3HP Porter Cable Router will only adjust 180 degree in housing

[Travis]

I built this router station last year and it is practically brand new. The router (3 hp Porter Cable )motor seams to have jammed in the housing. I can only turn it 180 degrees so I can not even remove the motor.:BangHead::BangHead::BangHead:


Anyone else had this problem? Should I put it in a vise and try to twist with 2' wrench?

Thanks.

 

[JackLeg]

Is that a locking ring I see in the pic? :eusa_thin Don't have a PC, so I'm not sure.

 

[rhett]

If it moves at all, it will come out with a little assistance. Try spraying some WD down the side where the tracks on the housing are. If you can clamp/hold the motor steady, you can probably start at the beginning of where it catches and with a sharp fast spin, break it free. You most likely have a small burr or built up saw dust in the spiral tracks of the housing.

 

[McRabbet]

Rhett has the correct solution -- I strongly suspect that there is sawdust in the spiral groove that is blocking the rotation of the router motor out of the base. You might want to try a strong jet of compressed air before using the WD-40 to see if that will clear out any debris.

 

[Travis]

Rhet,

Thanks, I tried WD 40 last night and the spin quick technique and it will only rotate about 180 degrees so it makes sense that something is in the groove. I will remove the router completly from the table tonight put in a vise and try to get a long fulcrum through the handle to break loose.

 

[toolferone]

Travis, I don't think it is part of the problem, but might be worth a try. I would remove the router from the router plate completely in case the 4 screws holding the metal base are binding it in some way. Does it spin freely in the area it is free? I have seen the threads get jammed in with saw dust when upside down in a table. (I used to repair tools for a living). Good luck and let us know how it goes.