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That $400 cutterhead bearing I ignored for too long...

Had a vibration building on my dredge for about 2 weeks near Norfolk last spring. Kept putting it off because I didn't want to lose a shift. Finally threw $400 at a new cutterhead bearing and the old one came out looking like it had been through a rock tumbler. If I'd waited another day it probably would've seized and cost me way more in downtime. Any of you guys run bearings until they fail or replace them at the first sign of a wobble?
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2 Comments
anthony_wells
$400 is cheap compared to a full rebuild though. Pretty sure cutterhead bearings are actually way pricier than that on most commercial rigs, closer to $600-$800 for a good one.
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emma_hart
emma_hart4d ago
Wait, you're saying that bearing was only $400? On a dredge, a quality cutterhead bearing is usually closer to $800-$1000 depending on the load.
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