Years ago I was given this Sears Sander from a guy who said it was junk and would not spin, just hummed. At the time I discovered the tension was very tight. To get it going I pushed back on the tension arm and it worked so I went with that. Today I got to looking at this and wondered why does it not just fire up correctly. In looking at the belt as it spun I also noticed at the bottom pulley the belt was not tracking correctly. So I looked for an adjuster for tracking, much like on a hand held belt sander. Found that, and adjusted the tracking but the tension issue remained. Removed the cover and went poking around and found another adjustment requiring two allen head bolts to be loosened then reposition and tighten. Again fired it up and now it does as it was designed.

 

Would have helped if I had the manual years ago! Or had I gone online and downloaded it, easy enough to find. But for years I knew how to get it running and just went with it. Probably would not have ever looked but had to look for something in my manual book and realized this tool has no manual and I never made a sheet for maintenance for it.

 

Two tips here, one is of course where the adjustments are for this particular type of sander. Second have a manual and if something does not work correctly look into it and see if adjustments are needed.

 

Sears Model 351.22676

 

BELT TRACKING ADJUSTMENT SCREW

 

 

ADJUSTMENT ARM FOR BELT.  Move forward and back and applies tension to the belt.  If too far forward will over tension belt.

 

 

Every tool I get/buy/gift/steal, I get the electronic manual.  I'll also make up "cheat sheets" of the important adjustment features (which I know I'll forget), and those sheets go on a clipboard marked "tool info".  Sometimes the system even works!  (Example:  depth setting on a track saw that matches the cut depth on the work piece)

On 2/11/2019 at 10:17 AM, PeteM said:

Every tool I get/buy/gift/steal,