Tools & Materials
Pad bearing wearing out? It's time to face the fix. Whether you are a master carpenter or a seasonal sander, eReplacementParts.com provides the parts, procedures and facts you need to fearlessly fix what fails you.
The pad bearing allows the pad support (and the sanding pad) to rotate freely. Under normal circumstances, you should be able to rotate the sanding pad without spinning the motor. When the pad bearing begins to fail, you will notice increased resistance when trying to rotate the pad by hand. You'll also notice that the motor spins along with the pad. Repairing the bearing is easy to do.
This article provides step-by-step instructions for removing and installing the pad bearing on a Porter Cable Quicksand 333 series sander.
Let's get started.
REMOVING THE PAD BEARING [top] 1. Remove the sanding pad.
Remove the (3) screws from the sander pad.
Remove the sanding pad from the sander.
2. Remove the clutch belt.
Remove the clutch belt from the fixed pulley and the pad support pulley.
3. Remove the pad housing.
Remove the (2) screws from the pad housing.
Separate the two halves of the pad housing.
Separate the sander from the pad housing.
4. Remove the housing O-ring.
Use a screwdriver to pry the O-ring out of the groove in the housing.
Work around the edges of the O-ring; stretching it around the pad support assembly as you move.
Remove the O-ring from the sander.
5. Remove the pad support.
Grasp the fan to prevent the pad support from rotating.
Remove the (1) screw from the pad support.
Remove the pad support (and washer) from the sander.
6. Remove the pad bearing.
Use retaining-ring pliers to remove the retaining ring.
Place the pad support in a bench vise (tapered side facing the table). The jaws of the vise should be tightened to sufficiently hold the pad support without obstructing the bearing (from below).
Locate a socket that is approximately the same diameter as the pad bearing.
Position the socket squarely against the pad bearing (from the top).
Use a hammer to repeatedly tap the socket until the pad bearing breaks free from the pad support assembly.
Remove the pad bearing from the pad support. (Keep the old bearing for use in the following step.)
INSTALLING THE NEW PAD BEARING [top] 7. Install the pad bearing.
Place the pad support assembly on the anvil-portion of the vise (with the tapered side facing up).
Place the new pad bearing in its approximate position within the pad support.
Place the old pad bearing on top of the new pad bearing. (This protects the new pad bearing from damage as it is tapped into place).
Position the socket squarely on top of the old pad bearing.
Use a hammer to repeatedly tap the socket until the new pad bearing is fully seated within the pad support assembly.
Use retaining-ring pliers to install the retaining ring and secure the new pad bearing.
REASSEMBLING THE UNIT [top] 8. Reinstall the pad support.
Install the pad support onto the sander.
Install the washer onto the pad support. (The side with the recess should be facing away from the bearing).
Secure the pad support with the (1) screw.
9. Reinstall the housing O-ring.
Install the housing O-ring into the groove on the motor housing.
10. Reinstall the pad housing.
Install one half of the pad housing onto the sander (the seam should align with the seam on the motor housing).
Install the second half of the pad housing onto the sander.
Secure the pad housing with the (2) screws.
11. Reinstall the clutch belt.
Install the clutch belt onto the fixed (small) pulley.
Stretch the clutch belt onto one side of the pad support.
Rotate the pad support to seat the clutch belt.
12. Reinstall the sanding pad.
For easy alignment: Pass a small screwdriver through one of the screw holes on the sander pad; then insert the end of the screwdriver into one of the holes on the pad support.
Install the sanding pad.
Secure the sander pad with the (3) screws.
Sanding can be a demanding task. But you don't have to rough-up your accountant to smooth-out your countertops. As you just learned, repairing your own power tools is simple when you follow our step-by-step guides. Not only did you expand sander functionality at a fraction of the cost of replacement; you have taken the edge off all future repairs.