Replacing Brunswick A-2 Ball Wheel Belt

If you need to replace the ball wheel belt on a Brunswick A-2, the process is relatively straightforward. First, ensure you have the necessary tools and safety equipment, and that you are qualified to perform the task. Start by disconnecting the power cord and turning off the circuit breaker. From there, you'll need to remove various components, including the back elevator guard, belts, tension spring, idler assembly, and ball wheel guide rollers. The process is detailed and specific, and it's important to follow the steps carefully to ensure a successful replacement.

Disconnect power and turn off the circuit breaker

To replace the ball wheel belt on a Brunswick A-2, the first step is to disconnect the power and turn off the circuit breaker. This is an important safety measure to ensure that no power is flowing to the machine before you begin working on it. Here's a detailed guide on how to do this:

Locate the Electrical Service Panel: Find the electrical service panel, also known as the circuit breaker panel or fuse box. It is usually located in a utility area, such as the garage, basement, or outside the house in warm climates. In an apartment or condo, it may be recessed into the wall in a closet or laundry area.

Open the Service Panel: Open the door or cover of the electrical service panel. Inside, you will see rows of individual circuit breakers that look like toggle switches, as well as a main breaker, usually at the top.

Identify the Correct Breaker: Before turning off any breakers, identify which breaker controls the Brunswick A-2 machine. The panel may have an index or labels to help identify which breaker controls which device, but it is important to test and confirm.

Turn Off the Correct Breaker: Once you have identified the correct breaker, turn it off by flipping the toggle switch to the "off" position. This should be a straightforward process, but the specific mechanism may vary depending on the type of breaker.

Test to Confirm Power Is Off: Before beginning any work on the Brunswick A-2, use a circuit tester to test and confirm that the power is indeed off. This is an important safety precaution to ensure that you don't accidentally work on a live circuit.

By following these steps, you can safely disconnect the power and turn off the circuit breaker before proceeding with the replacement of the ball wheel belt on the Brunswick A-2 machine. Remember to exercise caution when working with electrical equipment, and always prioritize your safety.

Remove back elevator guard

To remove the back elevator guard on a Brunswick A-2, follow these steps:

• Disconnect the power cord and turn off the circuit breaker on the electrical box.
• Remove the back elevator guard, which is referenced as index E 45 on page 143 of the Brunswick A-2 manual.

The above steps are part of a larger procedure for removing and replacing the ball wheel belt on a Brunswick A-2. If you are replacing the ball wheel belt, you can continue with the following steps:

• Remove the belts from the pinsetter motor to gearbox belts and motor to elevator belts.
• Remove the tension spring (E 8, page 141), long turret belt (E 3, page 139), and cross conveyor drive belt (E 4, page 139).
• Remove the idler tension for the ball wheel belt by pushing up on the idler assembly (E 31, page 143) and remove the ball wheel belt from under the pulley.
• Remove the idler assembly (E 31, page 143) by removing both hex head screws (E 80, page 143) from the shaft (E 32, page 143) and remove the ball wheel belt idler.
• Remove the hex head screws (E 18 A) from inside the bracket (E 18 K, page 141).
• Remove the pit conveyor idler assembly by removing the screw (PC 6, page 79).
• Remove the left-hand wheel guard (E 57, page 143) by removing both mounting screws (E 150 and 117 A, page 143) and remove the guard.
• Loosen the ball wheel guide rollers on the left and right sides of the ball wheel by loosening the nuts on the guide roller arms (E 130 and E 134, page 145). Loosen the screws just enough to raise the arms up off the ball wheel.
• Lift the ball wheel (E 142, page 145) and remove the ball wheel belt from the underside of the ball wheel, letting it lay on the pit carpet.
• Push the ball wheel belt up between the bracket (E 18 K) and elevator frame, moving the belt up and over the sheave (E 39, page 143), letting it lay over the cross conveyor assembly.
• Unplug the pinsetter motor and remove the hex head screw (E 83) and nut (E 99) from the motor mount (E 116, page 147). Take the ball wheel belt and pass it around the pinsetter motor towards the front of the pinsetter, sending it between the motor mount (E 116) and the frame of the pinsetter.
• The belt should now be hanging over the top of the turn pan and cross conveyor.
• Remove the turn pan spring (CC 4, Page 86) that holds the turn pan to the cross conveyor frame.
• Remove the nuts (CC 14) from the J bolts (CC 15, page 89).
• Pass the belt through the return track assembly by removing the nuts (12, page 189) and cap screw (39, page 189) from the track (1 for the even-numbered pinsetter, 2 for the odd machine) and remove from the ball joint (36, page 189).
• Remove the ball wheel belt.
• To reinstall a new belt, reverse the above procedure.

Remove belts from the pinsetter motor

To remove the belts from the pinsetter motor of a Brunswick A or A2, start by disconnecting the power cord and turning off the circuit breaker on the electrical box. Remove the back elevator guard (index E 45, page 143). Then, remove the belts from the pinsetter motor to the gear box and motor to elevator belts.

Next, you will need to remove the tension spring (E 8, page 141), long turret belt (index E 3, page 139), and cross conveyor drive belt (E 4, page 139). Remove the idler tension for the ball wheel belt by pushing up on the idler assembly (index E 31, page 143) and take the ball wheel belt from under the pulley.

The next step is to remove the idler assembly by taking out the two hex head screws (index E 80, page 143) from the shaft (index E 32, page 143), and then remove the ball wheel belt idler. Now, remove the remaining hex head screws (index E 18 A) from inside the bracket (index E 18 K, page 141).

You are now ready to remove the belts from the pinsetter motor.

Remove tension spring and idler tension

To remove the tension spring and idler tension, follow these steps:

First, ensure that the power cord is disconnected and the circuit breaker on the electrical box is turned off. Next, remove the back elevator guard (index E 45, page 143). Then, remove the belts from the pinsetter motor to gearbox belts and motor to elevator belts. After that, remove the tension spring (E 8, page 141) and the long turret belt (index E 3, page 139), as well as the cross conveyor drive belt (E 4, page 139).

Now, we move on to removing the idler tension. To do this, push up on the idler assembly (index E 31, page 143) and remove the ball wheel belt from under the pulley. You can then fully remove the idler assembly by taking out the two hex head screws (index E 80, page 143) from the shaft (index E 32, page 143). With the idler assembly removed, the tension spring and idler tension have been successfully taken out.

It is important to note that these instructions are specific to Brunswick A/A2 pinsetters.

Remove the ball wheel belt

To remove the ball wheel belt from a Brunswick A-2, follow these steps:

First, ensure safety by disconnecting the power cord and turning off the circuit breaker on the electrical box. Now, remove the back elevator guard (index E 45, page 143). Then, remove the belts from the pinsetter motor to the gear box and motor to elevator belts. Remove the tension spring (E 8, page 141), long turret belt (index E 3, page 139), and cross conveyor drive belt (E 4, page 139).

Next, relieve the idler tension on the ball wheel belt by pushing up on the idler assembly (index E 31, page 143). Remove the belt from under the pulley. Take out the idler assembly by removing the hex head screws (index E 80, page 143) from the shaft (index E 32, page 143), and then remove the ball wheel belt idler.

Now, you need to remove the hex head screws (index E 18 A) from inside the bracket (index E 18 K, page 141). Then, remove the pit conveyor idler assembly by unscrewing screw index PC 6 (page 79). The left-hand wheel guard can now be removed by taking out the mounting screws (index E 150 and 117 A, page 143) and lifting off the guard.

Loosen the ball wheel guide rollers on both sides of the ball wheel by loosening the nuts on the guide roller arms (index E 130 and E 134, page 145). You only need to loosen the screws enough to raise the arms off the ball wheel. Now, lift the ball wheel (index E 142, page 145) and remove the ball wheel belt from the underside.

Push the ball wheel belt up between the bracket (index E 18 K) and elevator frame, moving it up and over the sheave (index E 39, page 143) so it lays over the cross conveyor assembly.

Finally, unplug the pinsetter motor and remove the hex head screw (index E 83) and nut (index E 99) from the motor mount (index E 116, page 147). Take the ball wheel belt and pass it around the pinsetter motor towards the front of the pinsetter, sending it between the motor mount and the frame.

Frequently asked questions