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pacifica wheel question

updated sat 14 feb 98

 

Susan Ross on thu 12 feb 98

Hi Everyone --

I just picked up the thread about Pacifica wheels and the need to spray
silicone lubricant to quiet an annoying noise associated with belt rub. I just
yesterday had a tech come look at one of our Pacifica wheels (under warranty)
for that very same problem. He told me he could find nothing dramatically
wrong with the wheel and that the noise was probably nothing to worry about.
Wish he had told me about this lubricant -- or better yet, I wish he'd sprayed
it for me and shown me what to do!

Where exactly do I spray and what brand would you recommend I use to remedy
this noise problem? Then I'll go back to the tech and advise him how to
service these wheels!

TIA

Su
Potting in Piedmont, CA
Man -- Blue skies and bright sunshine -- bring out the shades!

Marsha Segerberg on fri 13 feb 98

For the squealing (Pacifica) wheel problem: just pry the black plastic pan
under the wheel head down a little with your finger and spray in some
WD-40. It works like a charm. You'll have to repeat this in a few weeks
or so, depending on the humidity, etc., in your environment.

I have a Pacifica GT800 and love it. But I had really bad problems in the
beginning (about five years agao) with the *&^%#$ pedal. After many
frustrating phone calls to Laguna and trying to follow their repair
suggestions, I finally had to send the pedal and control box back to them.
It took over six months for them to send it back to me - a new one, which I
am not entirely satisfied with. And the holes in the control box did not
fit the holes in my wheel frame, so it took me another big while to find
someone to drill the proper holes. I had to throw pots with the control
box sitting on the floor.

I'm not terribly impressed with the Laguna service dept., to say the least.
I would never buy a piece of equipment from them again. I like their clay,
tho, so I guess I'm stuck with them for a while.

Good Luck!
MS

John Rodgers on fri 13 feb 98

Susan Ross wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi Everyone --
>
> I just picked up the thread about Pacifica wheels and the need to spray
> silicone lubricant to quiet an annoying noise associated with belt rub. I just
> yesterday had a tech come look at one of our Pacifica wheels (under warranty)
> for that very same problem. He told me he could find nothing dramatically
> wrong with the wheel and that the noise was probably nothing to worry about.
> Wish he had told me about this lubricant -- or better yet, I wish he'd sprayed
> it for me and shown me what to do!
>
> Where exactly do I spray and what brand would you recommend I use to remedy
> this noise problem? Then I'll go back to the tech and advise him how to
> service these wheels!
>
> TIA
>
> Su
> Potting in Piedmont, CA
> Man -- Blue skies and bright sunshine -- bring out the shades!

I have used a parafin wax block for years to quiet noisy belts. Used on
all kinds of pulley/belt arrangements. Even on my automobile for water
pump belts, etc. Works better than anything else I have ever tried. It's
an old aircraft mechanic trick.

Just rub the wax block against the belt on the side that contacts the
pulleys. Depending on the application, sometimes I will have the
equipment running. It's more effective that way. if you do it that way,
be very careful, do not wear long sleeved clothing when you do it, and
have a helper in the room with you. If you are careful there should be
no problem.

John Rodgers
Sun is starting to shine in Alabama

Lisa P Skeen on fri 13 feb 98

Susan:
Sit at the wheel as if you were going to throw. Grab the front leg and
lift the wheel up until you can see the underside. You should see a hole
under the wheel head, and the 4 little belts through the hole. That's
where you spray the silicone lubricant that came with your wheel, WHILE
THE WHEEL IS TURNING SLOWLY.

I have, when my wheel was at school and the silicone was at home, used 3
in 1 oil (a couple of good squirts), but it doesn't last as long as that
silicone spray. I imagine WD40 would be ok too, but don't know for sure.

Lisa Skeen, Living Tree Pottery and Soaps
http://www.uncg.edu/~lpskeen
Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and holds
the universe together.

On Thu, 12 Feb 1998 07:49:38 EST Susan Ross writes:
>Where exactly do I spray and what brand would you recommend I use to
>remedy>this noise problem?

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Tim Lynch on fri 13 feb 98

Susan: I have a Pacifica 800 and my only complaint is the squeaky belt. You
should have received a can of spray silicone with the wheel. I give one short
burst underneath where the belts wrap around the wheelhead. I also read here on
Clayart a while back that the sqeaking subsides somewhat if you remove the fourt
belt, leaving three. Has anyone tried that?

Tim Lynch
The Clay Man
748 Highline Drive
East Wenatchee, WA 98802-5606
509-884-8303
clayman@internet.wsd.wednet.edu
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/1613



Susan Ross wrote:

> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi Everyone --
>
> I just picked up the thread about Pacifica wheels and the need to spray
> silicone lubricant to quiet an annoying noise associated with belt rub. I just
> yesterday had a tech come look at one of our Pacifica wheels (under warranty)
> for that very same problem. He told me he could find nothing dramatically
> wrong with the wheel and that the noise was probably nothing to worry about.
> Wish he had told me about this lubricant -- or better yet, I wish he'd sprayed
> it for me and shown me what to do!
>
> Where exactly do I spray and what brand would you recommend I use to remedy
> this noise problem? Then I'll go back to the tech and advise him how to
> service these wheels!
>
> TIA
>
> Su
> Potting in Piedmont, CA
> Man -- Blue skies and bright sunshine -- bring out the shades!

Mo and Les Beardsley on fri 13 feb 98

Susan Ross wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi Everyone --
>
> I just picked up the thread about Pacifica wheels and the need to spray
> silicone lubricant to quiet an annoying noise associated with belt rub. I just
> yesterday had a tech come look at one of our Pacifica wheels (under warranty)
> for that very same problem. He told me he could find nothing dramatically
> wrong with the wheel and that the noise was probably nothing to worry about.
> Wish he had told me about this lubricant -- or better yet, I wish he'd sprayed
> it for me and shown me what to do!
>
> Where exactly do I spray and what brand would you recommend I use to remedy
> this noise problem? Then I'll go back to the tech and advise him how to
> service these wheels!
>
> TIA
>
> Su
> Potting in Piedmont, CA
> Man -- Blue skies and bright sunshine -- bring out the shades!

I have been using my Pacifica wheel for over 10 years and have had not
noise or problems with it. It has a broken belt on it but it stills
runs fine so I'm leaving it alone. I have seen the pacifica wheels
make a noise when the allen screw which locks the wheel to the shaft
is loose. It will also rub if it is out of wack so check that as well.
Pacifica wheels are used in our local college. Once tightened up the
wheels work fine unless someone has kept using it and has damaged the
shaft. I have never lubricated the multi belts on my wheel and never
heard a squeek.
Regards
Les Beardsley

Clennell on fri 13 feb 98

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi Everyone --
>
>I just picked up the thread about Pacifica wheels and the need to spray
>silicone lubricant to quiet an annoying noise associated with belt rub. I just
>yesterday had a tech come look at one of our Pacifica wheels (under warranty)
>for that very same problem. He told me he could find nothing dramatically
>wrong with the wheel and that the noise was probably nothing to worry about.
>Wish he had told me about this lubricant -- or better yet, I wish he'd sprayed
>it for me and shown me what to do!
>
>Where exactly do I spray and what brand would you recommend I use to remedy
>this noise problem? Then I'll go back to the tech and advise him how to
>service these wheels!
>

Su: Our clay supplier gives you the silicon spray when you buy a Pacifica
wheel so obviously this is a recurring problem with those wheels. This
should have been my first clue. You can probably buy it at the hardware
store ( the belts are not rubber they are plastic or nylon). I'd get a new
supplier if he doesn't know of the problem or how to fix it. Basically you
get down on your hands and knees at the back of the wheel and squirt it in
a little opening in the plastic housing underneath the wheel. This is why
I would not buy another one of these wheels.
The tech may not worry about the noise but he/she should try working to the
sound.
I'm in th house and it's cold out there. If you need the brand name of the
spray, zap me. I don't think it's anything special.
Cheers,
tony

Bill Amsterlaw on fri 13 feb 98

Hi Su:

You can buy a can of silicone lubricant at any hardware store for about $3.
Any brand should work well. One can will probably last several years. A
tiny spritz directly on the belts will instantly get rid of the squeak.
You may need to use it twice a week (depends on how much you use the
wheel).

- Bill Amsterlaw (wamster@slic.com)
Plattsburgh, NY

<<
I wish he'd sprayed it for me and shown me what to do! Where exactly do I
spray and what brand would you recommend I use to remedy this noise
problem? Then I'll go back to the tech and advise him how to service these
wheels!
>>