Strut bushings

[CraigP]

This U-cup seal I found is keeping all the water out, and all the grease in. Seems we need to collaborate and put our ideas together. I do not want water in there! Cleaning that driveline really sucks and it's dirty... I ran about 12 good runs with the seal on it and took it apart. Not a lick of water and the grease looked like when I put it in. I would love to try the bearings and the seal, see if we can make both our setups better. I pm'd you on it... many probably think we are wasting our time, but I see less friction and less maintenance! I'll pm you my email, it's much easier than the site... Lets do it!!!

[kfxguy]

This U-cup seal I found is keeping all the water out, and all the grease in. Seems we need to collaborate and put our ideas together. I do not want water in there! Cleaning that driveline really sucks and it's dirty... I ran about 12 good runs with the seal on it and took it apart. Not a lick of water and the grease looked like when I put it in. I would love to try the bearings and the seal, see if we can make both our setups better. I pm'd you on it... many probably think we are wasting our time, but I see less friction and less maintenance! I'll pm you my email, it's much easier than the site... Lets do it!!!

What seal did you use? Part number or link?

[ray schrauwen]

Are those Boca bearings? Do you have a P/N I could look up? Wondering how I missed those... Travis, what about unsealed bearings and let the lubrication flow thru the bearing stack, then let the lip seal stop the water and keep the grease in? My concern is the life of the bearing running as fast as we do and relying on factory grease. Are you getting long run time on those? Maybe I'm making it too hard, but it is working well. As long as those Bushings have good lube, I'm not seeing any appreciable wear.

That I know of, Boca only had two roller bearings on file with 3/16" id.

I use a pair in my Cheetah.

They are not waterproof. I could be wrong about all Boca has in stock. I would love to know where these roller bearings come from.

[CraigP]

Ray, Boca has open and sealed versions. The "sealed" version is not waterproof. If there is water in your strut, then the ball bearing may not be your best bet. Jay likes the floating bushing, and for a wet setup, I agree. Sealing the strut requires machining and some figuring out. I wish Speedmaster sold a sealed version. I'd pay more not to hassle that grimy flex shaft as often!

BTW, water will just eat up Lead/Teflon bushings... If using, bring some spares! A floating bushing has much more bearing area, so it resist the bad effects of water much longer.

[CraigP]

Travis, you didn't send me your email, I'm heading out to the lake now. Here's a PDF of the concept we can kick around. Have a good time out there!

[kfxguy]

Travis, you didn't send me your email, I'm heading out to the lake now. Here's a PDF of the concept we can kick around. Have a good time out there!

I use 6 bearings because I think less than that won't hold up from the side loads

[martin]

Yes you want at least 2 ball bearings back to back at the rear of the strut to take side loads otherwise I have found a single ball bearing at the rear wears excessively. You can get away with a single ball bearing at the front of the strut.

[kfxguy]

Yes you want at least 2 ball bearings back to back at the rear of the strut to take side loads otherwise I have found a single ball bearing at the rear wears excessively. You can get away with a single ball bearing at the front of the strut.

I like overkill so I don't have to worry with it.

[ray schrauwen]

When you say roller bearings it made me think of these https://www.bocabearings.com/product...?ProductType=0 I used in my Cheetah strut. I don't have enough run time on them to actually recommend them but since it was a direct fit into my large Octura strut I thought why not??? I hold them in place with the red retaining compound I got from the free bee bags every Michigan run I've gone to.
Two of these to be exact: https://www.bocabearings.com/products/sce36tn-660

I like the rubber seal on the PDF. I can machine what is required. Where do you get the rubber seals? Part number for the lazy.

[martin]

Keep in mind if you use needle or roller bearings you must use a hardened & ground stub shaft like the ones offered by Aeromarine, as the shaft runs directly in the needles.

[martin]

I think using the term roller bearing as in some previous postings is confusing things, as they actually used single row ball bearings or ball race.

[ray schrauwen]

Keep in mind if you use needle or roller bearings you must use a hardened & ground stub shaft like the ones offered by Aeromarine, as the shaft runs directly in the needles.

My shafts are pretty hard.

We shall see how long they last. If they fail, I will go to roller bearings maybe or just shim it to Speedmaster.

[Peter A]

BTW, water will just eat up Lead/Teflon bushings...

Teflon is lubricated by water. It is the loading that wears out the bushes.

[CraigP]

When you say roller bearings it made me think of these https://www.bocabearings.com/product...?ProductType=0 I used in my Cheetah strut. I don't have enough run time on them to actually recommend them but since it was a direct fit into my large Octura strut I thought why not??? I hold them in place with the red retaining compound I got from the free bee bags every Michigan run I've gone to.
Two of these to be exact: https://www.bocabearings.com/products/sce36tn-660

I like the rubber seal on the PDF. I can machine what is required. Where do you get the rubber seals? Part number for the lazy.

U-cup Rod Seal - Source: theoringstore.com Part Number: 626-008-5747, Buna-N 70 shore U-cup

Note: requires a 5/16" counterbore. The seal is 0.065" thick, counterbore needs to be 0.060" to properly load the seal. That means the total depth on that drawing should be set to 0.160", 0.060 for the seal and 0.100" for the stop in the back. Very low friction with this type of seal. I don't have any water in my strut using it.

[CraigP]

Teflon is lubricated by water. It is the loading that wears out the bushes.

The teflon on these Bushings from OSE is a very thin veneer of teflon, bonded to the metal. I've found and others have reported that this veneer goes away very quickly. They, however, do not have sealed struts. I run 3 bushings, with a 3/8" gap in between in a Speedmaster 21 strut. I have well over 20 runs on this setup and the bushings are as tight as when I put them in. The grease stays in, so when the boat comes back in, there's no side play on the strut. Now, I have np proof that the exclusion of the water is the reason for this longevity, but the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong. When I first put the bushings in, I didn't have the seal, and the veneer was gone in the end bushing after the second run.