(B)ushing(s) question- can anyone make them or have a supplier?

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Help! I need some bushings and google isn't helping.
- addendum- I have posted this and twice it has gotten kicked to PARF - I had no idea bushings had become so controversial!

The bushings are for a vintage bicycle stem, which I use for riding fire roads around Nelson County Va, so if you aren't a big fan of roadie cyclists hogging the road- It ain't me because I'm on dirt roads




Anyway, these stems are basically a parallelogram linkage which came about in the early days of MTB suspension designs. This design worked well for what it was, but became obsolete, and is unsupported by the parent company. The stem doesn't really compare to suspension forks, but it is PERFECT for dirt road washboard type bumps which will cause death by a thousand small bumps.

Over time, the bushings wear, and the stem gets sloppy.



The bushings that wear out are pictured here- with the closest manufactured size bushing I could find on the internet(which is too small).



Was wondering if anybody in the pelican trust knew of a bushing supplier or could custom make their own bushings. Perhaps some of the bike fans here have a set of replacement bushings in their secret part stashes.

I would need to go get a set of digital calipers to measure for custom bushings, but I'm really at a dead end on this.

Any thoughts appreciated.
Thanks!
Ron

[LEAKYSEALS951]

..aaannnd here is a picture of the bu(s)hings... this is NOT - I repeat NOT my morning for posting to pelican:

[cashman]

Almost any machine shop could make these for you. Material looks like Moly Filled Nylon. Give them the parts, tell them you want it made from MDS nylon. May as well buy 2x the parts you need if you know they will go bad. The expense will come from the set up time.

Send a PM to Mitch Leyland with pictures. He machines a steering shaft bushing that is similar out of moly nylon.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

thanks!
Ron

[dad911]

Igus & McMaster are my go-to places. Mcmaster sells Bronze/Plastic bushings in hundreds of sizes, Metric and Inch. And Acetal stock. http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-sleeve-bearings/=xwnb44

Igus may make custom sizes. They also sell bar stock, to machine. igus® - iglide® High Performance Polymer Bar Stock

MISUMI USA: Industrial Configurable Components Supply - they will machine parts that they sell.

If you know someone with a plastic printer, try printing a set with ABS or one of the bushing materials: igus® Tribo-filament made from iglide® high-performance plastic for 3D printers

I'd try to find a stock bushing with the correct OD, and ID that is too small, and ream/drill it out to fit.

First step is to get a set of calipers so you are not guessing.... Harbor Freight under $15.

[Tobra]

man, I love this place

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I wanted to post an update and thank everyone for advice. I went ahead and ordered some bushing(s) from McMaster today and am happily awaiting them. They didn't have the exact dimensions, so I'm taking dad911's advice and ordering the correct outer diameter and a smaller inner diameter so I can bore out the inner to the correct size, but now I'm all stressed (no- not really "stressed" over a bike part- but concerned) as I can imagine the drill bit in the drill press engaging the i.d. bore and catching and just spinning the bushing - scoring the OD as the bushing spins pompously in the drill press vice.... so I'm wondering what I need to secure the bushing to ensure it doesn't spin when I ream it out. Maybe make an OD jig to secure it? Also makes me think about drill press RPM's for nylon. Fast? Slow? I dunno?
Probably overthinking things, but thanks anyway!
Ron

[dad911]

I have a few ideas... like press it into the part, they you can grab part in vice to hold.

Bronze or plastic?

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I went with plastic initially, wimping out of the HMWPE and going with straight nylon just to get a feel for the fit and machining (difference in price $80 vs. $13) Eventually, I might go bronze, but was concerned about the bronze to aluminium wear factor(the stem is all aluminium)- for example- I want to make sure the bronze wears, not the alu. I need to go look that up. I was thinking locking it into the stem too, but I think that might spin. I was thinking making a wood jig, boring out the the OD size, then running the wood jig through a scroll saw so it can compress, and then locking it into the drill press vice. Something like that. I need to make another run to harbor freight for a drill press drill bit kit with all the weird sizes!

[rusnak]

Yep, McMaster.

I had some plastic bushings made for my light tower by California Industrial Rubber. Motion Industries provided drive gear. You might mic the parts and see if anyone makes a pin bearing.