Stiff Plunge on new router

[MattB]

I have bought a new router - a Ryobi 1150. I realise that this is not going to be the best quality tool, but to be honest I only want one for a few specific jobs, and I think it has enough power and capacity to do what I need (having had a go with an older much less powerful Bosch from a mate first), it came with some cutters and its got a 2 year warranty...
Having used it a few times now, the plunge action is still very stiff - it takes too much effort I think. I cant see what might be impeding the action as the plunge legs or whatever you call them have got gaiters like on Motorbike front forks. It isn't the plunge lock.

Anyway, should the action be easy enough to do without a lot of effort? Does the action free up with use? I think I should be taking it back and asking for another....Might be misaligned legs?

Thanks
Matt

 

[Argee]

You can push the gaiters up if you need to. If it plunged OK to start with, but has now got worse, that seems to indicate that it's getting gummed up somewhere. The most likely place is the (probably brass) bearings the legs pass through. If you've got an airline, give the area a good old squirt first, then apply a VERY LIGHT film of light machine oil to the legs and see if that helps. Tools do need maintenance, after all.

Unless you've dropped it, I can't see it being misaligned legs, that would have showed from the start. If it doesn't improve, take it back. Tools have purposes and this one isn't fit for purpose in this state.

Ray.

 

[gardenshed]

I had it's bigger brother and had exactly the same problem.
I discovered that only one leg is bushed (brass) the other just floats, hence the stiffness and it annoyingly used to jamm when plunging.

It went to a Ryobi service center and they recognized the problem but were unable to fix it so I got a refund, and bought a Porter Cable, nice machine.






.

 

[MattB]

Thanks for replies. Having now pulled the gaiters back and got some 3 and 1 in (and the "gaiters" are actually the springs with a tight rubber shroud - not just a gaiter), it has now freed up.

Re the bushing - it's things like that explain how costs are cut, and the item can be produced at a price. Build quality otherwise seems OK...

Matt