Babbitt or brass in the rear of the starter?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Babbitt or brass in the rear of the starter?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Shirley on Sunday, November 02, 2014 - 06:23 pm:

Been messing with T's most of my life and never knew that the rear of the starter drive ran on a babbitt bearing. The drive frozen the housing on an old starter a little heat was all it took to discover the bearing. I always assumed that was just a milled area of the casting. The question is, what is the normal repair, re-pore the Babbitt or bore it and fit a brass bushing? Thanks in advance, Bob.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Patterson-Nicholasville, Kentucky on Sunday, November 02, 2014 - 06:30 pm:

Bob
Neither. Try this. Works like a champ and much easier.
1
2
3
Babbitt was a poor choice for that bearing. Babbitt is fine for radial loads, but not axial wear. After 90+ years the end of the armature has worn the end of the Babbitt bearing so there is excessive end play.
Give me a call if you need help 859-881-1677 11am to 4pm when I am in the shop.
Ron the Coilman


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Sunday, November 02, 2014 - 06:31 pm:

Most folks use a sealed ball bearing there.Sure eliminates a lot of drag.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Shirley on Sunday, November 02, 2014 - 07:33 pm:

I'm asking about the other end. The vendors call the brush end the front, I'm guessing because of the way it fits on the car, that why I called the drive end the rear. Sorry for the confusion. My question is about the casting that the starter drive rides in. There was a babbitt bearing that I messed up. What is be best replacement.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Sunday, November 02, 2014 - 07:45 pm:

Ron has those too,give him a call.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Putnam, Bluffton, Ohio on Sunday, November 02, 2014 - 07:50 pm:

I use Babbitt, like the original. I pour the nose solid, it is not that much, chuck it in the lathe, using a draw-bar and chuck on the ridge that goes into the main housing. Once mounted drill a large hole through the Babbitt, then using a boring bar, bore to size. Boring in this manner you will negate any bent nose problems.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Patterson-Nicholasville, Kentucky on Sunday, November 02, 2014 - 10:40 pm:

Bob
No doubt Jack's method work well.
Here is what I do with tooling similar to his with the same result.
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Ron the Coilman


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Shirley on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 04:23 pm:

My thanks to everyone for their help. Ron spent a great deal of time, on the phone, making sure I knew what had to happen for the starter to be right. For that I'm very grateful, he is truly an asset to the hobby. Here's what I came up with.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Zahorik on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 04:45 pm:

Bob, being even less than an amateur machinist, can you explain what is going on in these pictures? Especially the first one, I assume that you are attempting to get the casting centered, so you can bore the hole to the approx size in the second picture and then finish cut and chamfer in the third? Thanks Mike


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Shirley on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 07:31 pm:

Mike, there is nothing to index the casting from. That's what the aluminum disk is for.. If you make a disk, take your time and get a zero fit to the ring on the casting. Center the disk in the lathe and use a draw bar, the all-thread rod, to hold the casting in the disk and on the lathe. Ron told me the snoot on the casting would not be straight and he was sure right, it was off by about .020. Indexing the casting from the mounting flange on the back via the disk centers the casting. Even though the snoot is bent the cut on the bushing is centered to the mounting flange. I talk better than I type if you have questions call me at 903 824 1949. Thanks again to everyone for their help.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Saylor, Citrus Heights, Ca on Wednesday, November 05, 2014 - 11:01 am:

I have repaired a couple using a Model A wrist pin bushing.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Zahorik on Wednesday, November 05, 2014 - 04:38 pm:

Thanks Bob, I think I see what is going on now. I missed the point that the casting ring on the back was fitted to the aluminum disk. Couldn't see that in the picture. It's a good idea, I'll have to try it. Mike


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Chaffin on Wednesday, November 05, 2014 - 07:08 pm:

Bob, We came up with this idea and use a 3327B Transmission Drive Plate Bushing. You can use a good used bushing as you have to machine the ID of the bushing to fit the nose of the Bendix. We also came up with the idea of replacing the rear Babbitt Bushing with the bearing. We manufacture the spacer and sell these kits to all of the dealers. Hope it works well for you.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Shirley on Wednesday, November 05, 2014 - 11:31 pm:

Thanks for the info on the bushing, I just used a piece of stock, nice to know about the recycled bushing.


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