How to Change Wheels on Baldor Grinder??

[Charles Johnson]

I have a Baldor 602E grinder and am ready to change wheels from the original 36-grit and wire brush to a set of Norton aluminum oxide. Baldor doesn't seem to make it easy, though. To remove the wire brush on the right I wedged the 36-grit wheel on the left and used a crescent wrench to loosen the 1/2" nut on the right. I could then install the Norton wheel on the right.

My problem arises when I try to loosen the 36-grit wheel on the left. Regardless of which wheel I wedge, the left-side nut remain fixed on the shaft and the right-side nut loosens.

Is there a feature on the Baldor to lock the shaft so I can loosen (or tighten) either nut? (Seems like there ought to be a flat section on the shaft or a slot on the end.) Some trick or technique I'm missing here?

Thanks.

 

[Dale Miner]

The nut on the left side is left hand threads if that makes a difference.

 

[Bill Boehme]

The nut on the left side is left hand threads if that makes a difference.

I'm pretty sure that it does make a difference.

It is a good reminder to everyone to check the thread direction. I don't know if all grinders are like this, but I know that mine is and I suspect that many others (if not all) have LH threads on the left side to keep the grinding wheel from unscrewing itself.

 

[ray hampton]

remove the wheel from the right end, buy two nuts with the correct thread for the shaft, thread them on the shaft , hold the inner nut and torque the outer to it , unscrew the left-hand nut , repeat as needed

 

[john lucas]

2 excellent answers. I used to wedge the wheel but got nervous about breaking it or causing a weak spot. Then I read somewhere else about using the 2 nut method. Made sense, I tried it and it worked. My grinder also has left hand threads on the left side.

 

[Charles Johnson]

Excellent suggestions, all. I especially appreciate the left-hand thread idea. Prior to using turnbuckles to hang an air filter unit from my shop ceiling last week, I haven't encountered left-hand threads since I broke a toilet (don't ask) 33 years ago. Just not on my radar for grinder wheels.

I'll try this approach as soon as I can, but please accept my thanks right now.

 

[john lucas]

Then don't try to take the pedals off of a bicycle or you'll run into more left hand threads. The reason is the same reason they are LH on the grinder. The rotation of the wheel or pedal would unscrew them if they came loose at all.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Then don't try to take the pedals off of a bicycle or you'll run into more left hand threads. The reason is the same reason they are LH on the grinder. The rotation of the wheel or pedal would unscrew them if they came loose at all.

Took me the better part of six months to get used to having a right-handed thread on my left-tilt tablesaw. Years of experience with left threads finally faded away.

Expect some ribbing if you visit a friend with a right tilt (Left thread) tablesaw once you're accustomed.

 

[Gretch Flo]

thread direction

I'm pretty sure that it does make a difference.

It is a good reminder to everyone to check the thread direction. I don't know if all grinders are like this, but I know that mine is and I suspect that many others (if not all) have LH threads on the left side to keep the grinding wheel from unscrewing itself.

If there isn't much thread showing, can you "see" the direction of the thread? For instance my grinder's nuts are "proud" of the thread. Gretch

 

[Bill Boehme]

If there isn't much thread showing, can you "see" the direction of the thread? For instance my grinder's nuts are "proud" of the thread. Gretch

Well then you should be able to see the thread on the inside of the nut and tell which direction the thread cut exits the end of the nut. Even if they were perfectly flush, you can normally see how the thread direction goes by just looking at the end of the nut.

If I saw a nut that was proud of the stud when tightened down, I would be concerned about a potential safety hazard. There is a "rule" (probably unwritten) that says that such a condition should never be allowed for any application because the resulting maximum load carrying force is unknown. Note that the threads on the end of the stud as well as the ends of the nut are chamfered which further increases the uncertainty. You should verify that there is not an extra washer installed or that the maximum allowable wheel width has not been exceeded.

 

[Harry Robinette]

Gretch
Bill is correct it sounds like you have a grinder that should have 3/4" wheels and someone put 1" wheels on it .This is very dangerous and should be corrected asap.

 

[Charles Johnson]

Thanks to all who replied. The correct answer is that the left-hand wheel indeed has a left-hand thread. With that in mind it was easy to loosen and swap the new one it.