloths? This happens on pairs with new Retarder Carpets, old-dirty Retarder Carpets, and old clean ones (currently going through them). As soon as we pull the cloth out, the same light balls make the trip just fine. We are running the 1 11/16" pullies & have the Zot Lift Conversion. This isn't a huge deal as we mostly run the Downsweep Cloths during leagues, high school/college practices, and lazer bowling; just wondered if anyone else has seen this before.

[Litgrm47]

at my old center when they put in new lanes we took out all the retarders and put in track and on the accelerators we used 1" pulleys with a 4L230 vbelt. It worked really well

[mikeb]

I think most have gotten rid of the retarders. Keep the remaining carpet tracks clean and everything should be good.

[brentman1]

I have gotten v pulleys for this at local farm supply store, around $11-12 ea.

[CHIP300]

V-belts for accelerator motors ??

[Roscoe]

Chipman:
They work well, way less tracking problems.