Bridgeport Boss 5 Spindle Oiling and Head Identification
All,
I'm in the process of replacing the spindle bearings in my mill and I'm really confused about the lubrication of the spindle bearings.
On my mill there is an oiling system that pumps oil to the "z" axis ball screw, the ways and all of the other ball screws as well from a
main reservoir. From what I've read,the spindle bearings require a different lubricant than the ways but by the mills design this cant happen.
I have purchased the correct Timken bearings for the spindle which are unshielded and I have learned from research that they need to be packed
with the appropriate grease initially but how do the bearings continue to be lubricated after the initial greasing. ?
Since this mill has no spindle oiling cups on it, is it the design intent to lubricate the spindle bearings by gravity feed of oil that would "run down" from
the "z" axis ball screw oiling tube ?
Can someone explain the logic that Bridgeport had when they designed this system ?
If it is a gravity feed system to the spindle bearings, should I be using spindle lube in the main oil reservoir instead of ball screw and way lube ?
Just exactly what "head" does a Boss 5 "v" ram have - is it a "J" head , special "J" head ...... I cannot find out what the proper name for that head is anywhere ?
Ive also looked all over for assembly drawings for this head and cannot find them anywhere - any help here would be great
Thanks
Re: Bridgeport Boss 5 Spindle Oiling and Head Identification
My understanding is the spindle bearings are grease lubricated for life. The quill ballscrew oil will run down the outside of the quill and drip down around the quill. It will never make it to the spindle bearings. The only way to oil the spindle bearings would be to drip oil inside the quill ballscrew where the spindle comes out. I don't think there is a lube nozzle there.
Most of the exploded parts diagrams are available here: H&W - Parts for Bridgeport Mills, New & Used Machinery, DRO's, Power Feeds
Re: Bridgeport Boss 5 Spindle Oiling and Head Identification
Ivan_The_Red
Don't try to lube the bearings with oil, you would have to change the whole design of the spindle to oil lube the Spindle Bearings
A good grease is all you need for your Spindle Bearings, this is the best Grease you can use for your spindle Bearings, & any others you have to use Grease for,( Kluber Isoflex NBU15,) you have to use the correct amount in each Bearing, over packing will cause over heating of the Bearings, make sure when you reassemble you mount the AC Bearings Back to Back
As for the head it is almost the same series1, the main difference is the Ballscrew above the Quill, it has a different spindle as well longer in the top section, most other parts in the head are the same
Re: Bridgeport Boss 5 Spindle Oiling and Head Identification
Ivan_The_Red
All the bolts are standard UNC or UNF, just look up the Torque settings for the Bolt/SHCS sizes you have to Torque, The only drawings that are for your machine come with the machines,I think there was a set of ( 3 ) manuals, sometimes you can find them on Ebay
As for the Spindle lock-nut for the Bearings, do it up as tight as you can, with the correct wrench, this Nut & the Front Nut that screws into the bottom of the Quill is important to get right, when done up correct this holds the Bearing Preload on the front ( 2 ) Bearings
