Hi all, first post here but hope to participate much more soon. I haven't been able to find evidence of anyone else having this issue though I might be searching for the wrong terms.

I bought a used EK43 for my pop up coffee shop about a week ago. Cleaned up the interior right away, and the alignment was pretty good. Tonight I took it apart to do a more thorough alignment with Matt Perger's marker method. Marked up the stationary burr, adjusted til chirping, and when I went to remove the faceplate, the bearing fell right out of the faceplate, as if it was stuck to the prebreaker. I've been trying all night to get it back in to its chamber to no avail. The machining tolerances are so tight that I can only get it in about halfway before it binds up on an angle, and then it's a real challenge to get it out again. I'm afraid to damage something by using too much force.

The other issue is the disc that goes between the bearing and the adjusting dial screw (maybe called the "pressure disc"). I'm not sure which way up it is supposed to sit.

I'm hoping someone here has had this issue and fixed it somehow. Right now I have the bearing sitting in the freezer hoping that the metal might contract enough to get enough clearance to get it back in.

I made a quick video to explain what I mean because it's pretty tough to put into words. My shop is open tomorrow bright and early so any help is much appreciated!

Freeze the inner part and warm, not hot, the outer part and they should just go together no problem. Since it's a bearing, put it in plastic wrap to keep it dry.

Ira

The way how you had it at first is correct.



Next thing, hold the front plate in your hand, put the other 2 parts inside (as much as they go inside) and use a rubber hammer to knock them inside.
If it still doesn't fit after using force, you can sand the hole with sanding paper and try again.

It is not a big deal and you cannot really destroy it, don't be scared.

Thanks both of you! I left the bearing in the freezer overnight and used a blow dryer to heat up the chamber, bearing slid right in this morning. Much appreciated!