Hello,

I have just helped a mate to replace the Y axis linear rails on a HAAS TM2. All went ok although was a bit stumped for a bit trying to sort out the side entry for the carriage lubrication connection. Didn't realise that you needed to pierce the plastic end mould to gain access to to lubrication gallery. I made a mistake of re-assembling the machine before looking in detail at the very noisy rails I took off. With some distractive disassembly I managed to look at the lubrication gallery inside the end cap of the carriage. It showed that the grease that HAAS recommends was only travelling to one side of the carriage only, the other gallery was blocked by dried out grease! This led me to wonder if the copper tubing and manifolds under the X axis on the HAAS could also be blocked! I have pumper through grease and from the outside it looks like it is going to all carriages, both sides and the Y axis ballscrew.

On closer inspection of the old carriage the lubrication channel has a cut foam filler which on the face of it looks like it would block the passage of grease, my thought is that these carriages are designed to be Oil lubricated and not grease. I don't know the make of the original rails, no makers mark on them.

Does anyone know what HiWin (HG-30mm) recommends as the preferred lubrication? Does the HiWin carriage has this foam insert inside the lubrication gallery?

I have tried to find information but nothing yet. Off now to continue trawling the net.

Regards Simon