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Spherical bearing housings
adamhay - 28/9/07 at 08:17 AM

Does anyone know where I can buy spherical bearing housings that will accept hi-misalignment 1/2" internal diameter spherical bearings. I'm after the elongated ones that are better for brazing aero section tube to.
The application is the inner mounts of my Caterham lower front wishbones.

Ta.

RazMan - 28/9/07 at 08:22 AM

RS do a good selection - some with steel & alloy housings.

Something like this?



[Edited on 28-9-07 by RazMan]

3GEComponents - 28/9/07 at 09:29 AM

Try these guys, http://www.ralt.co.uk/Main.htm

They list a fair bit in their catalogue.

adamhay - 28/9/07 at 09:33 AM

Like this

This one's brazed onto an A-frame mount. The spherical bearing can be seen in the center. It's a press fit up to about 10mm, from one end.
One side of the bearing is held because the tube has a ledge in it, the other side by a circlip.
The two outer bits of ally are spacers.

adamhay - 28/9/07 at 09:54 AM

jroberts: Ralt list them . . . .see if I can get some now . .. ta

TGR-ECOSSE - 28/9/07 at 11:07 AM

Would these be what you are looking for?


Available from McGill Motorsport You can get spacers for rod end that continue the shape of the ball part to allow for high missalignment of spherical bearings but cant remember where to get them. Try google search for spherical bearings.
Cheers
Ronnie

adamhay - 28/9/07 at 11:22 AM

Ronnie : yep - they are what I'm using. McGill do not do the housuings for bearings with a 0.5" ID though - I've already asked them.

TGR-ECOSSE - 28/9/07 at 11:37 AM

I have got a few bearing catalogues at home (at work just now). Will try and have a look for you over the weekend.

adamhay - 28/9/07 at 02:36 PM

ta...

Syd Bridge - 28/9/07 at 03:40 PM

SKF sphericals can be had from your local BSL, and most bearing suppliers.

MikeRJ - 29/9/07 at 10:42 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Syd Bridge
SKF sphericals can be had from your local BSL, and most bearing suppliers.


He wants a pre-machined housing to press them into though, not the bearing itself.

Syd Bridge - 29/9/07 at 04:47 PM

The cost of making the housings is more than the bearing cost. Also, you have got to use a tight dummy bearing inside the housing when welding, to stop deformation due to weld shrinkage.

I've got a drawing for 20mm sphericals. Someone asked me for it, I lost the u2u. If you're reading this, please u2u again.

Cheers,
Syd.

AGK7 - 19/11/07 at 10:42 AM

quote:
Originally posted by TGR-ECOSSE
Would these be what you are looking for?


Cheers
Ronnie


Pardon my ignorance but could someone please explain (ideally with pictures) how one would fabricate a lower wishbone with a bearing housing for such a bearing. As i understand you would machine the bearing housing and then weld it to your wishbones. How is the bearing typically retained? Does the bearing house have a lip on the high side with the bearing being pushed in from the bottom and then retained with a circlip? i would love to have a look at some detailed build pics if anyone knows of a site? I have search pretty hard but so far turned up very little. Perhaps it is just common knowledge?

thanks in advanced.

cheers
Andrew

D Beddows - 19/11/07 at 11:28 AM

You've pretty much answered your own question there If you go the the Caterham web site and search the online store for wishbones the picture you'll get is as good as any of a wishbone with a spherical bearing. Otherwise the construction is much as you described

JB - 19/11/07 at 05:33 PM

I saw some on the SPA stand once at Autosports. http://www.spa-uk.co.uk/index.htm


I machined my own and it was a long job. Not hard but just time consuming.

I machined them up under size with 2 circlip grooves, then welded them into my wishbones. I had some special reamers made up. The first part had a slight taper then the last part was the finish size. I then reamered them to size in a pillar drill (no mill). I used 638 to hold them in as well as the circlips.

I also made a jig press to flatten the ends of my round tube.