Mini Mill Y-Axis Bearing Upgrade Kit
Stop fighting your mini mill’s Y axis! Between the axis not having a thrust bearing and the double nuts that hold the works together, the Y axis seems to have been an afterthought during the design process at the manufacturer. The factory gave the X axis two thrust bearings, but the Y axis none. Without thrust bearings and the axis relying on the nut/jam nut setup to keep the lead screw secured, friction in the setup can make Y axis movements very difficult.
You can greatly improve your Y axis by installing our Thrust Bearing Upgrade Kit. By placing a thrust bearing between the lead screw seat and the hand wheel dial, the friction in the setup is greatly reduced and the effort required to move the Y-axis is negligible. A locknut replaces the original double nut arrangement. A marked plastic bearing cover keeps the swarf out of the bearing and brings the reference line back to the dial at the hand wheel. By adding a PTFE (Teflon) washer between the lead screw and the opposite side of the lead screw seat, Y-axis lead screw moves much smoother, as the back side of the lead screw is not running metal to metal on the lead screw seat.
You will receive a thrust bearing set (1 thrust bearing and 2 hardened bearing washers), a marked bearing cap, 1 PTFE washer and a lock nut. You will have to mill approximately 0.060” (~1.5mm) off the existing shaft key to make room for the new assembly. The shorter shaft key does not affect performance, as the bearing reduces the amount of torque required to move the axis.
This mod should work with all Sieg X2 derived mini mills – Harbor Freight, Grizzly, Homier, etc.
