[How do I?] Fix/make a bushing

This is a good fix that I can handle. I'm going to order some steel hex and Oilite sleeves. It is amazing that the original unlubricated bushing worked for over 30 winters of moderate use. Since the engine still runs great, I couldn't junk the thing because of this one part. With all of your help and my recently acquired lathe this snow blower will be around for many more years. It pains me to think how many things end up in the landfill for easily fixed problems.
 
Karl_T said:
Not enough meet to do that plan.

UNLUBRiCATED. That's the problem. Unless this turns super high RPM, make another using brass and do it right, then add a grease zirk.

My .02, many other ways to skin this cat.
Click to expand...
 
eBay has 5/8 Id 7/8 od x1 inch long bronze bushings for 7 bucks ea .
jimsehr
 
Getting tight tolerances is difficult for an FNG...

By all means try for the thou interference but when if don't work:

If you use the loctite, you have a large range where it works. Like 3 to 15 thou clearance if I remember right.
 
This will give me a good chance to use the mike set and telescoping gauges I recently bought. I'll do my best on the tight interference fit but thanks for the loctite tip.
 
I had parts of my lathe apart for restoration but I finally got it all back together and got to work on the bushing. I ordered steel hex stock and bronze sleeve bearings to make a new one. But I thought I'd try fixing the original first. I bored the 5/8" opening in the 7/8" hex to a thousandth under the size of the 3/4" OD oilite sleeve. There was enough meat for that and it removed all of the worn areas. Not sure the loctite 640 did any good on such a tight fit but I added it and pressed in the insert. The insert was 1/4" short so I used two. Here are pictures after the repair.

Bushing after1.jpg

Bushing after2.jpg

I haven't pulled the snow blower apart yet to install but I think this fix should do the job. I may just make the steel version with the oilite insert just for more practice on the lathe.
 
You did a good temporary fix.

I was going to suggest exactly what you've bought material for. Machine the 7/8" hex steel to house a (1 or 2) 5/8" ID Oil-Lite bushing(s). Braze or weld a flat washer to the end of your new hex housing or make the housing a little longer and use a snap-ring (in a groove) for a flange.

Be aware that Oil-Lite has more than one grade of material, so do some research and get the best for your application.

Welcome to H-M.
 
You could have re-installed the original bushing 180* from its original orientation. That would have given you another 30 winters. Unfortunately there is no machining content in that approach.
 
I have had no success brazing so I do plan to weld a washer to the steel hex for a flange. But using a snap-ring instead is a good idea. What I am calling oilite, McMaster-Carr calls "Ultra-Low Friction Oil-Embedded Sleeve Bearing" so I hope that does the job.
 
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