Also how worn the bushings are....
here in Indianapolis expect to pay $3 mi travel and $100 hr just to show up and then $100 hr to bore weld, line bore and install pins and bushings. I do this every day.
Stop right there. Do Not go out and buy some 4140 and make your own pins. I manufactured guide systems for stamping dies and also made some pins for my own equipment. If you want to risk a pin breaking and killing someone, go and make your own. With a qualified service rep., you also get piece of mind and liability insurance. With Factory replacement parts you get the manufacturer to stand behind the product, or your widow has someone to sue. Pins and bushings are engineered to take specific loads and are heat treated and tempered to specifications and often checked for cracks and defects as well as correct "Rockwell" hardness. They look simple, but the risk is high. The life you save just may be your own! Joe
I have never had an issue with 4140, its not high tensile, it machines easily. I got mine heat treated properly, it was nitrided that goes in about .012" the rest of the inside is still *soft*, there is no risk in the pin shearing or fracturing. Even if you don't get it heat treated its still super tough stuff. With that said, if the backyard handyman heats it up and dunks it in water to harden it sure, you are asking for trouble! If not done rite it becomes super hard but very brittle!
If you insist on doing it yourself, here are a few hints to help you out. First of all material prices are very high, especialy to someone purchasing a few feet. getting a few pieces heat treated is also costly. Call a Lamina Inc., Lempco or Danley distributor in your area;(listed under die makers supplies) get a price on a plain component ( NON ball bearing guide pins that are NON thru-hardened, soft centers) Ask if they have an obsolete part on the shelf that will work for you at a reduced cost. Get a portable hone with agressive stones and hone out the bushings. Getting a pin very close in size, O.D. (outside diameter) they normally run in 1/4 inch incraments ( 1" 1-1/4, 1-1/2) If not close enough, ask for a metric size. Some mold pins ( for plastic molds) also have heads on one side, however they normally have a step in them that might or might not work for you. Fit the pin to the bushings and cut off the excess leaving room for the retaining pin. drill with a carbide drill on a drill press ( single or double strait flute carbide drill bit) Grind a flat on the pin to start the drill. Clean out the grit B-4 installing the pin into the bushing. Do not worry about scratches inside the bushing from the hone. you need those to hold the grease. If your bore is to smooth there is no place for the grease and it will squeeze out. If your original pin has a grease hole down the middle and there is no other way to grease the parts, you may be better off getting original equipment replacements, unless you can drill the bushing for a zerk fitting while the pin is removed. If the pins have a soft center, (non thru-hardened pin), you can drill the holes from each side after cutting them to length and also along the pin for the grease to come out, Clean the burr out after drilling and tapping the holes in the bushings. Here is my disclaimer: These are just suggestions that hopefully will work better than some home made pins doomed to failure. I still recomend you get a profesional to do this.
OK guys I appreciate the feedback.....This is something I will not do myself....There is a guy that I will be calling to have do this who does it at the CAT dealership...I just wanted a guessetamite on what this generally costs....will this be a$1000 job or more? It is a 1996 machine but has been well taken care of so not sure if all the bushing will need to be replaced. I do know the boom arms are in need of bushings because they bang against the side of the tub when turning.
You asked us what time it was and we told you how to build a Clock. Sorry about the info overload. Joe
I couldn't estimate a cost, but i can imagine it will not be cheap....
Joe heres a thought ... Also check with bobcat dealer sence they do it all the time and its like second nature to them it mite be a lot cheaper, I found this out with my pete --tryed Kenwoth but it took them to do just one bushing what peterbiut took to do the other three. ouch that cost.
