Anybody ever have to replace the spindlemotor & gearbox because of a smoked spindle. Last sunday the machine operater was running the spindle at its max speed 7500 rpm for extended periods of time. The spindle got so hot it changed colors the bearings are fried. I was listening to the spindle motor with my stethescope and thier was a profound knocking noise like something had came loose inside the motor. I pulled the gaerbox and motor off the machine and pulled the outside housing of the motor off and the armeture is glazed black and you can tell were it has been rubbing against the magnets. But the bearings felt ok could it have been under so much of a laod trying to turn the spindle that it was knocking around in thier. I am just trying to find out if I have to replace the motor and gearbox.

I don't know anything about what you'll need to do to fix it but if you end up needing a motor, there is one on eBay:
http://cgi1.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MakeTrack&item=300137948038

It's a 10K RPM motor but they might be interchangeable. It's worth checking in to if you end up needing one.

Is it possible to upgrade my spindle cartridge to 10,000 rpm also.

changing to 10k can be done but it is a lot of work and probably not worth doing you need a lot of parts and parameter changes.

Your right we are going to put a 7500 rpm spindle back in it today. Total cost with a 50% core charge is around 6000 grand. Haas won't warranty it unless they put it in they are charging 95 an hour for a 15 hour bid. The service tech they sent me is a complete tool bag. He has no sense of time and money . They kinda have you by balls because they are the only ones in town with parts.

I have a question can you run the 7500 rpm spindle at max speed for a 3 hour cycle time and not have to worry about burning it up.

as long as your getting proper lubrication you should be able to run it all day at 7500 $6000.00 is crazy. is it a 50 taper?

Yes its a 50 taper.

I have a another question I need to know the proper spindle lubricant for this machine I do not have a manual and the operaters have been putting way lube 68 in the automatic oiler.

Not too familiar with that lube ... but there should be a decal next to the reservoir saying to put in Mobil DTE 25 .. I would hate to see you burn up a $6000 spindle ... the oil is lighter than the 40 taper machines .. the 40 tapers use Mobil Vactra#2 ... Hopefully the tech ran a break-in cycle and checked to see if lube was getting to your spindle.

Also, you can go to the Haas website and download the manual from there.

haascnc.com

Way lube 68 is cheap way lube the company buys to save money its not a mobile product. I have only been at this company for about 2 months and I am trying to start a preventive maintenance program for the equipment. This company has never had a maintenance tech before so I am starting from scratch. I have tried to start an oil chart for each machine and order some lubricants but they don't want to spend any money because we have a very tight budget. After they pay for this spindle repair maybe they will change their mind.

always follow what is printed on the way lube tank there are not many machines out there that take dte 25 they used it for a little while and then they went back to vactra 2 on the way lube tank it will say what oil to use vactra or dte

Whatever was printed on the side of the waylube tank has been worn off.

i would go with vactra 2 or equivalent or call haas

The Haas service tech said to use VAC 2. I also did a spindle lubricater test the 50 taper spindle should get 1.7 to 2.1 cc every 4 hours. The new spindle is in and we are ready to go 7000 dollars later.

MY COMPANY HAS A VF-3 AND A VF-6 , THE OLDEST BEING ONLY 3 YEARS .BETWEEN THE BOTH OF THESE MACHINES THEY HAVE HAD 9 SPINDLES REPLACEMENTS IN THIS TIME FRAME. YOU CAN'T SEEM TO RUN THESE AT MAX R.P.M. FOR ANY DURATION WITHOUT COOKING THEM.THE HAAS SPINDLE PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE. WE FINALLY GOT SICK OF THE PROBLEM AND BOUGHT A FADAL 4020 WITH A HIGH SPEED SPINDLE TO RUN A LONG CYCLE TIME ALUMINUM JOB THAT WAS ROACHING THE HAAS SPINDLES.WHEN THE JOB WAS ON THE HAAS ,THE NOISE FROM THE SPINDLE WAS SO LOUD THAT EVERYBODY IN THE SHOP WERE WEARING SHOOTERS MUFFS!!! CAN'T EVEN TELL THE MACHINE IS RUNNING WHEN USING THE FADAL.BEEN RUNNING FOR 6 MONTHS ON FADAL WITH NO ISSUES AT ALL. WHEN THE DEALER WE BOUGHT OUR 4 HAAS MACHINES FROM FOUND OUT WE WERE GOING TO FADAL THEY GOT REALLY PISSED OFF AND STARTED NIT PICKING OUR WARRANTIES AND SERVICE.NEEDLESS TO SAY WE WON'T BE BUYING ANYMORE HAAS MACHINES.HAAS SHOULD STOP GOING FOR QUANTITY AND GO BACK TO QUALITY !!!!!!

Way lube 68 and mobil vactra #2 are the same lubricant chemically. Mobil DTE 25 is like Super Hydraulic oil 32 which IS lighter than WL 69 on MV 2. We have used WL 68 in our VF 6 since we have had it. (1995)