Is this amount of noise normal?

[mattshup]

Just a quick update, after some back and forth with Dakota Windmill, they’re gonna send out a new set of main gears for me to swap out. (I feel confident that i can). They said these main gears were “upgraded 602” gears that float and line up easier. Any one ever hear of that?

If I still can’t fix it, they're gonna send someone out and they’ll fix it since it’s covered under warranty. But since it is under warranty, I figured I’d give it a shot and it would be a good learning experience for me.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

I've never heard of floating gears. When you get them send a pic. I want to see what these "" floating gears " look like. Thanks

[Ron Stauffer]

The 602 has floating main gears as the one is integral with the shaft and the other is free to move within its gear tooth spacing unlike 702 main gears that are both pinned to the shaft. The 753 bearing saddle allows 602 gears to be put in a 702 main frame. Since the shaft diameter of the 602 gears is larger, the 753 has a thinner wall so instead of babbitt has a bronze bushing. You will be using the latest style of 602 gears that use the 686 pitman so that you can use the pitman you have. I dont know of any reproductions of the original 753 made from around 1933-40.

Your noise is likely gear mesh. Dakota rebuilds normally have new pinion and new main gears. They are cut in pairs so they match. New gears some times have to wear in to quiet.

Since the mill is free spinning, there is nothing load related to the noise. I think you are correct that there is only noise on the down stroke. If you took out the top shaft, removed pitman & yoke letting it run got same noise - main gears bored off center, 752 babbitt crooked and if no noise - main gear pitman lobes are not timed, pitman length different from off center babbitt/top shaft boring misplaced or not perpendicular.

Dakota's tolerances in machining and rebuilding and timing gears are as good as any. One year I did all the timing of the main gears in our rebuilding. Since I was using the try square to time the teeth and checking at different spots on the circumference, I happened to notice that even tho the teeth were timed the pitman lobes varied. These were all Chicago gears, the variance was enough that it was visibly noticeable without measuring

Ron Stauffer
Montrose CO

[mattshup]

Your noise is likely gear mesh. Dakota rebuilds normally have new pinion and new main gears. They are cut in pairs so they match. New gears some times have to wear in to quiet.

So would you recommend just letting it spin and see if it wears in? How long will that take? Or should I use the different gears they’re sending me?

[Ron Stauffer]

Protocol and my recommendation would be to follow the instructions of whoever is warranting it especially if you are working with Larry at Dakota on this.

What I would do if I had rebuilt would be different as I would want to know the cause. What I would tell a customer to try over the phone based on a vid would be different still. I was trying to provide some background to educate.

Small gears travel 3.5 revolutions for 1 revolution of the main gear which correlates to one up and down cycle of the pump rod. Since your noise is only down stroke and it's an unloaded mill that pretty much eliminates anything associated with the rotation of the hub, shaft and small gears. So the issue is in half the large gear rotation, pitman lobes, pitman, top shaft or compounding factors of the list. Used gears if they are timed wont make noise on an unloaded mill.

I once set a windmill within ten feet of a customer's bedroom window. Before setting they asked if it would make noise, I told them to describe noise. Taller towers also cut down the noise...

Ron

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

This is the way I see it. Matt is new at this hobby and is just learning and probably was pretty excited about getting this mill.Well now there's something wrong with this mill and instead of replacing the mill there telling MATT who is inexperienced try this and try that and if that doesn't work...........

[mattshup]

Protocol and my recommendation would be to follow the instructions of whoever is warranting it especially if you are working with Larry at Dakota on this.

The person who i've been dealing with is Cameron.

This is the way I see it. Matt is new at this hobby and is just learning and probably was pretty excited about getting this mill.Well now there's something wrong with this mill and instead of replacing the mill there telling MATT who is inexperienced try this and try that and if that doesn't work...........

Yes, exactly. I'm excited to learn anything and everything I can. I've rebuild a few engines and built a few buildings, I can't see a windmill "motor" being too much more difficult. Just always intimidating at first. But i'm gonna give it a whirl, its under warranty after all anyway.

[mattshup]

So here's a few pictures of the new gears Dakota sent out. Got them put in, didn't go too bad, pretty straight forward process it seemed like.

The other picture is of one of the pins that goes through the main gear into the pitman. For being less than a couple months old should it be worn that much already?

I don't have a video of the sound, but it makes the same noise, slightly quieter, but all the time, up or down stroke. Maybe I did something wrong but like I said, it went pretty good nothing seemed out of ordinary outside of those pins. Both sides were worn that way.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

No matt that pin should not be worn that much.sounds like you're getting the run-around.Im not telling you what to do but if that was me I'd tell them I want my money refunded come get the mill.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Matt is there any babbitt in the cups of the pitman arms?