Topic: i need a "machinists" help!

[wannabridin]

Ok, here's the deal.  I am in need of a way for my spare tire rack on my truck to successfully carry the weight of the spare and possibly a Gerry can and other accessories in the future.  Right now the stock bushings are made out of plastic and tend to crack easily upon installation or randomly.  These are that the tire gate rides on.  i wanted to know if someone could make some out of a more durable and stronger material, like bronze.  i've attached a picture of what a stock assembly looks like.  i can take a picture of the actual bushing when i get home shortly.  i would be able to send a couple of the bushings to you and see if you could pop a couple sets out.  i'll def. pay you for the time.  please let me know!  thanks guys!

[Terry in Australia]

I'd be happy to do it mate, if no local machinist's chip in. By the way, the fuel can that you refer to is a "Jerry Can", named by the Brits after the fuel cans that the German soldiers ("Jerries") were using in WW2. Cheers, Terry.

[FunJimmy]

Although Terry is an amazing machinist, you shouldn't have to go all the way to Australia.
If you can't find a US member willing to do it, send them to your northern cousin, Canada.

Cheers
FJ

[MidTNJasonF]

I have dozens of chunks of bronze bushing material in the scrap bin that are drops from longer cuts. If you can give me a rough sketch with the OD, ID, and length I could make you a few sets. I assume this is not a press fit since you have replaced them before so dimensions down to the thousandth would be fine. i.e. 0.955

If you can not find someone with a pair of micrometers locally to measure PM me and I will give you an address to send the plastic bushings to my shop.

[754]

If they are nominal sizes, chances are you can buy Oilite bushings, with flange or without..  cheap too...

[Alan F.]

If they are nominal sizes, chances are you can buy Oilite bushings, with flange or without..  cheap too...

And depending on which truck it's for, they're probably already being made somewhere in the aftermarket.

[wannabridin]

they're not made aftermarket, only thing commercially available is the stock replacements.  there's no desire to replace the stock plastic ones, because they work just fine for a stock blazer's tire size.  once you get up to the 31"+ tire sizes that are common on the zr2's, that's when you run into problems...  i have a 33" spare on there now, and if i go increasing the weight load anymore with "Jerry" cans (thanks Terry!) and a hi-lift, then i'll be SOL...

MidTN, i'll get a drawing up to you soon.  if my license wasn't expired from solidworks, i'd just draw it for you!  but then again, i've almost completely forgot how to use solidworks with any efficiency, so i'll just give you a nice sketch!!  i have a mic and a set of calipers, so i should be just fine with all dimensions.

[MidTNJasonF]

No problem. I really do not even need a drawing if there is nothing to it but the three dimensions I listed earlier.