Crowned drive wheels 2"x72"

I believe all the actual grinder companies these days only do crowned. You can still find some that aren’t crowned from the cheap Chinese knock off grinders but they’re not really proper wheels to begin with.
 
Daniel Macina said:
I believe all the actual grinder companies these days only do crowned. You can still find some that aren’t crowned from the cheap Chinese knock off grinders but they’re not really proper wheels to begin with.
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Yeah, I just ordered a new 7" crowned wheel. A new motor has a larger shaft then my old one used. I am now the proud owner of a 2 horse VFD rather then my old 110 volt 3 drive pulley setup.
 
My two original KMG grinders both have rubber covered drive wheels.... not crowed. (Both of those machines have been converted to direct drive)
I like the rubber covered drive wheels because they reduce, if not eliminate belt slippage.
My KMG TX has a solid/crowned aluminum, and will likely get replaced with a rubber covered drive wheel (that is IF I can find one in the size I'd like). I've already notice that there is significant belt slippage on that machine.
 
Thanks Ed. Maybe a spray on coating of some type may solve the issue of belt slippage on an aluminum wheel if it becomes a problem.
 
Ed, if your rubber coated drive wheels are flat (not crowned), are the tracking wheels crowned? OR, are you running all flat wheels? I've heard that a properly aligned grinder will track just fine with all wheels flat - comment?
 
KenH said:
Ed, if your rubber coated drive wheels are flat (not crowned), are the tracking wheels crowned? OR, are you running all flat wheels? I've heard that a properly aligned grinder will track just fine with all wheels flat - comment?
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All the idler/tracking wheels are crowned.....only because they came that way. I don't think I've ever owned a machine that didn't have a crowned idler/tracking wheel.
Here's something else to think on.... in my experience, the same machine tracks better with the flat rubber/poly covered drive wheel, versus the same machine with a crowned solid aluminum or steel drive wheel. (with a crowned idler/tracking wheel present)
That's the reason I have everything except the KMG TX running the rubber/poly covered drive wheels. If I get time this week, I have a spare 4" poly covered drive wheel, and will try it on the TX....that is if my tooling arms are long enough to take up the extra slack (the original drive wheel on the TX is 6")
One more tidbit about tracking..... that most experienced grinders have figured out...... IF the adjustment axis of the idler/tracking wheel is as close to vertical as possible, tracking is greatly improved versus the adjustment axis being off vertical. ;) It's easy to achieve if the grinder has a ratchet type belt tension, but can take some work/tweaking for those machines that use a spring, or a spring cylinder to keep the idler axis on vertical.
 
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What Ed said is pretty much what I've found. I've played around with crowned drive combined with crowned tracking wheel. Seems like somethings the crown on the tracking wheel is almost fighting with the crown on the drive wheel.
 
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