TEN Roller Repair

[TomP-TX]

My ten track rollers have a play between the bushings and shaft, one may even be hulled out. Is there any place to buy bushings or a bushing that can be modified? or do you have to fabricate the parts? Do the bushings usually wear before the shafts do? Any used rollers for sale?

[Pat in WI]

TomP-TX,

After I cleaned out and measured all eight rollers on my TEN, I went to a machine shop. They told me it would be cheaper to bore all the rollers to a common diameter and then make 8 new oversized shafts to fit them. They also needed the roller mounts so they could be bored. I agreed and let them do their magic. All I had to do then was shim the track rollers and the idlers to the 37" gauge centerline. (mine is actually a tick wider because thats where the sprockets seated. I centered everything to the sprocket gauge)

I did not find any kind of direct replacement bushings. These are pretty special with the diagonally drilled holes that scoop up the lubricant which is then delivered to the shaft.

My shafts were worn much more than the bushings.

They Rockwell tested the old shafts and then made the new ones out of 4330 material. (I think that's right, can't quite remember)

[side-seat]

Why didn't they just step down the shafts on the ends to the std. 1.1875'' Pat? Thats what I do when I'm making new shafts that can be made oversized abit. I made a set of Std. shafts then rebushed a set of idlers for a guy a couple months ago. These paticular idler bushings were worn so bad that making oversized shafts wasn't the answer.

[MARCOTEN]

i had alot af wear on both idlers and some 4 rollers, also got them bored on a easy measure (here where i live mm) and they made me new pins, with in the middle the new measurement and on both ends the size of the holders, i had to make a flat surface on both ends so they could fit on the machine and are locked against turning.
you have to put the rollers in a lathe ( and not just drill out the holes as i did with one , as the 2 holes are not centred and the new pin wont fit)
goodluck, its worth the effort!! because the machine will roll like a sharm,
it's lack of greasing i think , that a lot of the machines we have, have got worn rollers and idlers.also the pivot points and then the bearings in the center under the machine the small ones, are often worn out, thats wy the new machines like the 22 have a grease fitting on the out side of the machine, and you dont have to go under the machine to grease it.

[Pat in WI]

Steve,

I guess I can't answer that. Would it have been quicker to bore the mounts versus more tuning on the shafts? I know they tried hard to keep my costs down. But you've probably made more than most. I pretty much let them have free reign with them.

Hey do you think you might get to Richmond in September?? It would be good to see you again.