Lost My Balls!

[MRM RCModels]

Figured this would be a good place for this since so many of you have the X3 CNCfusion Deluxe Ballscrew upgrade. All of my Ball Bearings fell out of the Ballnut.

How do I put them back in?

Thanks,

Kelvin

[escott76]

Originally Posted by MRM RCModels Figured this would be a good place for this since so many of you have the X3 CNCfusion Deluxe Ballscrew upgrade. All of my Ball Bearings fell out of the Ballnut. How do I put them back in? Thanks, Kelvin

I put the nut on the screw, take the return tube off, and start pushing them in, rotating the screw. Make sure to not let the end ones keep going past the second hole for the return tube. You can use a toothpick or similar small object to pack them in. When the nut is full there will be a couple balls left over. Some grease will help them stick in the return tube. Reinstall and you are good.

[project5k]

hehehe, yea, been there done that, once you do it, its not that bad, just make sure that you work on a towl or something so that if you drop them again they dont take off again.

The uncertainty feeling before you do it is far worse than actually doing it.

[tobyaxis]

Using a little grease as suggested before is a good idea.

LOL, had to laugh when I saw the Thread Title though.

[scudzuki]

It is pretty unpleasant when they start falling out and you don't know how you're going to get them back in, but fortunately it's actually quite easy once you get started.

Joe

[Teyber12]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73910

How? i thought you had those really expensive limit switches

[stag53]

Hey, just as a checksum... there are 16 balls per circuit. I lost my balls too when I was installing the kit. Miraculously recovered all of them.

I suggest a small needle nose pliers to drop them in, a toothpick to poke them in place, and a comfortable couch in front of the TV. It's actually kind of relaxing... if all goes well

[pete from TN]

I had this happen so far in my first conversion and I gotta tell ya until I figured it out it was a real PIA!!. My advice is to put the parts on the kitchen table on a terry cloth towel so the little balls will not roll all around on ya. The advice to remove the screws and return tube is fine and then you just need to start dropping balls into the nut with the screw installed in there. It is important that you do not let the balls from the one hole travel all the way thru and go past the second hole. They will just fall out when you try to turn the nut on the screw(ask me how I know). SO just keep dropping them in and carefully watch the second hole to make sure a ball or three does not go past the other hole. Then when you get all the balls in you can do the heavy grease thing in the return tube halves and stick the rest of the balls in there. Close the halves and carefully drop the return tube into place. Hold it down with one hand while you carefully install the little shcs into their holes. If you did it right none of the balls will be beyond the screw holes and will be captured in the nut. Make sure by rotating the ballnut along the screw over the terry cloth towel in case you missed one. It literally took me three or four tries to get it right so don't feel bad if you goof it up. Just make sure you run it back and forth a few times over the towel in case a ball or three falls out of the nut... Good luck man!!!

[MRM RCModels]

Originally Posted by pete from TN I had this happen so far in my first conversion and I gotta tell ya until I figured it out it was a real PIA!!. My advice is to put the parts on the kitchen table on a terry cloth towel so the little balls will not roll all around on ya. The advice to remove the screws and return tube is fine and then you just need to start dropping balls into the nut with the screw installed in there. It is important that you do not let the balls from the one hole travel all the way thru and go past the second hole. They will just fall out when you try to turn the nut on the screw(ask me how I know). SO just keep dropping them in and carefully watch the second hole to make sure a ball or three does not go past the other hole. Then when you get all the balls in you can do the heavy grease thing in the return tube halves and stick the rest of the balls in there. Close the halves and carefully drop the return tube into place. Hold it down with one hand while you carefully install the little shcs into their holes. If you did it right none of the balls will be beyond the screw holes and will be captured in the nut. Make sure by rotating the ballnut along the screw over the terry cloth towel in case you missed one. It literally took me three or four tries to get it right so don't feel bad if you goof it up. Just make sure you run it back and forth a few times over the towel in case a ball or three falls out of the nut... Good luck man!!!

Thanks guys for the replys. I got everything back together minus one ball bearing . I'm going to try it and see if it makes a difference; hope not....here's a reply I got from Mike at cncfusion also

First off, you must put the balls in from opposite the flange end. You will need to remove the ballnut from the ballscrew using the supplied tube, and flip it around once you get all the balls reloaded. There are four separate circuits of balls inside the nut, each separated by a grey plastic return tube, ( four grey things you can see from the outside of the nut). Take all the balls out if they haven’t fallen out yet. Divide them into four equal piles on a towel, preferably on a table or counter top. Thread the ballnut slightly onto the end of the Y ballscrew, and drop the first pile of balls into the nut. Using your finger, push the balls into the threads of the nut, in the first circuit. This is the most difficult circuit to reload, because it is deepest inside the nut. You will need to thread the nut up and down the screw as you reload them, to distribute them evenly. Once you get the first circuit reloaded, repeat with the 2nd , being careful not to unthread the nut too far and release the first circuit of balls. Repeat for the remaining two circuits. It is a pain, but you should be able to get them back in.

[tobyaxis]

Hmmmm......missing one ball. That may or may not pose a problem. If I were you I would start out slow and light and gradually increase it's duties.

Good Luck and I hope it works out for you.

This thread title really makes me laugh, sorry

[laszlozoltan]

no no no, find that other ball 1st.

[tobyaxis]

Originally Posted by laszlozoltan no no no, find that other ball 1st.

He has a point.