Steel size for project

[Pooh_Bear]

I'm building some new wheel supports for my finish mower. The original ones got bent.
For the spindles I am using 1.5 inch DOM tubing. The wheel fork spindles are 1.125
The wall thickness of the DOM tubing is .120 Is this too thin? Will there be too much slop in the spindles.

Thanks. ~Pooh Bear

 

[BukitCase]

Sounds pretty sloppy to me - might work better if you can

Add zerks to the DOM so they can get greased

Maybe find some .040 to .050 shim stock, put a tight fitting washer over the fork spindle, wrap the shim stock around the spindle and shove it into the DOM - the lower washer should keep the shim stock from slipping down (shim should be about 3 times the spindle diameter so it can't "walk away" -

Just a thought, since you probably already have all the parts - otherwise, I'd look for a bit tighter fit - say, around 15-20 thou instead of 135... Steve

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I haven't bought the steel yet. I was gonna try to pick it up tomorrow.
I called today to see what they had in stock at the nearest steel supplier.
I could order it online but the cost of shipping is horrible.

Pooh Bear

 

[David Devuono]

Just go to Northern Hydraulics or a local Hydraulics place and by some Cross tubes and Pins. Cross Tube will come with a hole to press a grease fitting in. Fit will be good and about .250 wall thickness on the cross tubes.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

We have a Northern Tool over in Chattanooga where I will buy the steel.
If I call Northern Tool to see if they have what I need, what do I ask for?

 

[EddieWalker]

You can get everything you need at McMaster Carr McMaster-Carr

Eddie

 

[chim]

The tube you listed makes it difficult to find bushings of the wall thickness you need between the 1-1/8" shaft and the ID of the pipe. You could go with 1-1/4" SCH 40 pipe (1.38" ID) and flanged bearings/bushings top and bottom. Drill & tap the pipe in the middle for a zerk and pump grease in the void. That's similar to the way my RFM's came from the factory.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

My current factory set up doesn't have bearings. And there is at least .125 slop in the hole. It does have a grease zerk.
It is currently just a vertical steel tube welded to 2x2 rectangle stock.
Here is more of the project I am trying to do: http://www.tractorbynet.com...finish-mower-wheel-supports.html

I'll probably just take a wheel fork with me to the steel supplier and see what they can find that fits.
The OD is not too critical. But the ID has to fit the fork spindle.

 

[Baby Grand]

How about finding a piece of bar stock that fits the ID of the 1.5 DOM tubing nicely. Then cut the bar off of the fork spindle and weld on your new piece of bar stock?

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I can't weld that good. And sometime in the near future I need to replace the wheel forks and tires.
I called some more places today. Hard to describe what I need over the phone.
Looking online I found some 1.5 DOM tubing with a center of 1.124
How hard would it be to drill it out to size. And what size am I looking for?