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Gouged Front Axle Support Bushings

N

nrowles

Member
Massey 135 Swept Axle. I put a loader on it year and half ago. When I did that I took the axle support to a machine shop and had them put new bushings and pivot pin in it. Since then I've put about 40 hours on it. I noticed this spring the rear bushing was working its way out. Pulled the support off and with a BFH smacked the pivot pin out. To my surprise all the bushings and the pivot pin were gouged really bad, as you can see in the picture below of the front bushing. I was planning on using some JB Weld to get the rear bushing to stick but wasn't expecting this much wear on the inside of the bushings after only 40 hours of use. What would cause the bushings to gouge this badly from so little use? Does fine dirt and stones work in there and do that? How do you prevent it from happening? Very frustrated.

2TZd1Qf.jpg
 
Looks like there wasn't any grease used on it. Does it have a grease fitting or is it suppose to be run dry. What I mean is it like the oilite (sp) bushings in the old generators, kinda self lubricating from oil stored in the bushing itself. In other words was the right material used?
 
Good morning nrowles:
I own a 1963 MF FE 35 X . This Tractor has been in my family since new, and came with a loader on it since new. At 4000 hrs. ( I became the new owner at 4000 hrs.)the front Axel(swept axel) pivot pin, bushings, front right spindle, and every thing in the Steering Colum (manual steering)was completely worn out / destroyed.
My late brother was a Master Machinist with his own shop. I had him bore the front axel support, install new bushings, and a new pivot pin with GREASE NIPPLES.
Then I sold the loader!!!

Bob.. Owner operator MF FE 35 X ...Ferguson TEA-20 and other colored Tractors
 
I would think it is the same as the Ferguson TO30, TO20, Ford 9N, 2N, 8N and NAA that are supposed to run dry to keep that from happening as grease will pick up dirt and just grind things away.
 
(quoted from post at 07:26:02 06/01/18) I would think it is the same as the Ferguson TO30, TO20, Ford 9N, 2N, 8N and NAA that are supposed to run dry to keep that from happening as grease will pick up dirt and just grind things away.
Click to expand...
don't know about the thought process on the models you mentioned but I do know every industrial loader I ran years ago had provisions to grease the bucket pins. They are designed to run in mud, sand, dirt, water, you name it. Yes they do wear out but it takes hundreds and thousands of hours to do so. What was the new bushing made of and what was the factory one made of seems important as to how to lube or not lube.
 
For what appears to be an ungreased fit, I think your machine shop did not choose appropriate materials. The added load you have put on there also compounded the problem. I'd have new bushings made from SAE954 bronze and use AISI1144 at a minimum or better yet, ETD150 for the pin and have it drilled for grease fittings.
 
Agree with David. Did the front end of my Husqvarna that way. They have a nylon bushing in the pivot that wears crooked. Throws the steering out of wack. Installed a bronze bushing and cross drilled the pin. Now at the beginning of the season just give her a shot of high compression grease. Go to tractor supply and buy a coulpe of tubes of the 3% molly grease. Around $4 each. Regular grease will not take high compression.
 
I'm going to add one more thing to the grease comments. It does little to no good to grease a spindle unless you jack the axle up. That is especially important on high pressure
applications such as loader tractor or forklift. Local mfg. co. brought two of there forklifts out for spindle rebuild. They had just had them done by another shop 3 yrs. prier and
they were shot again. One forklift had a special rack carrier built around it that made it impossible to grease one side of the steering axle. They routinely greased the others and
there was ample grease there when I took it apart. They never jacked the axles when greasing. The one dry side that was never greased showed no more ware then the rest. You must
jack the axle when greasing steering axles. I know it's a pain and not many people do it, but that is why your bushings are wearing out even though you are keeping them well greased.
 
The pin should be drilled down the center, and cross drilled from the outside to the center hole at each bushing. You will then have a grease zerk on the end of the pin that will pump grease to the
bushings.
 
(quoted from post at 10:39:05 06/01/18)
(quoted from post at 08:12:44 06/01/18) I would have the pin line and cross drilled for grease.
Click to expand...

Can you please elaborate on what this means? Pin line and cross?
Click to expand...

Full words: have the pin (shaft) line drilled (bored through the center) and cross drilled to get the grease to the bushing. He is saying drill the pin not the housing.

I suspect the major problem is the loader.
 
(quoted from post at 16:22:40 06/01/18) The pin should be drilled down the center, and cross drilled from the outside to the center hole at each bushing. You will then have a grease zerk on the end of the pin that will pump grease to the
bushings.
Click to expand...

The pin has a hole down the center for the front mount hydraulic pump shaft going to the crank. Guess this won’t work.
 
Read the owners manual for it before you go greasing it. I did not have a book on the TO30 but it is made the sane way the Ford 9N, 2N, 8N & NAA are made and in those manuals it specificaly says "DO NOT GREASE" And they had to have a good reason to put that in the manual so I follow that. And the 135 alth I do not know I would think they made it the same way and I think that owners manual will also say "DO NOT GREASE". That is an entirely different situation than the spindals. I believe if you do the grease you will be gomming back in 2 years with worse problems. Your problem comes from not using factory parts.
 
With only 40 hours use looks like your machine shop will be doing some free work.
 
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