BARK RECLAIMER SLEW BEARING REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

MJW Consolidated successfully completed a very difficult emergency repair project at our client’s facility in North Florida. The project consisted of removal and installation of the worn bearing and ring gear on a large bark reclaimer. The 8 foot in diameter 32 inch thick bearing and gear that weighed over 5000 lbs had to be removed using only hand tools and lifting the unit with chainfalls secured off the surrounding structure. We were unable to use a crane or any other heavy lifting equipment due to the location of this bearing deep into the debarker structure. All lifts were considered critical and were accompanied by complex calculations assuring that nothing was damaged in the process. The replacement bearing was installed using the exact same method.  Included in the installation of the new gear was the alignment of the drive motor to ensure proper backlash, to eliminate wear and to minimize process vibration. This project used a blended craft crew of millwrights and iron workers who worked 14-hour days and completed the entire complex project in days rather than weeks.