Ridgid R4511 Table Saw Height Adjustment Handle Jammed

Subject: Ridgid R4511 Table Saw Height Adjustment Handle Jammed-
I was wondering if anyone has had a problem with lowering or raising the blade? What happened to me today was rather strange because this saw is almost new. In the middle of working with it, I has set the blade at it highest point. It got stuck there because the handle would not turn, and not a piece of wood jamming it. Eventually i got it to turn, but with much care because the handle is made of thin cast aluminum. Plus i didn’t want to damage anything else. The Trunion part of it is fine. I was able to move it up and down by levering it with a large screwdriver. This releaved the pressure of the worm gear that raises the blade, and the handle still would not turn. Again, carefully applying pressure a few times, turning it in both directions, I was able to lower the blade again. At this point I slowly raised it an inch at a time, and checking to see if it was getting stuck by trying to lower it at each inch interval. With the blade removed I watched it as it went to it’s highest limit without getting jammed. There are two rather large nuts on either side of the cast iron part of the part that hold where bearing should be on that worm gear. I am thinking that there are no bearings in there, and just a solid rod that turns the worm gear. My question is, how could this be happening so soon in the life of this saw, since it only have approximately 40 hours on it? Even if it’s a metal rod, inside a sleeve, to turn a gear, it should last for years before anything would break or wear out, and cause a jam as severe as this. I have not taken it apart yet. If anyone has any information on this problem, I’d love to hear about it.
Thank you for your time, Falegniam

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