Straub Bushing Trunion Kits?
07-05-2016, 04:30 PM
#421
We redesigned our trunnions to increase the amount of oiling to the bearings in January, which is why we've been out of these kits for most of this year. Unfortunately our supplier isn't able to run the new design in their grinding machine without extensive modifications.
We're in the market for a new manufacturer, even using new materials and new processes if needed. So if anyone knows someone, please send them our direction, or PM me their contact information.
Thanks
We're in the market for a new manufacturer, even using new materials and new processes if needed. So if anyone knows someone, please send them our direction, or PM me their contact information.
Thanks
I have a LOT of customers manufacturing aftermarket car parts these days. One customer is even making trunnions for a roller rocker manufacturer.
Contrary to what some people may suggest, these are simple to make with the right machine and material.
07-05-2016, 05:20 PM
#422
The grinding op will add nothing or maybe a few dollars to the cost. On top of that, I would not even grind it anymore. None of your automotive manufacturers grind. They all hard turn which will cut the cost even further. I have customers that manufacture bearings. They do not even get .03" runout on a 15" diameter bearing.
Besides, getting a 19Ra like the finish on the trunnions I had is hardly precision grinding especially for a bearing surface.
Besides, getting a 19Ra like the finish on the trunnions I had is hardly precision grinding especially for a bearing surface.
To say the grinding operation will add little is a very generic statement. I've worked as a manufacturing/quality engineer for many years around precision gear grinding.
The Capital cost of purchase of said grinders can well exceed $1,000,000. Setup and supplies are super expensive. In most cases my company only runs those machines in lot quantities of > 500 pieces. The larger the run the better, simply put larger batch quantities yield better finished product as the machine warms to a nominal happy position.
Hard turning to burnish is a viable option, and would work well in the application with the correct bearing load specifications.
The product you had tested gives the story for that particular sample, but not a true analysis for the manufactured products in general.
I would agree that 19ra is not a desirable finish for precision grinding and looks more to me as a hard turned burnish as you discussed. 19ra is an acceptable finish for some applications such as oil seal diameters but not roller bearings which typically are manufactured to a superficial.
Back to materials: If I were to design a trunnion kit from scratch it would be 8620 through hardened to rc65-69.
Where the real cost of manufacturing comes to battle is quantities. If 100 per month, there's not a company domestic with a grinder that would touch that........not enough profits to profit.
07-06-2016, 08:14 AM
#423
I have been working in the machining industry for 30 years now. You can get anything done these days for a lot less than people think. You again are assuming the parts have to be ground. I would not waste my time grinding them. As you stated, the cost of setting up the grinder is expensive, so in order to run a small quantity at a cheap rate, they are probably using some ancient POS machine. On top of that, it doesn't looks as though they are touching the surface where the trunnion mounts to the head, so I doubt anybody even knows if the bearing surfaces are parallel to the mating surface.
I wouldn't burnish them either, although that isn't a bad thought if you really needed to get a good finish. Hard turning will realistically give you a 8-12 Ra and you can hit the mating surface at the same time.
Things are really slow for a lot of companies these days. Finding somebody with a Turn-Mill (Integrex style) or a multi-axis lathe sitting there empty is pretty commonplace. As a matter of fact, I have a customer that just dropped $1.5 mil on a new grinder. It has been sitting now for 2 months empty.
I wouldn't burnish them either, although that isn't a bad thought if you really needed to get a good finish. Hard turning will realistically give you a 8-12 Ra and you can hit the mating surface at the same time.
Things are really slow for a lot of companies these days. Finding somebody with a Turn-Mill (Integrex style) or a multi-axis lathe sitting there empty is pretty commonplace. As a matter of fact, I have a customer that just dropped $1.5 mil on a new grinder. It has been sitting now for 2 months empty.
07-06-2016, 06:25 PM
#424
I have been working in the machining industry for 30 years now. You can get anything done these days for a lot less than people think. You again are assuming the parts have to be ground. I would not waste my time grinding them. As you stated, the cost of setting up the grinder is expensive, so in order to run a small quantity at a cheap rate, they are probably using some ancient POS machine. On top of that, it doesn't looks as though they are touching the surface where the trunnion mounts to the head, so I doubt anybody even knows if the bearing surfaces are parallel to the mating surface.
I wouldn't burnish them either, although that isn't a bad thought if you really needed to get a good finish. Hard turning will realistically give you a 8-12 Ra and you can hit the mating surface at the same time.
Things are really slow for a lot of companies these days. Finding somebody with a Turn-Mill (Integrex style) or a multi-axis lathe sitting there empty is pretty commonplace. As a matter of fact, I have a customer that just dropped $1.5 mil on a new grinder. It has been sitting now for 2 months empty.
I wouldn't burnish them either, although that isn't a bad thought if you really needed to get a good finish. Hard turning will realistically give you a 8-12 Ra and you can hit the mating surface at the same time.
Things are really slow for a lot of companies these days. Finding somebody with a Turn-Mill (Integrex style) or a multi-axis lathe sitting there empty is pretty commonplace. As a matter of fact, I have a customer that just dropped $1.5 mil on a new grinder. It has been sitting now for 2 months empty.
I'm contemplating just ordering a new set of shaft mounts. I'm confident the bushed kit is contaminating my LS2 after 3 separate oil changes. All of which have been consistent, cutting each ACDelco oil filter open and seeing micron bronze contamination.
Guess this is the perfect time to pull my stock 243's and put a set of TFS on. Evaluation of my bottom end is in order.
07-07-2016, 03:08 PM
#426
Agreed
I'm contemplating just ordering a new set of shaft mounts. I'm confident the bushed kit is contaminating my LS2 after 3 separate oil changes. All of which have been consistent, cutting each ACDelco oil filter open and seeing micron bronze contamination.
Guess this is the perfect time to pull my stock 243's and put a set of TFS on. Evaluation of my bottom end is in order.
I'm contemplating just ordering a new set of shaft mounts. I'm confident the bushed kit is contaminating my LS2 after 3 separate oil changes. All of which have been consistent, cutting each ACDelco oil filter open and seeing micron bronze contamination.
Guess this is the perfect time to pull my stock 243's and put a set of TFS on. Evaluation of my bottom end is in order.
Last edited by Jontall; 07-07-2016 at 03:30 PM.
07-07-2016, 04:04 PM
#427
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I have been cutting filters with no problems, but nothing over 4000miles yet. I took apart one set that were made by CHE, they looked great. I will be taking one of the Straub equipped rockers apart in the next few weeks and see how those are doing. I check size on all the rocker bodies I have done, all have been perfect except a small amount of LS7 rockers. I have one set of the Straub bushings in an aggressive Pro Touring racer with 200/500 springs, I won't see those until fall. Most I have running are normal-ish 150/420.
Kurt
Kurt
07-08-2016, 07:17 AM
#430
TECH Veteran
I have been cutting filters with no problems, but nothing over 4000miles yet. I took apart one set that were made by CHE, they looked great. I will be taking one of the Straub equipped rockers apart in the next few weeks and see how those are doing. I check size on all the rocker bodies I have done, all have been perfect except a small amount of LS7 rockers. I have one set of the Straub bushings in an aggressive Pro Touring racer with 200/500 springs, I won't see those until fall. Most I have running are normal-ish 150/420.
Kurt
Kurt
07-08-2016, 09:10 AM
#431
We are approaching 3800 of these sold. Customers report MUCH quieter valve train. Oil changes on customers using LS engines for work that I have spoke too report nothing in oil filters. I have one customer that has an airboat fleet that see constant running for up to 16 hours a day from 3000 to 4800 rpm. Driving experience car service techs are monitoring all the school cars with the retro fit. Nothing in the filters reported.
07-08-2016, 05:59 PM
#433
We are approaching 3800 of these sold. Customers report MUCH quieter valve train. Oil changes on customers using LS engines for work that I have spoke too report nothing in oil filters. I have one customer that has an airboat fleet that see constant running for up to 16 hours a day from 3000 to 4800 rpm. Driving experience car service techs are monitoring all the school cars with the retro fit. Nothing in the filters reported.
Lets get honest with people though........care to elaborate on the set you sent me in replacement?
The initial set I installed in my stock rockers contaminated my low mileage LS2 Corvette.
Care to provide results after teardown of the LVMS test pilot cars?
07-14-2016, 10:43 AM
#439
