I closed up my house up north for 2 years, and then came back to do
repairs. Another year went by before I got to unpack my Dewalt DW733
planer. I discovered 2 problems:

1: The head lock wouldn't lock
2: The head could not be moved up or down (the crank was ineffective).

The head lock problem was resolved with some mariner's jelly and WD40.
The head raising/lowering issue is still a big issue. I managed to sand
off the 4 guide posts that it slides on enough to clear the path, but
it still won't move past 1/4" up or down. Half a can of liquid wrench
and lot's of tapping on the part where the head is joined to the guide
posts, but still nothing. This stinks. Do I need a pro, or can anyone
suggest anything further?

Thanks for your advice. Boy am I needing it.

javelin wrote:
I closed up my house up north for 2 years, and then came back to do
repairs. Another year went by before I got to unpack my Dewalt DW733
planer. I discovered 2 problems:

1: The head lock wouldn't lock
2: The head could not be moved up or down (the crank was ineffective).

snip

Call DeWalt, they will walk you thru the fix.

Had the same problem.

You remove some parts and throw them away.

Hope you still have the manual.

Makes life easier.

Lew

Thank you for the advice. I do have the manual. However, could you give
me some hints as to what must be done? Maybe I can do it on my own. I
hate to wait on "eternal hold", and tech support lines are known for
this.

Thanks again, Lew.
J

Lew Hodgett wrote:
javelin wrote:
I closed up my house up north for 2 years, and then came back to do
repairs. Another year went by before I got to unpack my Dewalt DW733
planer. I discovered 2 problems:

1: The head lock wouldn't lock
2: The head could not be moved up or down (the crank was ineffective).

snip

Call DeWalt, they will walk you thru the fix.

Had the same problem.

You remove some parts and throw them away.

Hope you still have the manual.

Makes life easier.

Lew

javelin wrote:
Thank you for the advice. I do have the manual. However, could you give
me some hints as to what must be done? Maybe I can do it on my own. I
hate to wait on "eternal hold", and tech support lines are known for
this.

Thanks again, Lew.

Me too! Got the same problem. It goes down, but have to use a pry bar
to get it to go up. Fred
J

Lew Hodgett wrote:
javelin wrote:
I closed up my house up north for 2 years, and then came back to do
repairs. Another year went by before I got to unpack my Dewalt DW733
planer. I discovered 2 problems:

1: The head lock wouldn't lock
2: The head could not be moved up or down (the crank was ineffective).

snip

Call DeWalt, they will walk you thru the fix.

Had the same problem.

You remove some parts and throw them away.

Hope you still have the manual.

Makes life easier.

Lew

javelin wrote:
Thank you for the advice. I do have the manual. However, could you give
me some hints as to what must be done? Maybe I can do it on my own. I
hate to wait on "eternal hold", and tech support lines are known for
this.

I could try but it will be better if you actually talk to the tech
service guy.

Some of the stuff he tells you isn't doesn't show up in the manual.

My hold time was rather brief.

I'd wait till until maybe 7/7 since this is a holiday week.

Lew

Fred:

Sounds more like yours is a spring problem. The big springs on the
threaded columns are supposed tohelp "push up" the head as you crank it
(counter clockwise, I think). Maybe they are worn. I don't think a
prybar is a good idea anyway, you may scratch/dent the chromed material
table.

I ended up removing the botttom plastic cover (6 small screws), then
the side steel columns. I only removed 2 at a time so the head could be
partially supported as the machine lay on it's side. I also only loosed
them a few turns so I could tap them, and they would put pressure on
the columns, pushing them out of the socket. This also took lot's of
lubricant (I used Liquid Wrench), and I had to loosen the screws on the
small metal bracket that connected the head lock to the columns I was
trying to remove.

After I removed the columns, I sanded them down, lubricated some more,
and replaced them. It was a nightmare that took a couple of days.

I wonder if this is documented by Dewalt. I never even checked.

Well, I hope this helps you out.

J


Fred wrote:
javelin wrote:
Thank you for the advice. I do have the manual. However, could you give
me some hints as to what must be done? Maybe I can do it on my own. I
hate to wait on "eternal hold", and tech support lines are known for
this.

Thanks again, Lew.

Me too! Got the same problem. It goes down, but have to use a pry bar
to get it to go up. Fred
J

Lew Hodgett wrote:
javelin wrote:
I closed up my house up north for 2 years, and then came back to do
repairs. Another year went by before I got to unpack my Dewalt DW733
planer. I discovered 2 problems:

1: The head lock wouldn't lock
2: The head could not be moved up or down (the crank was ineffective).

snip

Call DeWalt, they will walk you thru the fix.

Had the same problem.

You remove some parts and throw them away.

Hope you still have the manual.

Makes life easier.

Lew

replying to javelin, Handyman wrote:
If you can take it apart you will find a worn out keyway that sits on the
screw shaft behind the sprocket which there are 4 of , it could be any one or
more than one ,this is most likely the reason the elevator doesn't move up or
down. There are nuts on the top side of each screw jack , to undue there is a
metal tab folded up into the groove of the nut The tab washer looks like a
star and they only bend one on each nut. A good pointy knife will start it
then a flat screw driver tapping with a hammer , once that is done take a
small pipe wrench on that strange looking nut counter clock wise. Once that is
off you will be able to lift the sprockets up ,watching in the groved area for
the small keyways, If they are damaged in any way ,replace them . Mine was
missing from brand new, surprising that it worked for a couple weeks . Now
reasembling not to over tighten ,just snug so you are able to turn them before
you put the chain back on.

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