Keeping the bushing in the strut?

[Boaterguy]

I've noticed on my rigger that since the stuffing tube goes around the strut (is this even right?) that the strut bushing can slide all the way up the stuffing tube, and there is nothing keeping it in the strut. I know most stuffing tubes go into the strut but even with 3/16 tubing (using a .187 cable) the stuffing tube doesn't go into the strut.

[m4a1usr]

Your stuffing tube should go into the nose piece of your strut. If it doesnt then something is not setup right. The strut bushing should only fit in your strut. Nowhere else. And its a press to fit. It should not float. Most setups use one towards the back (close to the drive dog end) and one up front close to the nose piece. Thats how most of us do a setup. If yours is different then maybe some more details need to be revealed.

John

[Boaterguy]

It's a speedmaster 21 strut, got it off of OSE with a 3/16 bushing, it is a loose fit. I don't understand how 1/4" ID tubing is supposed to fit into a strut with a smaller that 1/4" OD.

[longballlumber]

I have had to buy 1/4" ream to "clean" out the speedmaster struts. I could be that speedmaster's tooling is getting a little out of spec; hence the 1/4" brass tubing can't be inserted into the aluminum strut all the way.

These are nominal numbers...

Speedmaster Aluminum strut ID is .25" (no brass)

1/4" K&S Brass tube (aka stuffing tube for 3/16 flex shaft) OD is .25" ID is .2220"

Speedmaster brass strut bushing OD is .2220" ID is .1875 (3/16 stub)

stuffing tube (k&S brass tubing) goes all the way thru the Speedmaster Stut, stut bushing goes into the back of the speedmaster strut that is now "lined" with the stuffing tube...

I think that makes sense...

Later,
Mike

[AlanN]

Reaming the strut is one way but difficult for those who do not have the right equipment or machining knowledge. When using two different types of material (brass and alum) in a tight fitting situation the materials tend to bind and and can leave you with a partially stuck brass tube. It may be easier to just sand down the outside diameter of the brass tube to drop fit into the strut and loctite it into place.

[longballlumber]

No special equipment or machining knowledge necessary in my case. I simply went to a local machine tool supply company and bought an over the counter $14.00 hand ream and reamed out the strut by hand (I already had a tap handle). took all of 5 min. Alan is right though, I did clean up the brass stuffing tube with some green scotch bright. Left me with a slip, no loctite necessary.

Later,
Mike

[Boaterguy]

I am using copper tubing I bought at lowes. I still see no way of 1/4 tubing fitting inside there, it slides almost all the way over the strut, I can get a pic if it helps.

[longballlumber]

sound like your using the wrong tubing all together... You need to get some K&S BRASS tubing from OSE or a local hobby shop.

http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...dh-ks-brass-tb

What is the outside diameter (OD) of the tubing you have?

[siberianhusky]

Copper is not a good bearing material, it will gall and seize the steel flex shaft, brass is a much harder metal.

[egneg]

Is it the soft copper tubing that comes in a coil? If so it will not hold it's shape and bends/dents way to easy to be used as a stuffing tube. Besides the wall is way to thick and is another reason you are having problems.

[Boaterguy]

Alright, I though it would work but either way 1/4" tubing will not fit into the strut, I'll have to get a drill out and make the strut significantly larger.

[JimClark]

Bet the K&S brass tube would

[longballlumber]

BE CAREFUL.... One man's 1/4" tubing isn't another mans 1/4" tubing.... Some take that measurement from the ID and some take it from the OD (not to mention the wall thickness)...

The K&S 1/4" tube is what you need for a SpeedMaster Strut. Even if you get the right brass tube, you still may need to ream out the Aluminum. A 1/4" drill bit won't work.

[JimClark]

That copper tube is for plumbing which is a totally different size

[Fluid]

I don't understand how 1/4" ID tubing is supposed to fit into a strut with a smaller that 1/4" OD.

Lots of confusion here, is this REALLY what the OP means? You need to use 0.25" (6.35mm) OD tubing to go through the strut, not 0.25" ID. This goes all the way through the strut ending even with the aft end. The bushing slides into this and "floats" in the strut - the upset keeps the bushing from going in too far. It sounds like the whole issue is the OP using the wrong diameter tubing.....

All the SpeedMaster struts for 3/16" cable have ~1/4" holes through them. I often have to sand my 1/4" OD tubing slightly to get it to fit, but that is easy enough to do.


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