So I had another thread about pins and bushing damage. Turns out I got lucky and I can just replace the pins and bushings. I would like to do all 4 lower pins and bushings while I have it apart, but the price of these things is astronomical. Does anyone have any other outlets to get them than Cat ? There is an Ebay guy too in NY but still crazy money. I could have some made but since they are worn how would we know what size to make, unless the parts book calls out sizes, was thinking of getting one. I know Mitsubishi makes these mini's but can't find a comparable Mitsubishi model and probably were never sold in the states.
serial number
NAD1038
Do u have partnumbers ?
No sorry
What parts do u need then ?
bucket pins and bushings
Funny Any pics ?
Not sure you are 'lucky'...I changed the bushings and pins on the front of mine, and it was a bear to do. Even doing the MIG trick to loosen bushings. And yeah, expensive...$1500 all in for me. And to think, the front is the easiest...further back, it gets more interesting.
Wow, I don't feel too bad, I'm in for a grand !
Which is about $1500 CDN...lol Have you swapped the bushings and pins yet? How old is your machine.
It's an 03. Looks like the prices up north are pretty comparable. Not yet, waiting on a few of the parts to come in. I figure on cutting a notch across the old bushing with a torch, then popping them out. I've done this i the past and it works good. In the past I've put bushings in the freezer, but been reading on using dry ice mixed with acetone, or liquid nitrogen but wouldn't know where to get either !!
Freezer worked well for me. Why change things... I've never heard of the torch method, other than to heat them up (hot spot), but to 'notch' them sounds dangerous. MIG route worked like a charm for me. Just a tiny bead in three places...it also gave a raised edge so that I could use old pins as ramming pins.
Torch is easy if you're comfortable with it, the joint doesn't conduct heat and stops the cutting action just enough that you can blow the bushing out easily, just like blowing a bolt and leaving the threads it was in. If you have a CO2 cylinder then you can make dry ice (looks like snow, but it works fine with a solvent for heat exchange purposes, liquid propane works ). Hook a hose to the cylinder, no regulator, hold it upside down, and shoot into a container, then dump it into your liquid propane (prepared in a similar manner).
Yes thats how I usually do it heat a little red stripe across the bushing blast it with the torch and the bushing practically falls out and doesn't even leave a mark on the bushing boss. i got CO2 but would take 3 guys to hold it upside down, who would have dry ice, I remember when I was a kid, my dad used to get it from an ice cream store, it's closed now !
I believe welding gas places usually have dry ice and liquid nitrogen. AI places sell liquid nitrogen for filling farmers semen tanks.
When I weld bushings I don't weld across it I weld a couple or more passes around the inside ,depending on how big it is.
i usually weld a few passes along inside of bushing and they loosen up when they cool
So I finally got the parts, on the end of the stick, I can't see any bushings, the new pin fits, a little loose, but I don't think loose enough that there are no old bushings in there. So, maybe they are fused as Delmer mentioned and I can't see them, any tips on finding them. Also on the ew bushings if I use the freezer method, how long should they freeze before trying install and if dry ice, how long ?
If you can't see the bushings in the end of the stick, use a welding rod to feel through the bore. Is it the same diameter all the way through? Usually there's a bushing at each end with the bore bigger in the center, maybe a mini has only one bushing though? Did you find a parts diagram for the stick end, and did it show bushings? If you clean up the side of the stick bore area with brake cleaner and still can't see a bushing, then try a scratch awl, or anything sharp and hard, it should scratch the steel of the stick, but a bushing will be harder and scratch much shallower if at all. Definitely don't try the welding or cutting torch tricks until you're sure there's a bushing to remove, I've found myself in similar situations Half an hour is probably long enough for dry ice, quicker if you put the ice in a solvent for heat transfer, no reason not to leave them in the freezer overnight.
bought a 2012 304E 10 months ago and put bushings in the end of the stick. when the side of the bucket rubs against the stick it makes the separating line almost disapear. what year is yours?
I think it's there, but thin and polished. Yes it has 2 one each end. It's all cleaned up, so I'll try the awl trick. Yes I definitely don't wanna try the torch or weld trick, yet !
what material are these bushings made of? Can a machinist make these bushings with 4130?
No idea what the bushings are made of...definitely a alloy that can withstand some punishment. I heard of folks getting machinists to make pins (way easier to make), but bushings are another animal. As I noted on previous page, a light MIG weld in three spots was a game changer for me. The one thing I didn't mention, is the raised weld allowed me to use old pin as a punch, and pop the bushings out. Of course, making sure you have bushings first is helpful...
So I used dry ice, worked real slick, I never would have gotten them in without, they were pretty tight. I used the three weld trick, worked good, also used the torch trick cutting a little line along the bushing, that worked better popped right out with a punch.
Does anyone know how tight the bucket ears are supposed to be to the stick. I got about 3/8" inch space between them, if I slide the bucket tight to one side. The Cat parts guy told me there are no shims for the bucket. The only shims available are for the bigger pins.
The specs I've seen for 300 series are around 1mm (.040) Thats what I machine them to and I get no complaints.
You machine shims to .040 thickness ? Or machine the ears on buckets so there is .040 clearance ? Wondering what the clearance between bucket ears and stick should be, I have abt. 3/8", I think it's too much, but maybe thats what it should be for some reason ?!? If they are meant to shim, why is the Cat parts guy telling me they don't make shims for the bucket pin, also my parts book shows no shims in that location !
I machine the bucket and stick to 1mm clearance. The proper clearance is not 3/8. You may get away with machining up a couple a 3/16 shims out of something decent but they never last as long as a proper machined fit.
hmmm, how about a couple of grade 8 washers with 1-9/16" ID to take up the slack ?
In practise the clearance needs to be as little as possible made up with shims as required. The reason you have 3/8" is probably because the boss in the end of the stick is worn, or the bucket, or a combination of both. The parts book may not show shims, but there are probably some available in the correct size (or close enough) through the Cat parts system. It's just a matter of taking the time to look. I'll see what I can do.
Your pins are 40mm, correct? Try some of these. Not all will be available, but some should be.
Thanks !
on my year ago purchase thats at the camp. i ground the end of the stick as close to square as i could and bored holes in hard flat washers so there was enough surface to rub against. its not as good as machining the stick and bucket but alot easier and should extend life till bushings wear again.