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View Full Version : Pinion gear allen size?



mjindustry
01-05-2009, 09:40 PM
Hi, I have a prt standard with the vexta model a6497-9412ktg

Anyone know what size allen wrench to tighten the pinions? Seems as though I have every size on earth other than the correct one.

Thanks!

Brady Watson
01-06-2009, 12:59 AM
It should be 1/8"

-B

mjindustry
01-06-2009, 03:59 PM
Bingo!

New Question: Are there are two screws to check per pinion? A quarter turn from each other, yea? The reason I ask is because the wrench seems to always fit into one of those really well and not so well on the other...but that could be a fluke.

Brady Watson
01-06-2009, 05:30 PM
There are 2 grub screws per pinion gear. Crank the heck out of them (literally bend the wrench) and make sure there is loctite on them. Otherwise you WILL have them come loose and you WILL pull your hair out trying to figure out what is wrong when things don't cut correctly.

Worst case you order up some fresh grub screws from MSC or McMaster. My local Ace Hardare has them too. Buy yourself at least 3 wrenches. They are cheap.

-B

mjindustry
01-06-2009, 06:18 PM
Will do. Seems that for the adjusting the z area a socket driven allen head would be nice as you could then use it with an extension to reach it, and have leverage to crank it really good as well. I'm going to pick some up and I will get some extra grubs and loctite too.

Thanks for the tips Brady!

Brady Watson
01-06-2009, 09:37 PM
No problem, Jason.

You won't find an 1/8" hex socket easily, and if you do, expect to spend some money for it...The alternative is to just make your own. Buy an 1/8" hex bit (Craftsman/Sears has them) - like the ones you would stick in your screwgun's magnetic driver & epoxy it into a 1/4" 6-point socket. If you are impatient, set it on the floor and point a heat gun at it to accelerate the cure.

I made one of these while I was on the road in the middle of the boonies where the local hardware store had the hex driver for the screwgun, but no 1/8" regular hex wrenches...figures! Oh, Harbor freight *might* have them, but they might be the extra long 3/8 drive hex sockets. The longer ones have too much spring to reliably tighten and I do not think that they have as good of a temper as the short hex screwgun driver ones.

-B

mjindustry
01-07-2009, 10:48 PM
I'm going to take your advice on making a good 1/8" allen extension, Thanks again!