Bushings?

[Ebrownie]

Ok, so I got these front rims and tires for free off of an old John Deere lawn tractor. The tires are 16x6.50-8, but they are pretty much shot.

I took them off the spindles and found that they had regular bushings in them, which I expected. I planned on removing them and putting bearings in if I could, and if I couldn't, the wheels would take a little vacation to the landfill.

Long story short, I couldn't get the bushings out. The hubs have a little metal lip on the inside of the bushings holding them from going deeper into the hub, but no flange or anything on the outside. Since I couldn't hammer them out, I would assume they are pressed in with some sort of flange that doesn't allow them to come out. (Bushing ID is 1", hub ID is ~1 7/16")

So, obviously it isn't a good idea to have bushings on the front spindles. But, theoretically, what would happen to the bushings at sustained high-ish speeds? Would they just get really hot, or disentegrate?

 

[Hellion]

Lawn tractors and the like are very low speed machines so it's not uncommon to have plain bearings in place of ball bearings. You'd think the exalted John Deere would have BB's though, don't you?

At high speed they will get hot and I suspect will eventually seize. Or just start grinding themselves to bits.

Might take a few miles and the better portion of a tank of gas to do it...

 

[Rail rider]

Those look like bearings to me . Use a bigger hammer (they went in.. theyll come out)if that fails,use a jig saw with a metal blade and cut the bushings in half. they will pop right out then.

 

[chancer]

I have used bushings on a yard kart before. The kart never left the yard and I had no problems. They were also John Deere Wheels. A hammer and Screw Driver WILL get them out.

But I ended up getting Flanged bearings and putting a tube spacer cut to size between the bearings. Not an ideal situation. But cheap DIY way to make due with what I had for the price of Bearings. Again this kart never left the yard so not really "High Speed".

 

[Ebrownie]

Ok thanks guys I will try using a bigger hammer first . If they don't work out, I will just buy some new wheels instead, but I figured I'd give them a try because they were free and the rims are in decent shape.

 

[Rail rider]

Alternate where you hit them from 12oclock,6,3,9.

 

[Hellion]

Hey, you are using a drift punch and hitting them from the inside-out, right?

Like this:

Rail rider is correct, hit them around and around at those 'clock times'. Penetrating fluid might help too although I don't see tons of corrosion...

 

[Ebrownie]

That is precisely what I was doing (I was even using a wooden handled ball peen lol), and they weren't budging. Maybe it's my superhuman weakness . Maybe I just need to hit it repeatedly more times. There definetely isn't much corrosion, that I can see anyway (it had plenty of grease in it).

On a different note, do you make that animation hellion? That's pretty cool.

 

[Hellion]

I drew that in Paint in about 5-10 minutes. Just tryin' to help ya out.

 

[chancer]

I remember the John Deere bushings where in there pretty darn tight.
I wondered if they were even made to come out.
I bought a set of foam filled "no flat" tires for the tractor and I ordered the wrong size bushings and had to swap them out.

 

[Ebrownie]

 

[Hellion]

Excellent! Great photo too--tells it better than a million words of verbesity!

Now is that a bushing or one of those cheapie ball bearings? They could be seized you know, leading you to think it's a bushing.

Like these:

 

[Ebrownie]

Okay, got em both out, cleaned all the grease off of everything. Hub is smooth bore, and actually 2" diameter. Thanks guys! Now I just gotta find some 2" OD ball bearings (could be a challenge) and put a spacer pipe in the middle. Maybe take out the grease zerk and plug the hole, or just thread it out so it doesn't hit the bearings.

Not sure if they are cheap BBs, I don't see any balls. Either way, I will get new bearings.

 

[Ebrownie]

There finally got both the pictures to go up

 

[chancer]

Double check your measurements. Mine fit standard 1 7/8 Od Bearings.
Check your kart too. The tractor ID bushings were probably 3/4 but most karts have 5/8 spindles.

 

[Hellion]

Bearings of this sort I am speaking of are sealed, no can see any balls.

These look like bearings. Does the inner ring spin independently of the outer ring?

 

[Ebrownie]

Well they definetely aren't sealed, but yes the inner ring spins independently. I tried knocking the inner ring out but I can't. Either way, they don't spin over nice and smooth with little resistance like I feel they should. And chancer, i re measured and without a doubt, they are 2" OD and 1" ID. And, I don't have a kart you know. I am in the process of trying to build one

 

[Rail rider]

Good news then just find flanged bearings that have a 5/8 bore. PS keep the zerk.

 

[Hellion]

Yep, light duty bearings that are toast as you say.

Use the tractor's front axle and spindles for your kart. Problem solved.

https://www.google.com/search?q=2%22+OD+1%22+ID+bearings&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=1%22+ID+x+2%22+OD+bearings

 

[chancer]

Use the tractor's front axle and spindles for your kart. Problem solved.

Dude it is Cast Iron!