Split bearing housing repair

[SteeCityEngineer]

Has anybody any experience/suggestions of how the above may be achieved?

The bearing in question is a 420mm OF spherical roller and the housing which is worn slightly oval is formed between 2 halves of a very large and irreplaceable gearbox case. For similar repairs in the past on non-split housings have simply over-bored and shrunk in a EN19 (4140) sleeve with a decent wall thickness then finish bored back to desired size. However I am not sure how best to do similar with a split type housing.

I have considered but am nervous about weld recovery of the bore this is probably not desirable as the material is cast iron although obviously could be done with suitable electrodes, I would also worry about any possible distortion or similar through heat input. Are there any other options for this type of repair that others may have done before?

 

[Dan from Oakland]

Make a split ring, bore the case so the ring has some crush, bore the ring to size. Either pin the ring halfs or bolt them with some radial FSHCS so they cannot rotate. The crush should hold them, but a belt an suspenders approach would be best. Making two ring halfs might be necessary to get the crush, but..... I would not like welding. You might look into flame spray and rebore also.

 

[Garwood]

There are companies that do weld build up using cast iron on cast iron. Diesel Cast West here in portland does this everyday. It's not expensive.

 

[farmersamm]

There's no law, written, or unwritten, that prevents you from making the part out of steel..........if you have the time...........and it's worth your while.

Let me preface this with the fact that cast iron is hard to weld, and harder to pad weld........... Padding tends to tear up the lathe with interrupted cuts.


Absolutely trashed cast iron part. And, and expensive one to boot.

Bushing was equally worn

Local shop cut me the plate with their CNC, and we's good to go. Lot of effort, and heartache, but it's all good. The cost of the parts, let alone the fact that they could not have been replaced without essentially remanufacturing the machine, was to the good side.

I was told that you can't duplicate a casting............I call bullshit on that. You can do what has to be done if you're not bucks up.

 

[farmersamm]

My post sorta goes to the guy that recently asked if a Chinese lathe was worthwhile.

Yeah, hold your nose, take a pill......................they actually can do the job if you take care, and watch what you're doing. You make do with what you gots.

And.........mild steel, especially hot roll, does suck.........but it does make parts.

 

[SteeCityEngineer]

Make a split ring, bore the case so the ring has some crush, bore the ring to size. Either pin the ring halfs or bolt them with some radial FSHCS so they cannot rotate. The crush should hold them, but a belt a suspenders approach would be best. Making two ring halfs might be necessary to get the crush, but..... I would not like welding. You might look into flame spray and rebore also.

Thanks a lot for this. This was my preferred method, to sleeve with a split ring, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it while maintaining an interference fit on the ring in the housing after the ring was split - I never considered making 2 rings to get 2 perfect halves!!

I think this is the way I will go when the time comes, as you say the interference fit should hopefully be enough to retain the split ring however I think certainly best to add some additional retention… 2 or 3 countersunk screws per half on the center of the bore so as to line up with the W33 groove of the bearing should be good while compromising very little contact area with the outer bearing race. I would probably look to retain the last 15mm or so of the old bore as well, to prevent the sleeve sliding out backwards into the gearbox if it ever did work loose somehow in the future.

Thanks again for your great suggestion

 

[john.k]

Green Loctite?

 

[Gearclash]

There's no law, written, or unwritten, that prevents you from making the part out of steel..........if you have the time...........and it's worth your while.

Let me preface this with the fact that cast iron is hard to weld, and harder to pad weld........... Padding tends to tear up the lathe with interrupted cuts.

View attachment 436750
Absolutely trashed cast iron part. And, and expensive one to boot.
View attachment 436751View attachment 436752View attachment 436753View attachment 436754View attachment 436755
Bushing was equally worn
View attachment 436756
Local shop cut me the plate with their CNC, and we's good to go. Lot of effort, and heartache, but it's all good. The cost of the parts, let alone the fact that they could not have been replaced without essentially remanufacturing the machine, was to the good side.

I was told that you can't duplicate a casting............I call bullshit on that. You can do what has to be done if you're not bucks up.

Let me guess . . . New Holland sledge frame pivot . . .

 

[eKretz]

Is there a reason that you can't just put the sleeve on the bearing OD with a very slight interference fit instead of in the split?

 

[just Dave]

Fit has been covered by bushing but do not forget thrust. It must be accounted for.

 

[Ox]

There is a thing called Spray Arc Welding (I think is the name).
I don't think that has been mentioned here yet?

When the carriers on National Acme Gridley screw machines need tightened up, the old method was "Bored and Bushed", but in more modern times (last 30 years?) I believe the method has gone to build up one, or both parts (carrier and the pocket that it rides in) and machine back to OEM specs. (cast iron)

At least I think that's what they are dooing these days.

I would think that others here can point you in a direction there, but if not, and if you are interested, ping me, and I can send you to a rebuilder that does this.


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I am Ox and I approve this here post!

 

[farmersamm]

Let me guess . . . New Holland sledge frame pivot . . .

Yes it is.

 

[ratbldr427]

Thanks a lot for this. This was my preferred method, to sleeve with a split ring, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it while maintaining an interference fit on the ring in the housing after the ring was split - I never considered making 2 rings to get 2 perfect halves!!

I think this is the way I will go when the time comes, as you say the interference fit should hopefully be enough to retain the split ring however I think certainly best to add some additional retention… 2 or 3 countersunk screws per half on the center of the bore so as to line up with the W33 groove of the bearing should be good while compromising very little contact area with the outer bearing race. I would probably look to retain the last 15mm or so of the old bore as well, to prevent the sleeve sliding out backwards into the gearbox if it ever did work loose somehow in the future.

Thanks again for your great suggestion

They make spherical cartridge bearings. You insert them in any round bore. Saves a lot of work trying to make a spherical housing.

 

[Bill D]

Some motor makers make the connecting rods one piece and bore the lower bearing shell bore to fit. Then they break the lower bore in two so it can fit over the crankshaft. I do not think they rebore after snapping it into pieces. The main bolts hold the two pieces in place like normal but the jagged broken edges lock things in place better then a flat machined surface.
I would think the pieces are notched and carefully jigged so they break at the correct parting line. Probbably takes a lot of trial and error to get it right.
Bill D
the image is not a failure. It is a factory new part with the big end broken in two.

 

[just Dave]

Some motor makers make the connecting rods one piece and bore the lower bearing shell bore to fit. Then they break the lower bore in two so it can fit over the crankshaft. I do not think they rebore after snapping it into pieces. The main bolts hold the two pieces in place like normal but the jagged broken edges lock things in place better then a flat machined surface.
I would think the pieces are notched and carefully jigged so they break at the correct parting line. Probbably takes a lot of trial and error to get it right.
Bill D
the image is not a failure. It is a factory new part with the big end broken in two.

This how the nut in a Jacob’s chuck is made, snapped after all machining and heat treat.

 

[gbent]

IIRC the cracked rods are a powder metal. Ford started working on them in the late '80's. Special alloy with very little elongation, the manufacturing includes a sharp broach to notch where the break is supposed to occur.

 

[Ox]

I would fully expect it to be a special material with predictable grain structure.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox