CAD Digger Bushings - Brass vs Nylon??

[dourobob]

Thanks Guys
Here is what the MetKit folks e-mailed me today

"These nylatron Bearings are molybednum impregnated to lubricate over the lifetime of the bearing. You can also grease them for even longer bearing life. We think they are better than brass and CADplans has approved the substitution for their applications. We think you will be happy with the product. "

Anyone ever used this Nylatron? Experiences - good or bad.

Thanks
Bob

 

[jrlichina]

I have them on my CADDigger and have had no problems. I added zerk fittings to all the pin locations so I can grease them as needed.

 

[DK35vince]

I have been using the nylon bushings from Metkit 3 or 4 years now on my Caddigger.No problems so far !

 

[MossRoad]

<font color=blue>These nylatron Bearings are molybednum impregnated to lubricate over the lifetime of the bearing. You can also grease them for even longer bearing life.</font color=blue>

These are the kind of statements that crack me up! It will last its lifetime but you can grease it to last longer than its lifetime. Wonder what they consider the lifetime to be?

 

[dourobob]

<font color=blue> Wonder what they consider the lifetime to be? </font color=blue>

That is exactly what I wrestle with as well - of course anything will "last its lifetime" and, so will all of us (I am not sure how much grease - or what kind - I need to last longer than my lifetime /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif).
I am impressed to hear that Vince has been happy with the Nylatron Bearing performance in his digger over 3-4 years. Vince, I'd really appreciate it if you could tell us the model of your digger and about how many hours a year you would use it. Have you pushed it to its maximum capacity?

I would pose the same questions to jrlichine just for the sake of comparison.

Thanks - this info is really helpful.

Bob

 

[Soundguy]

See though.. they worded that very judiciously... it will lubricate 'over the lifetime of the bearing'..Assumably, once the bearing is worn to a certain point its service lifetime is over. Then what they are saying is that be adding additional lubrication will extend the service life.
They probably should have had the engineer right up the specs, rather than a lawyer.../w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

Soundguy

<font color=red>These nylatron Bearings are molybednum impregnated to lubricate over the lifetime of the bearing. You can also grease them for even longer bearing life.

These are the kind of statements that crack me up! It will last its lifetime but you can grease it to last longer than its lifetime. Wonder what they consider the lifetime to be?

 

[jrlichina]

Model 508 used quite a bit for 1 1/2 years.

 

[DK35vince]

Bob,
I have a Caddigger model 710.
It has a gas motor like the model 728,but it will separate behind the seat and can be used on the tractor 3 point hitch like the 708 model.
I usually run it with the gas motor.It digs quite well.
As far as use,I probably have averaged 20-25 hours per year for 3 or 4 years now.(can't remember what year I built it).
You asked if I pushed it to it's maximum capacity-Yes,every time I use it.If it is running I get everything out of it that it will give !
I got the hardened pins,nylon bushings,and the hydraulic kit(hoses, cylinders,control valve,etc.from Metkit )and so far they have worked OK.

 

[KWentling]

Bob: I haven't personally used any Nylatron in my own equipment, but I work in a repair machine/weld shop that does a lot of work for the coal mines. We have one customer that uses Nylatron bushings (we turn them out for them from stock) for the truck box hinges on their 190 and 240 ton haul trucks and they claim they outlast the factory brass bushings 2 to 1!
Now thats some severe service there.

Kim

 

[dourobob]

Thanks Kim
That is pretty impressive. I have ordered the bushings from MetKit. After discussing this (ad nauseum according to my wife /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif) with my buddy who's shop we are using to build this digger, we decided to go this route. If they don't last we do have the facilities to change them fairly easily.

Thanks to everyone for their outline of experience sprinkled with an appropriate dollop of skepticism - a pretty good mix I think.

Bob