Fixed: H wide front wobble - opinions on steel bushings?

riverbend · May 13, 2010

My H had a wobbly front end (Schwartz wide front). I discovered the bushings in the trunions were worn. Replacing the bushings (and tie rods since it was all apart) fixed the 5th gear wobble.

The replacement bushings from A&I were steel. The original bushings were brass.

I had always heard that if you run two hard materials together, you will get more wear on both parts, as compared to one hard and one soft. Examples: rod bearing and crankshaft or Amal Carb slides and bodies.

What do you think ? Should I find brass bushings and replace the steel ones ?

Thanks

Greg

rustyfarmall · May 13, 2010

(quoted from post at 04:51:38 05/13/10) My H had a wobbly front end (Schwartz wide front). I discovered the bushings in the trunions were worn. Replacing the bushings (and tie rods since it was all apart) fixed the 5th gear wobble.

The replacement bushings from A&I were steel. The original bushings were brass.

I had always heard that if you run two hard materials together, you will get more wear on both parts, as compared to one hard and one soft. Examples: rod bearing and crankshaft or Amal Carb slides and bodies.

What do you think ? Should I find brass bushings and replace the steel ones ?

Thanks

Greg

A&I owns Schwartz, and still manufactures parts and complete new assemblies. I think they probably know what works and what doesn't.

Janicholson · May 13, 2010

Lubrication is the key, use a moly based or synthetic chassis grease (mobile1 red cartridge grease). I think it is good to go. The new might be sintered iron (porous with lube embedded) Jim

riverbend · May 13, 2010

Rusty,

Lately I have become a little suspicious that manufacturers are not looking out for my best interest. You can see what I mean if you have ever worked on a new car. Dealer mechanics get paid by the hour, so why make anything easily serviceable ?

If steel on steel wears the bushing and the trunion shaft, and there is only one place to get parts, then the next time I have to buy bushings and spindles...

Maybe Jim is right, that they are sintered iron.

Greg

rustyfarmall · May 13, 2010

(quoted from post at 07:01:48 05/13/10) Rusty,

Lately I have become a little suspicious that manufacturers are not looking out for my best interest. You can see what I mean if you have ever worked on a new car. Dealer mechanics get paid by the hour, so why make anything easily serviceable ?

If steel on steel wears the bushing and the trunion shaft, and there is only one place to get parts, then the next time I have to buy bushings and spindles...

Maybe Jim is right, that they are sintered iron.

Greg

O.K., I just went and pulled one of those bushings off the shelf and scratched on it with my pocket knife. It was not too difficult to actually scrape some material off, so obviously those bushings are made of something that is softer than steel, and is also softer than the spindle shaft.

Randy in NE · May 13, 2010

The reason that they use a softer material for one of the surfaces is so that you can replace the rod bearings (cheaper) instead of having to replace the crankshaft (expensive). I am replacing the front wheel bearings on my Case 300. The roller bearings are hard and so are the races but the races are easy to remove and cheap so both are hard material. If the surfaces are properly lubricated two hard surfaces will last many, many years.

Dave_Id · May 13, 2010

Does the steel bushings have a hole in it so that you can get grease to the shaft?

rustyfarmall · May 13, 2010

Remove the grease zerk, install the new bushing, drill a hole through the zerk hole into the bushing, replace the zerk and you are good to go. Much easier than trying to get a pre-drilled hole lined up correctly while installing the bushing.

Wilson · May 13, 2010

had a girl friend like that while back . Just old age creeping in!!!!

riverbend · May 13, 2010

The new bushings do not have grease holes drilled in them. The old bushings had holes in 3 different locations. One per bushing, but drilling them all without knowing where to put them for each grease fitting would not have worked.

I was reluctant to drill through the hole for the zerk for fear of buggering up the threads. The original hole was 11/32" so it was easy to get the bushings installed close enough to work.

Greg

Wardner · May 13, 2010

Put a magnet on the bushing and let us know what happens. Maybe you are dealing with a babbit bearing.

rustyfarmall · May 14, 2010

(quoted from post at 17:19:10 05/13/10) Put a magnet on the bushing and let us know what happens. Maybe you are dealing with a babbit bearing.

A magnet DOES stick to them.

riverbend · May 14, 2010

If it is any help figuring out what it is, the material created small chips when I drilled it, not spirals of swarf.

Greg

rustyfarmall · May 14, 2010

(quoted from post at 06:01:53 05/14/10) If it is any help figuring out what it is, the material created small chips when I drilled it, not spirals of swarf.

Greg

Yes, that is useful information. It does help to identify the material. The proper name for that material escapes me right now, but it is a bearing material. It is NOT steel.

riverbend · May 14, 2010

Thats good. Thanks for keeping after this Rusty.

Greg

Fixed: H wide front wobble - opinions on steel bushings?

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