Hi Chris,
sounds like you either need to track the blade slightly forwards as it shouldn't allow the set of the teeth to address the side bearings under load, or move the thrust bearing closer to the back of the blade.
The thrust bearing should be only 1mm or so from the back of the blade when free running.
If you need to adjust the tracking,the knob at the back (with the locking turnscrew) needs to be adjusted so that the teeth of the blade move forwards on the wheels, and should be pretty well central or slightly forwards of the wheels tyre.
If you back the side bearings well back so the blade has only the thrust bearings up in position, the tension should be around 6-10mm deflection under thumb pressure when pushed from the sides with the guide post right up at its highest position, but this will likely need tweaking to get the cut working well, its simply ballpark.
Once it tracks the side guides can be moved into position, and it should be that when the thrust bearing engages, the side bearings should be positioned with the edges of the wheels just behind the tooth gullets.
As for scoring the thrust bearing, two things here, one, it may be slightly seized so a bit of WD40 may help, but for me, I have never understood a bearing that spins having something running across its face, and in doing so, making it pretty difficult for it to do so!
Some bandsaws have swung the thrust bearing through 90 degrees so the blade actually touches the edge and spins it as its designed to do. Makes far more sense to me!
As for the noise, could be a combination of the guides being set wrong and also the tension. I looked at this saw a couple of issues back and it worked really well, with none of the problems you have mentioned.
Hope this helps.
Andy
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