Old style Max inner axle brass bushings

[techfx]

I ordered a few of these for my new rear axles but, as I'm replacing the bearings on the front axles, my inner bushings are only worn about 2-3 mm. Should I replace these now (which means lathing them out = waiting maybe another week before my cousin can get to them) or should I just re-grease and use them until they go a little more. The axles aren't very difficult to remove on this machine due to little water use. The other question is: will this allow the new bearings to go out faster if the axle flops up and down a little?

thanks,

Mike (San Diego)

[techfx]

BTW...

Here's some photos to compare the new(Grey) vs old axles/bushings ...

[whipper-ag]

Looks nice, but if you want to make it last, I would drill & tap a hole for a grease zert on the O.D. of the axle to the middle of the bronze bushing. Without some kind of lubrication it will end up looking like the one on the right in a matter of hours. 2 - 3 mm is too much. The clearance between the I.D. of the bushing & the shaft should only be .003 - .005. Drill & tapping the axle for a zert fitting is something you can do with a hand drill. And also, make sure that the shaft the bushing rides on is in good shape. If it's not, it too, can ruin the new bushing. Hope this helps.

Whipper

[techfx]

Thanks Whipper, that answered all my questions!

[techfx]

I've got my zert fittings threaded into my 2 new axles but, after sizing up for clearance of the grease fitting,I realized that Richard's Relics inner bushings are so close in size to the diameter of the shaft that they may have to be lathed out a little (or else I'll have to use a mallot to pound the axles in). I also tried other shafts on the frame. Looks like I'll be going back to the machine shop again and comming back w/ a micrometer then going back to lathe the bushings.

At least i'll have them at the correct size - and .003-.005 clearence. I should have measured the shaft in the first place. It may even work out that my old bushings are in spec after all.

[techfx]

Finally got to borrow my cousin's caliper to get some measurements.

the new axle w/ bushing that I can get to is reading:

0.7495 Bushing
0.7480 Axle Shaft
0.0015 difference

on the axles I'll continuing to use on the front ( w/ current bushings)

Front Right
0.7770 Bushing
0.7570 Axle Shaft
0.0200 Difference

Front Left

0.7785 Bushing
0.7680 Axle Shaft
0.0105 Difference

Based on the correct measurements, i'm about to go change some bushings.

BTW - here's one of the zert fittings I did last weekend on the new axles.

Since these are not hollow, I drilled them out on the inside edge of the bushing.


Some photos:

[whipper-ag]

Good job, Mike.

Whipper

[techfx]

So for the Idler sprocket bushings (same type as axles) :

There seems to be more of a difference between the new bushings and the idler shaft than on the frame/shaft to the axle bushings. It's not huge (maybe .02 inch max) and the sprockets aren't flopping around too much - probably more from the metal brackets that hold the shaft on both sides than anything else. Do I need to replace the shaft? If not, should I even worry about clawing the old bushings out of the sprockets as there isn't a huge difference between the new and current ones.

thanks,

M. S.D.