Backhoe bushing suppliers????

[LD1]

If any of you have followed my previous posts, you already know.

So...long story short, Dad is going to start building a house this spring. He bought a old worn out "farm backhoe" for $4000. It runs great aond only has a few minor drips. But the backhoe is sloppy. We know this before we bought. It would have done the job just fine as is, but without being able to start until spring, he decided he wanted to tear appart the hoe and tighten it up.

The pins are no problem. We can make them for next to nothing $$$ wise.

But the bushings are another story. All of the cylinder bushings (the ones actually in the cylinder ends) appear to still be tight. But the main boom and dipperstick pins and bushings are worn. This is a Ford 4500 w 755 hoe FYI.
Looking on NH and messicks websites, their appears to be 10 bushings that are 1.5" ID with varying OD's and lengths. There are also 8 2" ID bushings. To replace just these 18 bushings on the main boom and dipperstick would cost....are you sitting down.....~$950 for just 18 bushings:confused2:

So... just wondering if any of you guys have found an affordable place to source bushings????

We will more than likely end up making our own. A local machinest in the area that we are close friends with just re-built a hoe a few years ago. He made all of his own pins and bushings as well. We might just hire him as he works really cheap. He hardened them with torches and water. Probabally not as good as you can buy, but this isn't going to be used day in and day out. And we arent stingy with grease either:thumbsup:

 

[Pops15]

Some of the pins on my hoe are bored for grease passages. You should have a machine shop check the Rockwell hardness of your existing pins so you know if you're getting the correct material for the new pins.

I would think you'll be able to find a cheaper source for the bushings. We replaced many of the bushings on our manlift when we got it many years ago. The only source we could find at that time (pre internet) was Hyster. They had bought the company that built the lift. Anyway, the bushings weren't cheap. I want to say they were in the $25-$27 (each) range back in the mid or late 80's. Adjust for inflation and they probably in the ballpark of what NH wants.

 

[LD1]

The pricing is what really has me confused:confused2:

The main boom where it attaches to the swing post has 2" ID x 2.24" OD x 2" long bushings. $102 each but where the dipperstick attaches, are 2" x 2.36" x 2" busings that are $78 each. Both really expensive, but the thicker bushing is cheaper?????

And on the upper part of the dipperstick, where the dipperstick and bucket cylinders attach, their are 4 bushings that are 1.5" x 1.69" x 1.375" bushings for $41 each. At the bottom end of the dipper stick, there are 4 bushings with the same dimensions but 2.25" long and they are only $25???? Why are the shorter ones almost double the price??? I can forsee if I were to buy bushings, buying the longer ones and cutting them to length.

The $25 bushings are the cheapest on the whole hoe.

The main two swing bushings that I did NOT include in the $938 price are $125 each:confused2:

 

[dex3361]

I was searching for bushing material before and was directed to using DOM (drawn over mandrel) tubing for bushings. I would want the pins to be the sacrificial wear item.

 

[LD1]

I was searching for bushing material before and was directed to using DOM (drawn over mandrel) tubing for bushings. I would want the pins to be the sacrificial wear item.

Are you saying that you used DOM tubing for bushings??? Was this for a BH?? And did you give them a heat treatment??

Under normal circumstances and in most cases, the bushings are the sacrifical wear item. But in the case of this BH, the bushings are really thin, and hardned. And since I can make pins easier than bushings, I would like the pins to be the wear Item as well. But some of the hardned bushings are worn as well. Some of them were worn clear through as well as the wear to the pin.

In the case of this BH, I want the bushings to last as long as possible because they arent very thick. And if they wear through and start eating into the bosses, that would be a much more difficult and costly repair job. 1-1/2" and 2" pins are a peice of cake to make.

 

[dex3361]

Are you saying that you used DOM tubing for bushings??? Was this for a BH?? And did you give them a heat treatment??

Under normal circumstances and in most cases, the bushings are the sacrifical wear item. But in the case of this BH, the bushings are really thin, and hardned. And since I can make pins easier than bushings, I would like the pins to be the wear Item as well. But some of the hardned bushings are worn as well. Some of them were worn clear through as well as the wear to the pin.

In the case of this BH, I want the bushings to last as long as possible because they arent very thick. And if they wear through and start eating into the bosses, that would be a much more difficult and costly repair job. 1-1/2" and 2" pins are a peice of cake to make.

No I have not used DOM for bushings. I was searching for bushings to use in making a grapple. I could not find premade bushings and some of the more experienced fabrication guys directed my attention to DOM tubing. I didnt realize that BH bushings were heat treated. I would also have assumed that the pin would be the wear item from design so it could be easily replaced.

 

[Lunker]

Thse folks may be able to help:

McMaster-Carr
Baum Hydraulics Corp

-Nick

 

[tlbuser]

Check the local hydraulic guys.

http://www.anchorlamina.com/pdf.d/RoundDieComp.pdf

 

[Groo]

if you can make them easy and cheap enough, who cares if you have to redo it after just a few years compares to the decades this current set has been running?

 

[chuck172]

Just wondering LD1, how'd you make out with the bushings. I have a 71 4500 and I'm thinking of tackling the pins and bushings on the hoe. I can't find any resonable prices anywhere. I'm seeing like 42 bucks a bushing, incredible. Bushings for john deere and case backhoes are cheap and all over.
When you say you can make the pins easily, they are hardened, are you going to get them heat treated?