17-02-2022, 11:31 AM
(16-02-2022, 10:43 PM)Nick Mayne Wrote: Ref the flange at the front end with the nut that claps everything together I can move it back and forth by about 1/8"
Usual cause of the symptom is the nut on the pinion shaft is loose. Root cause of the problem will be found in the spacer between the bearings, this will have fretted and be shorter than its proper length (I can't remember off hand what that should be), allowing the nut to work loose. Fixes? Well you can tighten the nut and add the amount of wear in the spacer to the shims on the torque tube or you can try and find a better spacer or you can get your local, friendly lathe owning companion to turn up a new spacer accurately.
This problem is usually terminal in the end as the pinion works more and more deeply into mesh and eventually, the teeth shear off so it's best caught early. However, the pinion may well be marked after its escapade and may not run quietly even after the problem is fixed.