Tracking on a Dewalt Portaband saw D28770

[C Craft]

Has anyone got any insight into how to adjust the tracking on a Dewalt Portaband saw, model D28770. Pictured here.

The blade doesn't want to track back into the guides unless there is a load/feed on the blade. If you run it very long without a load on it the blade begins to walk off of the tires. I Googled it and seems I am not the only one having the problem but, the fix info seems to be all over the place.
I would think the wheel(s) should have a tracking adjustment but so far I haven't seen it!

Anyone got any experience in "how to" do a tracking adjustment on this model???????

 

[TacticallySharp]

I have a Milwaukee that had the same issue. I changed the rubber tires on both wheels to new ones. It seems to have worked.

 

[C Craft]

I have seen that in some of the Goggled research I did. Looks like it would be so simple to build in a tracking adjustment, something like is on a KMG grinder. The slightest angle change on the wheel would do that same think as a tracking adjustment.

Gonna try something and will let you know how it works. Something that I saw in some of the research, just finally made sense to me!

OK what I was talking about is that one fellow said he pulled the old tires and rolled them over to see if it would help, his answer was no. So I pulled the top one tonight and rolled it over to see if would in effect make the blade track deeper. My results was not much change. So tomorrow I am going to return the top to its original position and flip the bottom one and see if it helps. Will post any progress if I make any in getting better tracking results.

 

[TacticallySharp]

I had tried that also. Didn't work for me. Had to bite the bullet and change them both out. I also got a spare set to have for the next time. Hope it works for you.

 

[PT Doc]

I don't know what the hours are like on the dw but the milwaukee ties have little nubs on the underside and female nubs on the wheels. mine were not installed properly. taking them off fully and reinstalling allowed for proper blade location. Maybe try that.

 

[Drew Riley]

Porta-band tracking issues are USUALLY related to the tires, assuming the wheels are running true and not loose or wobbling.

I'd get some replacements and see what happens. You MIGHT even try taking them off and turning them around. See if that helps at all.

 

[C Craft]

Anyone got a line on where to buy some new tires for the D28770????

I googled it and got two site one was a Dewalt site and the other a replacement parts any way to make a long story short the tires are listed as obsolete and not available!

74

5140020-79

TIRE,RUBBER

2

Contact Service Center.

No Longer Available

Soooooooooooo anyone got any suggestions on where to get replacement tires??????????????? This thing is not that old I can't believe you can't buy replacement parts!!:what!::31:

 

[Sampson knifeworks]

Bummer, I have a Dewalt Also and just searched for the rubber wheels, all the sites I was on they were no longer available!
Mine is still tracking good, but when it does not I guess it's junk ?????
Be interested to see if anybody can find these things.
Clint

 

[KenH]

Will any other model DeWalt's fit? I've got an OLD Milwaukee portaband and ordered new rubber tires a while back.

Ken H>

 

[Rudy Joly]

You gotta be smarter than the machine.
I had this issue within two months of buying mine. The drive tire chewed itself right off the wheel, so.......
Duct tape to the rescue. I wrapped the wheel with duct tape to 'about' the thickness of the rubber tire, bonus is the blade makes a nice shoulder to ride in when you tension and run the blade. Now both wheels have the tape without any tracking issues for the last four years. Tip : If you split the tape when you start winding it on, you'll know when to stop when you do the idler wheel. You'll have to experiment on how many windings is enough for your machine.



Rudy

 

[Frank Niro]

Now there's a great doings that owners of that machine are going to love you all to pieces for !!! Frank

 

[C Craft]

You gotta be smarter than the machine.
I had this issue within two months of buying mine. The drive tire chewed itself right off the wheel, so.......
Duct tape to the rescue. I wrapped the wheel with duct tape to 'about' the thickness of the rubber tire, bonus is the blade makes a nice shoulder to ride in when you tension and run the blade. Now both wheels have the tape without any tracking issues for the last four years. Tip : If you split the tape when you start winding it on, you'll know when to stop when you do the idler wheel. You'll have to experiment on how many windings is enough for your machine.



Rudy

Duct tape holds the world together, :what!::biggrin: but hey if it works............. gotta love it!!

 

[TacticallySharp]

Try this place, they may still have some:

http://www.toolpartspro.com/dewalt-parts/dewalt-d28770-parts.html

It let me add 2 to my cart.

 

[C Craft]

Thanks George I just ordered a set for the whole vehicle and two spares, 4 in other words! :happy::35::biggrin:

Get em while you can find em!!!!

EDIT:

George, if you haven' got one of these you will!

Thank you for shopping with ToolpartsPro.com. The product(s) that you have ordered has been discontinued by the manufacturer and there is no replacement available at this time.
Therefore, your order for this item has been cancelled, we will credit your account shortly.

WAAA WAAA!!!

 

[Sampson knifeworks]

Bingo !! Just ordered two tires for my Dewalt portaband this morning from Ebay ! These apparently fit porter cable and Milwaukee portabands also, the cross reference of different saws should make it easier to find these! Go to Ebay and put this into there search; "Dewalt Porter Cable OEM blade pulley tire"
They cost $6.41 each with free shipping
Take care,
Clint

 

[KenH]

Good find - thanks for the info. Looks like it fits a LOTS of different makes/models. The price is good also. I paid a bit more for the pair I purchased for my Milwaukee porta-band.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261416416664 Looks like they are loaded with parts for many different items, but didn't see any spare parts for porta-band saws other than the pulley tire.

Ken H>

 

[C Craft]

Thanks I just order me a set.

It has been a while back but I have big Porta Cable 4x24 belt sander I used in my furniture and cabinet making when I was doing it all the time. I needed a part so went to a local parts/repair place to get the part. I hadn't thought about them but they would have either had on hand or been able to get the tires. If she is still in business, I haven't been there in a couple of years.
Anyway back to the story there is an old woman that works the front and orders all parts. The business use to be her husband's and he died and she has kept it open. She has a mechanic that worked with her husband and he does all the in house repairs. I told her I needed a part for my Porta Cable belt sander. She says well I don't see the part in inventory let me check and see if Stanley is listing it. I said no, it is Porta Cable! That is when she informed me that Stanley (a once nothing but hand tools company) had bought out Porta Cable, B&D, Skill, Hitachi, Dewalt and three or four more companies. The all are still operating under there old names but they are now owned by the parent company of Stanley. It just goes to show you that you never know who really owns the company you are buying from. That could very well explain why Dewalt was not showing the part as the part may be marketed only by the parent company, and often the sub that out to smaller parts companies,it also may explain why the same tire fits, Dewalt and Porta Cable. You just never know these days!!!

 

[Mike H]

This saw is several years old but has very little time on it. From day one the blades would come off if not applying force against some metal. I found that if I bent the idler wheel bracket slightly, I could adjust the tracking. A little more adjusting should make it travel correctly, I am still getting it setup. This first adjustment took only a few minutes. I removed the bracket, put the bushing end in the vise and bolted a piece of uni-strut to the bracket to use as a pry bar. The pictures are after I made the adjustment but wanted to show where the uni-strut was bolted on.