Trouble with Triton router

[Crazyraceguy]

A few months ago my Triton TRA001, 3 1/4 HP plunge router started acting weird, making "different" sounds and it finally just quit altogether.
A quick visual inspection revealed that one of the brushes was broken. I borrowed one out of one of my co-worker's machines, to test, which did solve it. I found a place to supply them and had 2 sets sent to me. They were less than $10 and seemed to have fixed it.
Not long after that though, it seemed like it was "sensitive" to heavier cuts. You could hear it speed up and slow down during a cut. Then yesterday it tripped the overload breaker of the retractable cord where it was plugged in. I switched it to a shorter cord in a different outlet and it made one more pass, before quitting totally. I'm guessing some circuit board is giving up, all that fancy soft-start and load-sensing technology, being a reliability issue.

It is out of warranty 3 years to the exact month, so the dilemma is "what to do?" I could send it clear across the country to the official repair place, but at what cost? plus the wait?
I use it frequently, so I can't do without something
I can get a new one from Amazon for right at $309, probably by Tuesday, but that seems a little overboard?
It seems that there is no perfect set-up? The form-factor of the Triton is great, but I have had reliability problems with them over the years. I had the smaller 2 1/4 HP version before. It was great for several years (5-6?) so when it gave up and I couldn't find anyone to repair it, I just bought a new one. That new one died in the second month. It was warranty repaired and lasted until the fire took it, 3-4 years.
I had always heard that the bigger ones were more reliable, so that's why I went that way.
I would really like to get into one of the Sauter Shop tilting lift units, but they require an odd mounting, that is apparently not odd in Europe? 64mm round column. Getting a motor to work with US power and that configuration is not so easy, especially with a 1/2 collet. There are a couple of choices, but both have 8mm collets (max) as an optional extra. All in all this would cost nearly $1000. It would be nice, but I just don't see it.

 

[tsmi243]

Just my opinion,  but I'd spend the 309 to get going, and rebuild the dead one when time allows.  Keep it as a hot spare for the next failure.

But I repair things for a living. 

I would not be surprised if its brushes again.  Either shrapnel from the 1st set, or burrs on the rotor.  The short time between failures usually means something. 

On the other hand, if you've had any itch to upgrade... now's the time. 

 

[Oldwood]

I would look at the brushes again to be sure they are not getting hung up and not contacting the armature.

I have had a new set of brushes, I had to sand down a bit to get them to slide freely in the pocket.

If that, fails, I have no recommendations for a router. I liked the big Triton in a router table, but found it awkward doing hand work.

 

[Bob D.]

You could build (or print) your own tilting router lift. But you probably don't have time for that with your work schedule.


I did a search not expecting to find anything but there it was/is.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3166165

Attached is another design that might be easier (as in quicker) to build that I just found doing a search for tilting lifts.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Just my opinion,  but I'd spend the 309 to get going, and rebuild the dead one when time allows.  Keep it as a hot spare for the next failure.

But I repair things for a living. 

I would not be surprised if its brushes again.  Either shrapnel from the 1st set, or burrs on the rotor.  The short time between failures usually means something. 

On the other hand, if you've had any itch to upgrade... now's the time.

That's what I ended up doing. It should be there tomorrow. The only real hesitation I had to this was that I am planning to retire in the next year or two. The ideal situation would be next July, but with the economy in somewhat of a freakout, maybe another year? With that in mind, I am trying to slow down (at least somewhat) on tooling purchases. I may even sell off some of the things I have now. My goal at work is speed and expanded ability because of the unknown. As a home hobbyist, that is not so important. Two MFK700s and Two OF1010s would just take up space in a smaller shop. They might go, but that's at least a year away, not guaranteed anyway.
My itch to upgrade would be in addition to the mainstay. I have plenty of space to add another router to the opposite side of the same table, but 1k is a big expense for a router that is occasional-use accessory.
Yes, I realize that sounds silly from a guy who already has so many routers, but I do use them all frequently. The tilting base is just a bit of a curiosity/novelty.  I had a tilting sled that I built for a specific job a few years ago. I did use it a few times after that, but it wasn't often. It was shop-built, so effectively cost me nothing. It is gone now, so a tilting router could fill that need.
The focus has shifted toward making/adjusting my space at home for more of a woodshop. As it is now, my shop is more metal oriented and really small.

 

[Peter_C]

I always take scuffy pad to the commutator to clean them up. On heavy use items like alternators they often need to be turned down some. You could take the router and find a way to spin it like with a drill and shove some scuffy pad where one of the brushes go.

 

[Bob D.]

I always take scuffy pad to the commutator to clean them up. On heavy use items like alternators they often need to be turned down some. You could take the router and find a way to spin it like with a drill and shove some scuffy pad where one of the brushes go.

Chuck it up in the lathe and spin it at your lowest speed.
My NOVA would go as slow as 50 RPM, not sure about other lathes.

 

[Mini Me]

Some Triton routers have speed control issues requiring new parts so it might be an idea to keep that in mind. 

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Some Triton routers have speed control issues requiring new parts so it might be an idea to keep that in mind.

I have heard that before, from a local repair guy, who has since retired. This was years ago, with the smaller 2 1/4 HP model. I had run that router for several years, when it suddenly died. He said that the problem was in one of the boards/chips, but the parts were not available. At that time, they cost under $200, so I told him I would just get a new one. He advised against it, but I did it anyway. That new one had a problem early on and was repaired under warranty. Then it ran for several years, ultimately getting crispy in the fire.
When I was re-purchasing tools after that fire, I bought the bigger 3 1/4 HP model because it was said to be more robust. It does still have the soft-start and load compensation circuitry though.
It has been good for well over 2 years, when that first brush cracked, which could happen to anything. Since then, it has never sounded the same, but I figured that was just the new brushes wearing-in. It worked the same as before, until about a week ago, when it seemed to struggle with a cut that I'm sure it shouldn't. The other day, when it quit altogether, it was actually running and quit between cuts. There was no load against it at the time.
I'm just going to replace it with the same and see if I can get it repaired as a backup or secondary.

 

[Bertotti]

Bearing going out taking the brushes with them? I don't know anything about the triton but have had several motors start getting bearing issues allowing just enough play to mess up brushes. Sounds odd eh!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I don't think so? The first time I had a problem with it (the brushes) seemed to be a simple failure of the one side. The other brush was fine. I would think that the cracking of the carbon is just a random anomaly? The bearings sound fine.

The bearings are definitely shot on the one I "borrowed" the brush from. It came from the solid surface department and the grit from that stuff is horrible. Coupled with the fact that they don't bother with dust collection of any kind, nothing will last like that.

The new one came today. I'll get it mounted to the plate and in the table tomorrow morning.
Just in time for the next job.

 

[ear3]

Thx for update.  I guess I will keep an eye out if something similar ever happens with my machine, though it has fortunately performed as expected since 2014 living full time in the router table, and I would definitely buy again if it suddenly crapped out.

I don't think so? The first time I had a problem with it (the brushes) seemed to be a simple failure of the one side. The other brush was fine. I would think that the cracking of the carbon is just a random anomaly? The bearings sound fine.

The bearings are definitely shot on the one I "borrowed" the brush from. It came from the solid surface department and the grit from that stuff is horrible. Coupled with the fact that they don't bother with dust collection of any kind, nothing will last like that.

The new one came today. I'll get it mounted to the plate and in the table tomorrow morning.
Just in time for the next job.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Thx for update.  I guess I will keep an eye out if something similar ever happens with my machine, though it has fortunately performed as expected since 2014 living full time in the router table, and I would definitely buy again if it suddenly crapped out.

Overall, I am very pleased with them. IMHO, the Triton has the best form-factor for router table use.  I could do without the soft-start feature, but otherwise great.
I assume that the source for parts wasn't there at the time, but as Triton has gotten more traction lately, there is one now. If I remember right, it is called "Tool Sparesonline"?
I took the cap off of the dead one today and it seems that all of the electronics are in a single board that is sealed in epoxy. I'm going to see if that is available at a reasonable price, to fix the spare.

Looks like it is available for $45.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

The speed controller board came today. It's a 5 minute swap, easier than the brushes. It's going again. I got an 8mm collet for it too, from the same place. I figured that it may come in handy someday. I seem to be getting a fairly decent collection of 8mm shank bits, so why not?