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Aquabot Parts Replacement-Drive Belts
Below is an unrehearsed and unscripted video my son shot as I replaced Aquabot parts; a set of belts, bushings and rollers. The machine I am working on may be slightly different from your own. Video is about 8 minutes VIDEO IS DISABLED FOR NOW Please remember to replace the debris shield.
CHANGING the BELTS Depending on usage, some Aquabot parts wear sooner than others. The two (2) drive belts located behind the side plate on the drive motor side of the Aquabot, may be stretched or broken. Best practice: change the 3 sideplate bushings and the drive bushing that rests in the robot body supporting the drive gear, for a total 4 bushings and the 2 stepped rollers. These parts wear down causing slack in the belts causing them to slip. The inboard and outboard bushings on the drive gear are most susceptible to internal wear and should always be replaced with the belts. Turn the Aquabot upside down. Remove the bottom plate and the filter bag. Inside the Aquabot body, locate and loosen the four (4) screws holding the side plate on the motor side. Then... Remove the drive tracks. Pry them off by hand. They are the rubber belts that wrap around both sides of the wheel tubes. Remove a wheel tube from the side plate...be careful to hang onto the slotted bushings on the tip of the wheel tubes and take off the drive track. Where are the slotted wheel bushings? There may be an identical bushing that supports the motor drive shaft and fits the center of the side plate. Keep them safe. Remove the 4 loose screws from inside the body. BEFORE removing the side plate, look at how the drive belts are positioned on the rollers. These bushings and rollers may fall off the side plate when it is removed NOTE: The bushings are mounted on the sideplate. Holding the sideplate roller-side-UP will prevent them from falling off. Remove the two old belts, install the new belts. The belts run under the large side of the stepped rollers and into the channel on the drive gear. Stepped rollers have one end bigger than the other. These Aquabot Parts must be installed correctly or the belts won't work properly Take your time with the re-assembly. can be tricky lining up the side plate with the screw holes while keeping the belts under the stepped rollers. If need be, get somebody to hold the belts under the stepped roller while you line up the sideplate. The two rollers on the bottom support the drive tracks. Hold the sideplate with bushings and rollers. Have a friend guide the drive gear into the sideplate and hold the belts under(on top with the machine upside down) the stepped rollers and insert the wheels. Attach screws loosely, check belts are routed properly, put bushings and locks back on the wheels and tighten the screws. COMMON MISTAKES: Belts do not run UNDER the fat part of the stepped roller. Belts are staggered and the rollers MUST be staggered so the fat portion of each roller tensions a belt. Belts routed over rollers. CHECK YOUR WORK FOR PROPER INSTALLATION!
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