Dynachem DC-534 Problems

[Monzie]

CARPET CLEANERS - NEED YOUR INPUT! Just shy of 3 years ago I bought a DYNACHEM DC-534 Truck Mount. It has been a great w/no issues until about a week ago when it burned up the crankshaft seal. The mechanic noted uneven wear of the crankshaft bearing. He says was caused by a design flaw- the belts are much too tight, with no tension adjustment or idler pulley to adjust them. As a result the torque created resulted in bearing failure. I will need to buy a new engine on a unit with less than 1200 hours. If ANYONE ELSE owns a DC-534 and has had similar problems, PLEASE CONTACT ME! Thank YOU!

 

[KevinD]

And why would you need a new engine?

Buy a main bearing, a seal and a rear cover gasket and have your mechanic change them.

I had to put a rear seal in my Kohler, less than 1000 hours and it is direct drive.
Had nothing to do with bearing wear. Sometimes seals go bad.

 

[Jim Martin]

CARPET CLEANERS - NEED YOUR INPUT! Just shy of 3 years ago I bought a DYNACHEM DC-534 Truck Mount. It has been a great w/no issues until about a week ago when it burned up the crankshaft seal. The mechanic noted uneven wear of the crankshaft bearing. He says was caused by a design flaw- the belts are much too tight, with no tension adjustment or idler pulley to adjust them. As a result the torque created resulted in bearing failure. I will need to buy a new engine on a unit with less than 1200 hours. If ANYONE ELSE owns a DC-534 and has had similar problems, PLEASE CONTACT ME! Thank YOU!

how do you get new belts on and off.........???

 

[Monzie]

I take the unit to my mechanic and he changes the belts. It is a hell of a job to do. There is absolutely no way to move the engine, blower or pump in a side to side direction. When I say burned I mean burned. We had fire coming out of the back of the engine. The amount of $$ to fix everything is not that much less than a new engine. My mechanic is a master at what he does, so he'll make modifications to the design so we don't have this problem again. I have owned a lot of TM's over 30 years and I have never had any engine do this ever - let alone under 1200 hours. This DC534 is either a lemon, OR other DC534's are going to be having the same issue, which means there is a design-flaw that should be addressed. I'm posting this in an effort to locate others who own this same model to find out about their experiences.

 

[dealtimeman]

Three years trouble free and now a lemon?

I think a big part of the story is missing here.

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

I have a DC 2045 and just changed the belts. There is no adjustments, but the best way to install the new belts are to soak the belts in a bucket. I use my bucket heater for higher temp, then install in prpoer order. They don,t jump on but do go easier with the heat added.What rpms do you run the engine at during most jobs that will have a issue on engine life jz.

 

[hogjowl]

It's always a risk posting about a problem, cuz there's always somebody willing to pick you apart over it.

Hope you get your problem fixed soon.

 

[ThaBeast]

I have a DC 2045 and just changed the belts. There is no adjustments, but the best way to install the new belts are to soak the belts in a bucket. I use my bucket heater for higher temp, then install in prpoer order. They don,t jump on but do go easier with the heat added.What rpms do you run the engine at during most jobs that will have a issue on engine life jz.

What a pain in the rear!

hope you get it sorted out, perhaps your mechanic or a local machine shop can fab up some adjustment brackets. I hate having to depend on someone else, makes my stomach hurt to even think about needing someone just to change belts

 

[Dolly Llama]

NO adjustment at all???
no slotted holes on the mounting plate??

get the fck out


is this a Cobb-o-Matic TM??
If so, hey Cobby, how the hell do you change belts?
What kind of hillbilly chit is that????


..l.t.a.

 

[ruff]

I am sure Cobby will straighten this all out and all.

But I'll try one word as a potential explanation, to help you'all: TEXAS.

 

[Zee]

Wow that is tough when there is no adjustment...if you heat up the belt to put it on. How long do you need to wait before you run it?






Brummet...hmm...isn't he the guy that was spying, stalking or reporting on some competitor a few years back?

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

Hey Zee, good memory. I have a account that knows that I,m a hack, but have used me for the past 32 years about 1500 units in all. I do try to do a good job for a fair price. The problem is that the one I was talking about would clean the unit for $ 39.00. The problem was his method, a rotary with dawn and scrub and run not even a shop vac. The next time I had the job I couldn,t get the dawn out, so being there most oof the time, I just copied the address and wasn,t in a hurry to do that job. I think he is out of the carpet cleaning but I,m still hacking jz.

 

[davegillfishing]

so you havent changed the belts in 3 years? or you have and knew about the problem?

i presonally would have dealt with the problem the first time i changed the belts..just saying

 

[Monzie]

Changing the belts is not the problem. The issue is uneven wear of the crankshaft bearings, resulting on overheating and burning up the crankshaft seal. We run the unit at 2600 RPM most of the time. Oil is changed every 100 hours. Unit has less than 1200 hours on it. Well maintained and cared for in every way. I have owned many different TM's, but I have never had one that I bought brand-new where something like this happened within the first 35 months. I'm not posting this to trash the Cobbs or their products. Larry and Randy have been very helpful in all of this. What I am trying to do is find out if there is anyone else who owns a DC534 who has had similar issues. Maybe I'm the only one who has ever bought one.

 

[hogjowl]

It's a shame you had to repeat yourself.

Those of us with reading comprehension abilities were able to get that point the first time.

When you have questions about mechanical issues, there are a few on this board who can help, but I have learned to aske them privately, so as to eliminate the chatter from the peanut gallery of useful idiots that gather here.

 

[Mikey P]

Marty, don't ever PM me again about removing the top O ring in your female quick connects.
NO it does not need Teflon tape and use a dental pick, a flat head just ain't going to do it.

 

[CrazyRay]

Three years trouble free and now a lemon?

I think a big part of the story is missing here.

I agree.

Mike, I'm sorry that you are having this problem. I know that Larry and Randy Cobb feel bad about it as well. This is the first problem like this I've ever heard of with this or any other Dynachem machine. With all the care that your "master mechanic" gives that machine I think some responsibility lies there. When I change belts I always do the simple "see if the shaft will move side to side" test. I do that on the motor, pump and blower... and I'm not even a "master mechanic". If this is such an obvious design flaw why didn't your MM already correct it before the bearing cooked? Maybe he should have fitted a slightly longer belt if he felt it was way too tight, huh? These are the kinds of things that MM's are supposed to think about before there is a problem. If just pointing fingers after the fact is what they are paid to do, then heck we are all "master mechanics". I do feel your pain and I wish you the best.

Here is a quick tip guys. Belts are supposed to be tight and they are hard to change. If you roll the belts on when installing, remove the spark plugs from the engine first. That way you are not fighting the engine's compression while you are turning the pulley. Makes it a whole lot easier.

 

[CrazyRay]

I am sure Cobby will straighten this all out and all.

But I'll try one word as a potential explanation, to help you'all: TEXAS.

Hey Keefer, that's 'yall...



hippie.

 

[hogjowl]

Man ... the sarcasm dripping out of Cobb Carpet Supply today is disappointing.

 

[CrazyRay]

Hmmmm interesting.
I make some valid points based on the OP's comments and you focus, and even reply, only about the touch of sarcasm. ... and about being disappointed so easily, they have pills for that you know. I'm grinning right now ok? There is nothing dripping out of Cobb today, unless maybe the store is flooding and we don't know yet because it's closed.


FOR THE RECORD... My posts on any carpet cleaning forum are based on my 36 years of owning and running my own business in this industry. So, my comments come from Crazyray, not from Cobb. No more confusion? I do not post negative or malicious comments, but I can get testy if there's a reason. I generally like the carpet cleaning business and carpet cleaners. I try to help whenever I can. I call it the way I see it. Some may not like it or agree, but that's life.

ps. I like the word hippie, it makes me smile when I hear it or see it.

 

[ruff]

Hey Keefer, that's 'yall...

hippie.

I thought it was hilarious and in the same spirit as my Texas comment.

Don't mess with Texas, Ray, right?
And that's it for 'yall...

 

[SamIam]

x2


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Mikey P]

I like the spark plug trick...
Too bad I'll never get to use it now

 

[shadygrady]

If you can roll the belts on by heat, wouldnt they loosen up during operation, when engine and sheaves heat-up. Check with JohnsHotHeatExchangers. They show a nice tensioner that bolts to your blower.

 

[Ron K]

I like the spark plug trick...
Too bad I'll never get to use it now

You Glow Plug Bastard!