Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default Oilite bearings in Electric floor fan

    Hi guys,
    I would like to explore the collective knowledge regarding oilite bearings.

    My electric floor fan is a ROK 450mm 3 speed 3 blade model about 2 years old.
    When this fan is switched on it sometimes emits a shuddering grinding noise which says to me- Ok! bearing problem.

    I have disassembled the fan and found no visible damage to bearings or shaft and lightly oiled it, assembled it and ran it for a while but the noise returned.
    I have checked the other obvious things like the balance of the fan, checked for bent blades and cleaned it

    Also we have a free flying cockatiel- the flying fluff bomb who generates large quantities of fluff and dust, some of which ends up in the internals of the fan.
    Would cockatiel fluff and dust affect the bearings?

    I might add we have 2 other exact same fans in the house which the bird is not around much and they are fine.

    Since the noise keeps coming back I drilled a hole in the back cover cap that encapsulates the rear bearing. This hole is just big enough to accept the straw on a WD-40 lubricant spray can. A squirt of this and the fan is good for a week. What do you say, can an oilite bearing lose its oil?

    Thanks

    Grahame

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default

    Hi Graham, at a guess it is a sintered bronze bush, if so I would remove and clean it.
    Then sit it on your index finger and fill the bore of the bush with engine oil, then press your thumb onto the oil at the top and use pressure between your finger and thumb to compress the oil, this will push the oil into the pores of the sintered bronze and should be able to see the oil start to appear on the outside of the bush.

    Cheers, shed

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    I'm using some cheap ebay 8x12x12mm suposibly sintered bronze self lubricating bushes at the moment for a real low speed job.

    I left one in accidently when welding close by, then seen the oil running from it.
    Was a bit surprised as they where only $5 odd for 16pcs and thought they would just be bronze of brass.

    I will probably just chuck it out, but didn't know you could repregnate then with oil.
    I'll give it a try just for curiosity sake.
    Using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Thanks Dave I will have a look for those bearings as I recall the bearing is 8mm bore.

    Grahame

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F293009181787

    You get 16 bushes, I've bought 2 lots so far, highly recommend
    Using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    Using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave J View Post
    I will probably just chuck it out, but didn't know you could repregnate then with oil.
    I'll give it a try just for curiosity sake.
    Hi Dave, sintered bronze bushes don't always come pre lubed, years ago sintered bronze was often used in preference to bearings as they were/are cheaper than brgs and also a bush requires less space than a brg. Also be aware that if you buy sintered bronze rod and turn up your own bushes you will have to charge them with oil.
    Most cars (and a few trucks) in the past used sintered bronze spigot bushes in the end of the crankshaft, the input shaft of the gearbox ran in it, so whenever you replaced the clutch you also replaced the bush while you were there.
    Before installing a new bush they had to be charged with oil, the bushes that were too large to compress with your fingers were placed in a tin with a neoprene mat in the bottom, the tin was half filled with oil, when the bush was submerged in the oil and sitting on the mat you would press a sliding fit shaft into the bush (usually an old input shaft) and you could see the air expelled from the bush as its pores were filled with oil, then you would turn the bush over and repeat the process from the other end.

    shed

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by shedhappens View Post
    Hi Dave, sintered bronze bushes don't always come pre lubed, years ago sintered bronze was often used in preference to bearings as they were/are cheaper than brgs and also a bush requires less space than a brg. Also be aware that if you buy sintered bronze rod and turn up your own bushes you will have to charge them with oil.
    Most cars (and a few trucks) in the past used sintered bronze spigot bushes in the end of the crankshaft, the input shaft of the gearbox ran in it, so whenever you replaced the clutch you also replaced the bush while you were there.
    Before installing a new bush they had to be charged with oil, the bushes that were too large to compress with your fingers were placed in a tin with a neoprene mat in the bottom, the tin was half filled with oil, when the bush was submerged in the oil and sitting on the mat you would press a sliding fit shaft into the bush (usually an old input shaft) and you could see the air expelled from the bush as its pores were filled with oil, then you would turn the bush over and repeat the process from the other end.

    shed
    I have fitted many bronze bushes in Holden and Ford cranks back in the 80s, never new you had to charge them, but never had any trouble with them. Used a bit of grease getting them out though lol.
    Thanks for the info
    Using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Healesville
    Posts
    2,129

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave J View Post
    I have fitted many bronze bushes in Holden and Ford cranks back in the 80s, never new you had to charge them, but never had any trouble with them. Used a bit of grease getting them out though lol.
    Thanks for the info
    You might might get away with not lubing them but the oil on a new bush might only be a packing oil, best to play it safe and lube them.
    You always knew when you put your foot on a clutch and the spigot bush squealed that the bloke who replaced the bush last time didn't charge it with oil.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by shedhappens View Post
    You might might get away with not lubing them but the oil on a new bush might only be a packing oil, best to play it safe and lube them.
    You always knew when you put your foot on a clutch and the spigot bush squealed that the bloke who replaced the bush last time didn't charge it with oil.
    May the ones I bought from my local auto supply where lubed, as they never squealed
    Using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,443

    Default

    Hi Guys,

    I was told that you soaked them in hot oil and then let them cool before taking them out of the oil. The idea was that the hot oil drove out the air and sucked in oil as they cooled.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BaronJ View Post
    Hi Guys,

    I was told that you soaked them in hot oil and then let them cool before taking them out of the oil. The idea was that the hot oil drove out the air and sucked in oil as they cooled.
    Same as what I've heard over the years
    Using Tapatalk

Similar Threads

  1. Floor leveling for lathe
    By newmanwoodlands in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 1st Jul 2017, 08:25 PM
  2. Calculating trailer floor height
    By bishboy in forum TRAILERS & OTHER FABRICATED STUFF
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 26th May 2015, 09:11 PM
  3. trailer floor overlap
    By jethroegg in forum TRAILERS & OTHER FABRICATED STUFF
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 20th Jan 2014, 07:23 PM
  4. floor protection - suggestions
    By bollie7 in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 21st May 2012, 05:34 PM
  5. Floor replacement
    By Claymore in forum TRAILERS & OTHER FABRICATED STUFF
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 18th Mar 2011, 08:00 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •