Junior Member
Bronze Rebuild Of Damaged Shaft
At a sale I bought a two stage snowblower for around home use. Checking it over, I took the auger worm gear drive apart an found the needle bearings shot, damaging the shaft (3/4 and 1/2")bearing sufaces. I have bronze bushings on hand to fit. In the past I have weld/rebuilt damaged sufaces and machined to fit, but thought for the light use I'll be doing and small 3/4" shaft, brazing would suffice. Any wear problems with the bronze/bronze idea?
Senior Member
D35, it would not make a very good bearing. Why not just replace the shaft and needle bearings?
Gene
Senior Member
Snowblowers take quite a beating, so I'm not sure I'd categorize any amount of use as "light use."
If I understand you correctly, I don't think brass brazing would provide a suitable bearing surface for needle bearings...unless the needle bearing is a complete unit and the needles don't actually ride on the shaft surface. If the needles do ride on the shaft, I think it will need to be steel, pretty doggone hard, with a ground finish.
But, what the heck -- one of the joys of a home shop is, if something you try doesn't work, you can always do it again.
[This message has been edited by SGW (edited 09-10-2004).]
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Senior Member
The auger worm drive is pretty low speed. However, running like materials together does not make a good bearing. If you intend to use bronze bushings then I would either replace the shaft or build it back up by welding, not brazing. Steel against bronze will likely last for quite a while as long as it is well lubricated. Bronze against brass will gall and fail soon.
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Senior Member
I have tried to run needle bearings against a peice of 4140 that was supposed to be on the low side of acceptable hardness range. Repair did not last, and 4140 is somewhat harder than regular stuff.
mark costello-Low speed steel
Senior Member
Needle bearings must rely more on shaft finish than hardness. I've been running a low speed application for the last 10+yrs. The shaft was made from stock W-1 drill rod (no heat treatment) but was polished to a mirror finish. The only area that seems to be wearing is at the seals.
Senior Member
Would the drill rod be harder than p+g 4140 or just finished better?
mark costello-Low speed steel
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