My Bro, who is helping me get a 67' ford backhoe into working condition asked me to ask this question to the pros, so here I am. Are the larger pins and bushings, especially for older units, "off the shelf" replacment items, or are they often hand machined, to what ever dimensions take up the slop? Are these pieces usually heat treated, or use a particular grade of metal? He has his own smaller parts machine shop and is pretty focused, on getting any piece of machinery, large or small, back into tip-top shape, so this hoe will likely be gone through pretty good. He has only had a couple of projects, with earthmoving equipment, including a bulldozer, that was probably 60 years old. I think he had it running better than when it was new. Appreciate any input.
Welcome to the forum oldram. :usa Are you saying you have extremely wallowed out holes for bushing and pins and are looking for ways to repair or fit larger diameter bushings?
Just replace your bushings, line bore if bore won't hold bushings tight. Replace pin, as far as I know manufactures don't have different size pins or bushings to compensate for wear. This of course is most expensive route, but the only route I've ever taken. Also most pins are heat treated
It used to be that pins and bushings were made to standard sizes for new machines. I saw a lot of 2, 3 and 4 inch pins with the bushing sizes made for those pins. Even today you can go to a bearing house and purchase those bushings by dimensions. When the Japanese machines started being imported into the US the standard sizes became metric and really caught of lot of machinists off guard because you could not buy metric sized pin stock. You had to get a domestic sizes and machine them down to metric sizing. Today that problem has gone away. The materials have changed also. When I started pulling wrenches everything used brass and bronze alloys for bushing materials but now days most are some sort of steel. Again the really big change came with the Japanese machines. They somehow matched the steel alloys and got a long wearing fit between the pins and bushings. Now then to your backhoe. Machines built then were the brass and bronze bushing design. I have seen an aluminum bronze type bushing work very well in a really bad application where steel didn't work at all. I'm sure any bearing house will be able to supply something like that. There really is no way to fix egged out bores other than welding them up and machining them back to original specification. Then you can install your standard sized bushings and pins. What you are tail about doing is time consuming and costly and that is why old machines end up sitting and new machines get purchased. Good Luck!
Not sure, maybe some of both. My bro is more of the machinist. This hoe is probably has above "average" wear as it was used on a farm and does not have a lot of hours on it(4600), but may not have had regular lubrication, other than the engine, etc. All ask him the specifics.
I usually cut badly worn non replacably bushings out with the torch and machine new ones from scratch and weld them back in. I have good luck with using 1 1/2" or 2" hard chromed drill stem or hydr cylinder rod i scrounge from the scrap yard for pins
At MTI, we use/sell Expander pins. They have oversize collets available for worn holes. The pins are tapered at both ends, with an expandable collet. When you torque the bolts and washers down on the collets they expand and tighten to the inside of the hole. Works quite well. They come with a 10,000 hour warranty, so they stand behind their product. They are pricey, but not if you plan on owning and using your equipment for a long time. They eliminate the downtime and expense of having to replace pin bosses and lineboring at service intervals. Information is available for anyone interested, just send me a PM.
MTI Mark, Can you please shoot me a message, or email (nah2323 at gmail)? I'm interested in the expander system, and am in NY. My machine only has 1800hrs on it, but I would like to be proactive with the yolks before they egg out. My Ditch Witch XT850 hoe has some play, but it also pivots so much, it's probably compounded effect..
I'd google his company since this thread is four years old.
Here you go fellow upstate NY er--What does ''upstate'' NY mean to you?: PS: Most Cat dealers also offer Expander My Komatsu Contact Us You have reached Komatsu Equipment Company, a dealer serving Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. If you would like to get in touch with us, we have several options for you. You can call us toll-free at 1 (866) 982-4657 and we will direct you to the best appropriate person. Click here to find your Equipment Sales Representative. Click here to find your Product Support Sales Representative. Click here for a list of Komatsu Equipment executives, directors and managers. Find contact information to each of our branch locations here. Click here for press and media inquiries. Find employment at Komatsu Equipment here.
No More Line Boring No more pivot wear - Guaranteed! Line Boring is no longer needed with Expander Pivot Pin System. Replace any pivot pin on any heavy duty machine. Get the Expander pivot pins here at Komatsu Equipment, a certified dealer for Expander System. Pivot Pin System Expander System is a permanent solution for both small and large mechanical pivots. Equally effective and reliable in both construction and mining machinery. Quality from design to installation Expander System is available in all sizes, for all machine types. Expander System has over 20 years of research and development behind their state-of-the-art 3D CADEX system and the product range they offer today. Each Expander System is installed, tested and approved for its specific application. How it Works Expander How it Works A. Expander System is installed directly into the existing mounting without expensive welding or line borning. B. The washer presses the sleeve onto the tapered section of the expander bolt. C. The sleeve expands in the worn lugholes in parallel and eliminates all play. D. Double-sided locking gives increased safety. E. East to remove and reinstall. Expander System can custom make any application you need. Contact your Komatsu Equipment PSSR for details. How Expander System saves you money Eliminate line boring. Traditional repairs mean higher labor costs, downtime and in some cases, a replacement machine and still, the problem will recur. Expander System is by far the easiest and most economical way to solve the problem of pivot wear. And best of all - it's fast and it's permanent. The double-sided locking ensures stability and safety. Fitting and dismounting is usually done on-site. Many machine owners replace conventional pins with the Expander System to prevent further wear and eventual breakdown. If the pivot is lubricated according to the machine manufacturer's specification, the Expander System is likely to outlast the machine. Expander Saves Money The missing link. Expander System was originally designed to solve recurring service problems of pivot lug wear. More and more machine manufacturers are now realizing the importance of lowering the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) of their machinery. Pivot wear is a common problem that cannot be solved without disassembling the machine and line boring the pivot lugs. This process is both expensive and time consuming. Solve the problem and save money now! The Expander System is a simple, cost effective solution for pivot wear. It is installed directly into the existing mounting without expensive welding or line boring. The total cost is lower than traditional repair methods regardless of the machine or manufacturer. To see in Hard Dollars just how much you will save, use the Hard Dollar Savings Calculator on the Expander System web site. Original components that increases value, image and competitiveness. A guaranteed and rewarding investment. The Expander System pays off at the first repair. The cost for the impending repairs, normal recurring maintenance charges with traditional fastening methods, are completely eliminated by the permanent solution. With the Expander System you are making a rewarding investment; repayment is already made on installation! A guaranteed and rewarding investment. For more information, visit the Expander System web site or contact your Komatsu Equipment PSSR for details. Policies | Privacy | Terms & Conditions | Disclaimer | Site Map
Expanda Pin have been crowing no more line boring for 20 years or more. I've never lost a job to them. I would consider using them in some spot that was impossible to get a line boring machine into as a temporary fix.
I've wondered that myself. ...then i heard on the news that it means anything north of Albany our capital. Probably because there's so many voters in the NY City area.