The Steamboating Forum

If the slot is wider than the pin, even by a small amount, then shape a piece of brass/bronze to fit as best you can and soft solder it in. Then work out the position of the bearing and drill and ream it back in. Not a full blown 'engineering' type repair but more than adequate for that use.

If the slot is wider than the pin, even by a small amount, then shape a piece of brass/bronze to fit as best you can and soft solder it in. Then work out the position of the bearing and drill and ream it back in. Not a full blown 'engineering' type repair but more than adequate for that use.

Add a small hole and use a needle greaser (avoiding useful but not found on original Zerk fitting) to lubricate it from time to time. These things wear out because there's no provision for lubrication.

- Bart

Mike Rometer wrote: ↑Fri Dec 10, 2021 7:23 pm If the slot is wider than the pin, even by a small amount, then shape a piece of brass/bronze to fit as best you can and soft solder it in.

Is there an advantage to soft solder vs babbitt for this application?

RNoe recommended Grade 2 Nickel-Babbitt and that sounded pretty good to me.

What if I got a bronze bearing like this and turned it down to the slot ID, cut it to the right length, and soldered/babbitted this in the slot:

https://www.mcmaster.com/6381K42/

-CB

P.S. I did read what Kelly Anderson said that babbitt won't hand compression well. -- Is it then true that a soft solder could handle the compression better? I'm trying to find the best particular alloy that I can get for what I am trying to do, be it a solder or babbitt.

What if I got a bronze bearing like this and turned it down to the slot ID, cut it to the right length, and soldered/babbitted this in the slot

I'd follow Mike's advice; file a piece of bearing bronze in each link to fit, soft solder it in and drill and ream proper holes w/ matching overall lengths for the pin. Drill a tiny hole in the end for greasing and it will last a long time.

- Bart

What about the bronze leaded bearing filed on two sides parallel like this, then filled in with soft metal:


-CB

That looks better than what you started with.

Darn.

Unfortunately I can't use the bushing idea because width of the slot is just around 1/4", it's within 0.005" of the pin size. Won't be space for any bearing material on the sides of the slot. Potentially I could widen the slot a little.

-CB

As heavy as the walls of that link are, you could bore the end out to 5/16+, without significant weakening the link. Then bush the freshly bored end, and fill the rest of the space with tin or Babbitt, or solder. Better yet, fill the slot first, then bore to 5/16 and bush.

I like Kelly A's suggestion the best. That's what I would do.
RussN

Hi,

I like Kelly's thoughts.

The bars will probably not have been original. I would braze steel filler pieces into the slots, then drill them and provide the holes with sintered bronze bushings. The bolts should be secured against twisting in order to avoid running in.

--
Dietrich