BT3000 shims

[Bill Stock]

I posted this over on the Ryobi forums, but it has not appeared, so I'll try here.

My BT3000 has the blade raising issue, lowering seems OK. after doing some reading, it seems I'm a victim of the dreaded shims. I tried to remove the arbor guide to look at the shims (both present), but stripped two of the screw heads. I can probably get them out with an impact screwdriver. I cleaned the gears that raise/lower the blade and this helps, but it still jams. If I apply upaward pressure to the back of the arbor guide, the blade raises OK. The guide seems to have some slop in it from back to front.

Since both shims are still present, is this still likely a shim issue or something worse?

[BD]

I used to have the Ryobi and in fact did have the dreaded shim problem at one point. It's not so much that the shims disappear, it's the little tabs that are folded over that hold them in place get bent out of shape and bind up a little bit. I'd highly recommend going over to

and follow their instructions for disassembling the saw. I disassembled mine, cleaned it up, gently bent the shims back into shape and the problem was fixed.

The one thing you want to be careful with is raising and lowering the blade from stop to stop. Don't crank it down so tight that it runs against the stops.

[GerryG]

Had that problem once maybe 5 years ago. Same upward pressure allowing it to move. At that point the shims had creases in them. Flattened them and cleaned everything. Seem to recall the issue was a precise adjustment on some set screws, allowing it to slide but without cocking. After doing this, all was fine. Usually clean it about twice a year, or whenever I feel any resistance, just using a toothbrush and some simple green, then a light lube. When properly adjusted, it raises and lowers easily from one stop to the next, and haven't had any problems since then.

Suggest

for more detail. If their advice doesn't help you fix it, send me an email. GerryG

[Bill Stock]

Thanks Gerry, the cocking describes my problem.

Do the set screws have loctite on them too? I had trouble getting the arbor screws loose.

[GerryG]

Mine (which was an old one) did not have any loctite. I added some of the light stuff after I set them. If screws are binding, try wd40 or some thinner and let soak a bit first. Also make sure the head are clean first. This was a big issue with the early BT3k's. I don't know how old yours is, or how it's been maintained, but jammed screws are going to be a really big problems if you can't get them loose.

On the

site, try the articles section, under BT3 maintenance, especially Jim Frye's articles.

GerryG

[Tim]

replying to GerryG, Tim wrote: I found somebody that started making them:

[Timothy Hall]

replying to BD, Timothy Hall wrote: I had the same problem finding shims. I started making them using 0.008 stainless steel formed with a break and shear. Check

or Ebay: