Articulating Joint Bearings

[slowzuki]

Yup as posted, don't use ball or roller bearings. Wrong application.

 

[kdlklm]

I used cat 1 toplinks and cut them down as needed. I did this so it can have the jackshaft for the pulley drive system line up with the pivot centerline so the belt tension will stay consistent throughout the joint movement. My setup here allows for about 7" obstacles under opposite corner tires and the belts stay tight and don't throw off the pulleys.

Ventrac uses a system similar to this for its articulation and oscillation for both 3000 and 4000 series tractors.

You could do a similar setup which would spread out the forces exerted on the joint.

that's a mean machine, and a pretty good idea. That's what I love about this forum, there's no shortage of ideas and creative people.

 

[woodlandfarms]

You should look at Powertrac. Simple design. I wish I could describe it with the proper words... It has a pin, 2 ears on one side (ears are horizontal in orientation). There is a bearing and a collar on the other side. The bearing is like the eye on a toplink but beefier. This allows for the left right flex.

Carl

 

[leonz]

I'm building a utility vehicle that will have articulating center joint for steering. The photos show what I have now, but I don't like the design for the front part that has the downward force on the side of the bearing. I don't think they're really designed to take the load from the side. Any suggestions what I could use that is fairly cost-efficient and is more designed for that type of load. They will probably be about 1000 pounds on the joint at all times.

I'm presently using a Standard 4 Bolt Piloted Flanges Bearing for the front of the joint. That is the right-hand side of the photo.

About your project-

Will the front axle be an oscillating axle? If not you will have mouch more force created and absorbed by the articulating joint and bearings.

A single pin and dual bushing will work best for you as the tapered roller bearings employed for these things do not last very long unfortunately remebering my experience with mining shovels as they do not handle non linear side loading well at all as they are ment for use for low speed rotating
applications in conveyor belts.

 

[Renze]

Yup as posted, don't use ball or roller bearings. Wrong application.

The company i work (as a designer) hasnt ever used ball or roller bearings on the center pivots of wheel loaders since the 70's: when an impact is a wee bit more than the bearing can take, the rolling bodies dent the cage, and then they grind at every articulation. Spherical plain bearings are a far better choice, they can take less dynamic load, but are virtually immune for extreme static (=whilst not in motion) impact loads. Because center joint bearings have low slide velocities, the lower dynamic load bearing capacity is not an issue.

SKF - Image

Another benefit is that these are way cheaper than spherical roller bearings. Ball bearings are useless in this application anyways.

For the small utility loaders of other local produce, they often use steering ball joints of heavy trucks. Often the lower is fixed to both front and rear frame, and on the upside, two balls are used with a short arm between them, which also allows for the lateral ground following. In articulated loaders, this solution gives less stabilty (in articulated position) than with a two joint pivot point, and a ground following axle center suspension.

 

[kdlklm]

The company i work (as a designer) hasnt ever used ball or roller bearings on the center pivots of wheel loaders since the 70's: when an impact is a wee bit more than the bearing can take, the rolling bodies dent the cage, and then they grind at every articulation. Spherical plain bearings are a far better choice, they can take less dynamic load, but are virtually immune for extreme static (=whilst not in motion) impact loads. Because center joint bearings have low slide velocities, the lower dynamic load bearing capacity is not an issue.

SKF - Image

Another benefit is that these are way cheaper than spherical roller bearings. Ball bearings are useless in this application anyways.

For the small utility loaders of other local produce, they often use steering ball joints of heavy trucks. Often the lower is fixed to both front and rear frame, and on the upside, two balls are used with a short arm between them, which also allows for the lateral ground following. In articulated loaders, this solution gives less stabilty (in articulated position) than with a two joint pivot point, and a ground following axle center suspension.

that is some very useful information, the more research I do, the more I have noticed that a plain bearing is used in a lot applications that use articulated joints. The only thing I Have not found is where they're not expensive. if you can show me ones that are more inexpensive, I would love to know where they are.

 

[GLyford]

The only thing I Have not found is where they're not expensive. if you can show me ones that are more inexpensive, I would love to know where they are.

Take a page from the build-your-own-backhoe guys, some DOM tubing, some hardened rod, and a few minutes with a welder to weld the tubing into your pivot plates...the DOM tubing will be under $20 a foot, plus shipping. Online metals, ebay, whatever, and a foot should be more than enough. Drill your center section 1/4" NF for a grease fitting. Fasten the pin so it rotates in the lubricated section, not the other way around. If you have access to a lathe, you don't even need the DOM tube, and just about any random chunk of mild steel will work.

 

[Renze]

if you can show me ones that are more inexpensive, I would love to know where they are.

Check out the used truck parts wreckyard and take them off a big rig. Thats cheapest, and requires least machining. just have a conical bush lathed, to accept the taper of the steering joint, which you weld to your frame. A 1:20 taper is used often.

Medium sized utility loaders just use bronze bushings on a 1.5 foot long shaft, with thrust washers on top and bottom: they just need to be shimmed out or it will knock every time you lift the bucket.

 

[Baby Grand]

Take a page from the build-your-own-backhoe guys, some DOM tubing, some hardened rod, and a few minutes with a welder to weld the tubing into your pivot plates...the DOM tubing will be under $20 a foot, plus shipping. Online metals, ebay, whatever, and a foot should be more than enough. Drill your center section 1/4" NF for a grease fitting. Fasten the pin so it rotates in the lubricated section, not the other way around. If you have access to a lathe, you don't even need the DOM tube, and just about any random chunk of mild steel will work.

Check out the used truck parts wreckyard and take them off a big rig. Thats cheapest, and requires least machining. just have a conical bush lathed, to accept the taper of the steering joint, which you weld to your frame. A 1:20 taper is used often.

Medium sized utility loaders just use bronze bushings on a 1.5 foot long shaft, with thrust washers on top and bottom: they just need to be shimmed out or it will knock every time you lift the bucket.

Either one of these solutions is comparatively simple, inexpensive, and will give you long, reliable service. Both options can be done so that the wear elements can be replaced without cutting the backbone of your machine apart with a torch. This place is a gold mine of good ideas.

 

[The Haymaker]

a wheel hub type system is definitely something I have thought about. And yes a tapered roller bearing might be my best option. And it should be fairly simple. Now just to find one that is designed to handle a sideload. Thanks

You can get noisy wheel bearing units from Silverado pickups for free, all day long from your local dealership.... Because they are continuously replacing noisy wheel bearings from Silverado pickups all day long. Grr.....