Spindle bearing went out on a 5 year old Haas Mini Mill yesterday

Was running a 3 hour production job on some aluminum parts and the spindle started making this grinding noise that got worse fast. Shut it down immediately and pulled the belt cover, felt the play in the bearings - definitely shot. Anybody got a preferred source for replacement spindle bearings or should I just call Haas directly?

3 comments

3 Comments

hayden_nelson851mo ago

Respectfully, you might want to think twice before calling Haas directly (unless you're feeling rich). Those guys charge an arm and a leg for bearings that are basically just standard NTN or FAG parts with their logo on the box. I've had good luck pulling the spindle and measuring the old bearings carefully, then ordering from a place like Motion Industries or even McMaster-Carr if you're in a hurry. The key is getting the right preload class and grease type, which Haas usually specs as a light preload angular contact set for that Mini Mill spindle. Just make sure you have a good bearing puller and a press that can handle it without damaging the inner races (learned that one the hard way).

richard_anderson1mo ago

Right there with you on going after the bearings yourself instead of calling Haas. Had a similar situation with a Mini Mill a few years back and motion industries had the exact NTN set for about a third of what the factory wanted. Just take your time measuring everything twice and be real careful with the puller like that other guy said, that's a mistake you only make once.

the_jordan16d ago

And paying a third of the price is basically paying to learn patience, right? I swear Haas probably sources those bearings from the same bin at the same factory and just adds a zero to the cost for the privilege of having their logo on the box. You'd think for what they charge they'd at least throw in a free sticker or something to ease the pain. But seriously, measuring twice and using the puller right is the kind of advice that saves you a week of cussing and a trip to the hardware store for a new spindle. How many guys do you think have learned that lesson with a bent shaft and a lighter wallet?