I just installed a Byrd cutterhead in my G0490 jointer & thought it might help someone if I documented the expereince. It is not difficult but neither Grizzly or Byrd has written instructions.
Removing the cutterhead is easy as the out/infeed tables lower easily to access the head and allow for removal. After removing the 2 bolts on each of the 2 bearing blocks it is easy to lift the cutterhead out. One safety note: use welding gloves (I used a set of fireplace gloves) to handle the head as the blades are very sharp. I used a gear puller to remove the pully and the pully-side bearing block from the shaft. (I don't own a gear puller but Advance Auto loans them for free). The bearing is held in the block by a retaining ring so it stays in place. The bearing on the non-pully side is pressed on to the cutterhead shaft. I didn't think it was worth time or effort to remove the bearing from the shaft as it would be very difficult to do. Since this bearing is a common size I just bought another one. Part of my thinking here was that if, for some reason, I wanted to put the original cutterhead back in, it would be easy to do.
Reassembly was straightforward. To put the bearing back on the non-pully side shaft I used a socket that fit the inside race of the bearing & used an assembly hammer to tap it on - no problems. Then just reversed the process using an assembly hammer to tap in the non-pully side bearing into the mount, put the pully-side bearing mount on and then the pully.
I have not had a chance to use the new head yet but I am hoping to get time to test it out this week.
I hope this is helpful.
Removing the cutterhead is easy as the out/infeed tables lower easily to access the head and allow for removal. After removing the 2 bolts on each of the 2 bearing blocks it is easy to lift the cutterhead out. One safety note: use welding gloves (I used a set of fireplace gloves) to handle the head as the blades are very sharp. I used a gear puller to remove the pully and the pully-side bearing block from the shaft. (I don't own a gear puller but Advance Auto loans them for free). The bearing is held in the block by a retaining ring so it stays in place. The bearing on the non-pully side is pressed on to the cutterhead shaft. I didn't think it was worth time or effort to remove the bearing from the shaft as it would be very difficult to do. Since this bearing is a common size I just bought another one. Part of my thinking here was that if, for some reason, I wanted to put the original cutterhead back in, it would be easy to do.
Reassembly was straightforward. To put the bearing back on the non-pully side shaft I used a socket that fit the inside race of the bearing & used an assembly hammer to tap it on - no problems. Then just reversed the process using an assembly hammer to tap in the non-pully side bearing into the mount, put the pully-side bearing mount on and then the pully.
I have not had a chance to use the new head yet but I am hoping to get time to test it out this week.
I hope this is helpful.