9SM18946 - Lincoln Electric M18946 Inlet Wire Guide for PowerMIG and LN Feeders

Smooth Feeding for Your Lincoln PowerMIG

Is your Lincoln PowerMIG sputtering, surging, or struggling to feed wire consistently? Before you blame the liner or the contact tip, take a look at your inlet guide. The Lincoln Electric M18946 Inlet Wear Guide is the small but mighty part that sits right before your drive rolls, and it plays a huge role in how well your machine welds. If you are running a PowerMIG 200, 215, 255, or the legendary LN-25 suitcase feeder, this is the replacement part you need to get your wire feeding like new again.

Think of the inlet guide as the funnel that steers your wire exactly where it needs to go. When you are welding day in and day out, thousands of feet of wire pass through this little steel tube. Eventually, the wire acts like a saw, cutting a groove into the guide. Once that groove forms, it adds drag and friction. Worse, it can shave tiny flakes of copper or steel off the wire. These shavings end up clogging your liner or getting stuck in your drive rolls, causing the wire to slip. If you have ever experienced that frustrating "chatter" where the wire stops and starts, a worn inlet guide is a common culprit.

Why Choose the M18946?

• Perfect Fit: Designed specifically for Lincoln wire drives (200 Amp and up), so it drops right in without any hassle.
• Durable Steel: Made to handle the abuse of solid and flux-cored wires without wearing out prematurely.
• Protects Your Consumables: By feeding wire smoothly, it helps your liners and tips last longer.

Installation is incredibly simple and takes just a few minutes. You typically only need to remove the retaining screw or clip, slide the old guide out, and pop the new M18946 in. It’s one of the cheapest and easiest maintenance tasks you can perform to improve your weld quality. Don't let a five-dollar part ruin a thousand-dollar job. Keep a spare M18946 in your toolbox so you are never stuck fighting a birdnest or erratic arc in the middle of a project. Whether you are in the shop fabricating structural steel or out in the field with an LN-25, smooth wire delivery is the key to a perfect bead.