Craftsmen Monarch saddle springs/rollers

I needed new springs for my Craftsmen Monarch so I got some from Grainger and they work but they wouldn’t collapse enough to let the rollers go up onto the inking plate. So I cut the springs and got them so collapse enough to allow the rollers to go up onto the inking plate, now my rollers are shifting and they don’t want to stay level.

I have heard people putting washers in between the trucks and the saddles to keep the rollers from shifting, is this something I should try? Which way do the trucks go onto the rollers, with the little machined lip towards the rubber?

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Hi there,

Yes, definitely try using washers to ensure the trucks stay on the rails. It made all the difference on my press (a Craftsmen Superior) and means that I can actually work up the ink in a reasonable amount of time (not having to be scared of going off the rails) and print at a good clip.

I don’t know the size of the Monarch cores/trucks vs. the Superior’s, but I was able to find washers at my (not terribly well stocked) hardware store which were absolutely perfect in size. I can measure them if you’d like, but just bring a core/truck to the shop and I think you’ll be fine.

As for which way to put the trucks onto the cores, do your cores have a small pin protruding from them? Mine do. This makes the truck installation obvious; once the truck’s little gap is facing the right way, they engage the pin and ensure the cores/roller rotate as the trucks do.

I hope that helps,
Matthew

Thanks, my cores do have a pin but the trucks have a slot cut into them and they will slip onto the core either way so I am not 100% sure which way they are supposed to go.

Here is an image that has a truck like I have, the second blue roller in with the truck on it has the lip facing out is that the correct way? I have the same machined lip but was not sure which way it was supposed to go.

image: Rollers with trucks

Rollers with trucks

Hi there,

Thanks for the picture. It looks like if you install the truck one way (e.g. hollow tube bit towards the rubber) vs. the other (e.g. hollow tube bit away from the rubber), the difference in truck location relative to the rails will be large. In other words, I’d be surprised if there isn’t only one way to install the trucks such that they touch the rails; yes?

Matthew

Those aren’t my rollers or trucks, they are just ones I found that resemble the ones I have. My roller cores are solid and the trucks I have don’t have a tube coming out, they just just have the little machined lip so it adds about an 1/8” to the spacing. So both ways they ride on the rails, one way they just ride a little more on the rails so I am guessing I want the most surface area to ride on the rails correct? Please forgive my ignorance this is my first press and I am learning as I go.

Here is a better example of what my trucks look like.

image: roller trucks

roller trucks

Hi there,

OK, those look exactly like my trucks (obtained from Craftsmen directly). Put them on whichever way seems to maximize the surface contact between the rails and trucks, as you suggest. Use washers if/as necessary (I put two washers on each core on the left side to tweak things).

Good luck,
Matthew

Thanks, I will get some washers and give that it a shot.