Backhoe Spun rod end bearings

[hosspuller]

I have a deere 310C backhoe. There are several sleeve bearings (steering, bucket and swing) that have spun, blocking the grease fitting port. The bearing sleeve material is very hard. A High speed drill bit won't scratch it. I'd like to drill a new grease hole through the bearing to the internal grease channel.

Anybody have a suggestion or experience on how to accomplish this??

Thanks for your thoughts...

[SPYDERLK]

A carbide bit would do it. But whats to keep it from spinning again?
larry

[wdchyd]

hosspuller,

those bushings are hardened and precision ground to size after.....

the best way to drill them out is to remove them and heat the area that you'll drill with an oxy/acet torch red hot, then it cool natually......this will anneal the hardened steel allowing you to drill them with conventional drill bits....

[hosspuller]

A carbide bit would do it. But whats to keep it from spinning again?
larry

Thanks for the replies...

I'm thinking the bearings got spun due to lack of lub. The machine was city owned. Their operators weren't the most dilligent with daily maintenance. Though, the shop did regular service on it.
The bearings seem to be very tightly pressed in. I'm trying to avoid a total tear-down of the affected bearings. Taking the backhoe apart is a major job with pieces weighing thousands of #. If I were to press out the sleeves, I could reinstall them with the hole aligned instead of drilling them.

Any advice on the type of carbide bit? I've found a spade bit designed for glass and a solid flute type. I'll have to use a hand drill through the grease fitting hole. If I break the drill bit in the bearing... I'll really be hosed. I'm leaning toward the spade bit for this reason...

[KWentling]

Most bushings like that will have a groove around the circumference of the bushings so the hole in the bushing does not have to line up with the hole in the rod ends. I would look at a new bushing from JD and see if that is the case or not. You might just have hardened grease, rust, dirt, etc. that you need to get freed up. I don't think you will have much luck drilling with a carbide bit in a hand drill. Solid carbide isn't very forgiving. You'll likely break the bit, and they are expensive. If it comes down to trying to drill, I'd just get some cheap masonry bits. You want the kind for a conventional drill, not the chisel point type that a hammer drill uses. If you need to sharpen them, you'll need a silicon carbide or diamond wheel.

Kim

[Zebrafive]

Might be easier to have some greaseable pins made.

[LD1]

Most bushings like that will have a groove around the circumference of the bushings so the hole in the bushing does not have to line up with the hole in the rod ends. I would look at a new bushing from JD and see if that is the case or not. You might just have hardened grease, rust, dirt, etc. that you need to get freed up. I don't think you will have much luck drilling with a carbide bit in a hand drill. Solid carbide isn't very forgiving. You'll likely break the bit, and they are expensive.
Kim

That would be my guess too. If the bushing (or housing itself) isnt grooved it is a very poor design.

Might be easier to have some greaseable pins made.

Typically the pins are hardned as well. NOT just mild steel. So that would also be $$$ to have them made. And they usually dont make the pins on a backhoe greasable due to strength. They want a SOLID pin, not one that has had holes drilled for grease.


HOSSPULLER: exactally what pins/bushing are you talking about and maybe we can look up a parts diagram Most BH's have several different sizes and styles of bushings in the different locations.

[hosspuller]

Thanks again for your interest...

Here's an example: It's the steering cylinder rod end. Part #16

The most troubling bearing is the lower pivot of the swing frame. part #7

[LD1]

It appears in the diagram that the lower swing arm bushing IS grooved. so grease should get to where it needs to be regardless.

The PS cylinder busing does appear to need to be lined up thougt.

Have you tried drilling that one?? Because most of the time a bushing is used iin a cylinder rod, it is a bronze bushing, which should be no problem to drill.

[hosspuller]

It appears in the diagram that the lower swing arm bushing IS grooved. so grease should get to where it needs to be regardless.

The PS cylinder busing does appear to need to be lined up thougt.

Have you tried drilling that one?? Because most of the time a bushing is used iin a cylinder rod, it is a bronze bushing, which should be no problem to drill.

The PS cylinder is the bushing I tried to drill.I was able to remove the pin and clean eveything up. I greased the pin before reassembling but it sure makes it a chore to keep it lubed.

The swing arm is definitely clogged up with dried grease. I tried heating it but maybe I was too timid about the amount of heat. I'm considering removing the lower pin to see if that might help clear the crud.