I’ve started to tear one apart that has broken the swing bearing. (Slewing ring, rotec bearing, etc). I’ve never done one before and SIS doesn’t have great instructions. We had to fudge in a 559 serial number. i can only access 2 of the outer ring of bolts at a time and the inner ring has to be accessed from underneath around the rotary manifold. we have a 50 ton crane to lift the back of the house and I can push down on the heel to balance it. think what I have to do remove the inner ring of bolts and lift the top with the bearing attached. Then remove the 2 accessible bolts from the top and rotate the bearing to the next bolts, ultimately letting the bearing drop out or catch it on the forklift. Does anyone here have any experience with this or have any pointers?
I've done several Rotek bearings before but not on this model. On the ones I've done, the inner ring bolts were removed and the bearing stayed on the lower. Some pics may help us understand your plight.
Ok. Bear with me while I try to help you to help me. the bearing is in behind where the arrow is. That cover is welded on with no access unless I cut it off. This bearing is set up differently than an excavator. The teeth are on the outside edge and the swing motor sits just under the cab rather than in the center. in this photo just below where I put my very artistic arrow is an access hole to the top ring of bolts. I also have another hole 180 degrees from it allowing access to 2 bolts at a time before I need to turn it. If I try to remove those bolts 2 at a time so I can leave the bearing attached to the bottom half, things are going to get downright dangerous before I get them out. If I crawl underneath I can get up inside around the rotary manifold and remove the bolts from there but that will leave the bearing attached to the house at which point I still need to get the upper bolts out and catch it on a forklift or let gravity do its thing. I’m not excited about any of my options. This is where I put in my request with the HEF braintrust.
If the cover was cut off, would the bolts come all the way out, without being where the access hole is? Or do they need the hole for length/room to come out of the bearing? If the bolts will clear, could you rotate it, busting loose the bolts using the access hole, and then just resnugging them? After going all the way around loosening the bolts, support the upper and pull the bolts from where the cover used to be. (cutting the cover off) Then pull the lower undercarriage out, and pull the bearing? If the bolts won't clear the upper flange without being at the inspection hole, I think you're going to have to take the bottom first, and then put some blocks on the forklift and set the bearing out of the upper onto the forklift. Make some kind of square tubing or big pipe stand to hold it up, or wood blocks? You have one of those fancy hytorq guns? On the cranes, they are serious torque, and its a bitch with a torque multiplier bar, big ratchet and no room. I think my P&H is set up like this loader, I'll see if there's anything in the manual on it.
The only way the upper bolts are coming out is through the 2 access holes. I do have a hy torq for the bolts but some of them are going to require some creative thinking because there are some valve brackets underneath that are in the way. Those may get cut off And rewelded. I think we’ve got some concrete blocks that we can set the crane on once we separate the two halves.
So, if you want to take the top off first. I think then you have to pull the boom/ stick. Hang the upper from the crane, and spin it around pulling bolts, then just swing the upper off the lower. Then reach through the bearing hole to take the lower bolts off? How much upperstructure is there besides the stick/ boom. Engine, counterweight, cabs, hyd and fuel tanks?
Everything is on the top except one hydraulic valve that runs the stabilizers. Removing the main boom may be quite a feat. Machine is an 06 with who knows how many hours.not really sure it is worth putting a swing bearing in but since it’s cheaper than replacing the machine…
Ok. Update on the machine. I removed all the inner bolts and we lifted the house from the base. The bearing stayed with the base. Removed the bolts, changed the bearing and put it back together. Crane went back in the woods today and was feeding the chipper when I left. Mission accomplished!
Merry Christmas Mike. Glad to see you working. So did you get a white christmas? We've got cloudy and rain, mid 40's.
We got about 6” of snow yesterday and another flurry this morning. It’s plenty white today.