Cable Problems

silverstilts

I love my porter cable sander but seems like the last two that i have owned can't seem to keep the cable intact , in fact the last one i bought less than 2 months old snapped a cable yesterday , and it always seems to happen when i need to get the job finished asap . Any one else out there having problems with the cables... My first sander never once broke a cable and lasted for about five years till the motor just wore out and about 3 sets of brushes... silverstilts aka the rock doctor

joepro0000

I never had any problems with it after it got repair. How many times a week are you using it?

silverstilts

Shouldn't matter i only used it on maybe 1500 sheets 75000' in the last month and a half my first one never did break a cable I picked up some today finally and after looking at them they the wires that make up the cable are wound in a certain direction i think i will try to place the cable in so when it turns it tightens itself instead of unwinding itself Not that it should or should matter but who knows at about $30.00 a crack i should see some mileage on it don't you think???

joepro0000

Yes try it, I really wish there was a DIY with pictures on fixing them.

silverstilts

as far as fixing them they are easy enough to work on not much can really go out on them , replace the brushes when your motor speed seems to go down occasional bearing and cable not much else , once and a while split the motor housing apart and clean it good and possibly lube the motor shaft tube where the cable runs through..

silverstilts

Update on installing the cable on in the right direction , Must Have helped three months later and just a few thousand feet (about 140,000') and still going strong .... Don't know how i missed putting the cable in winding in the wrong direction who would have thought so simple...

Whitey97

if you're ever in a pinch like that again, you can use mine if you like. I have a spare or two

silverstilts

Yes i have a few sanders as well but seems like the guys like robbing parts for one to the other and don't say much until it's too late , than find myself scrabbling for some s**t , hopefully I now have enough on hand for those moments ... Thanks anyway..

Whitey97

they probably think that they're doing you a favor by "fixing" them!