Resurfacing a bearing face?

[kevanf1]

Does anybody know if it is possible to have a bearing face, as in a ball bearing, resurfaced? The bearing face concerned is on the inner column of my Land Rover series 2a. It is integral to the column. it is akin to a bearing race but obviously part of the actual column itself unfortunately so it cannot be easily replaced by fitting a new one. A whole column would cost me around £90+ So, ideally I'd get the bearing surface resurfaced. At the moment it resembles a tig weld... a stack of pennies that has been pushed over.

[JPB]

I can't imagine that any specialist would take it on for less money than the cost of that replacement column, £90 doesn't buy much engineering work these days.

My apologies if that's not the positive sort of response you'd hoped for, just being realistic.

[kevanf1]

Hi John. No that's fine, I'm after an honest answer. It just seems such a waste to have to dump the whole inner column for one bearing surface. I may try using it for a bit longer. The steering is not affected, it does not wobble one bit so MoT will fine. I've been told on a Land Rover forum that I may be able to pick up a good 2nd hand complete steering box and inner column for around £25. Though, I do have plans to install a PAS system and have the pump and steering bits ready.

Cheers.

[Wicksy]

On the old R-R Dart engine there was a repair scheme to build up the worn diameter of the propellor shaft by copper plating - you could try this.
Get some copper sulphate and paint this on to bearing surface, when it dries you will have a coating of copper adhering to the suface of the steel which is capable of being machined if you apply enough coats. If my memory serves me right it was possible to recover 0.005" of the worn surface so that is 0.010" on the diameter of the shaft.
Don't ask me where you can get copper sulphate though
Google it and someone somewhere will supply it I bet

[JPB]

.....Don't ask me where you can get copper sulphate though
.......

Ask at the canteen of your local Police station?

[kevanf1]

Copper? For a ball bearing race surface? That surprises me. Copper is a very soft metal so a hardened steel ball bearing is going to make mincemeat of it in possibly minutes. Could it be that the copper is a surface metal to prepare for another coating of a better bearing surface? Something like the shell bearings in an engine. Sorry, not being funny and I do appreciate the advice but it just seems a little odd.

[pryantcc]

Could you perhaps abandon the original design and machine your "tig-weld" bearing face flat so that an appropriately sized bearing race could be fitted?

Is this understandable? I mean that you would be fitting an actual bearing race from something else to your existing steering column.

[Wicksy]

Of course copper would be no good as an actual race surface for a ball bearing - I misunderstood your description.
It could only be usefull to build up a worn surface so that a ball race inner wold have the correct fit on the shaft.

[kevanf1]

Of course copper would be no good as an actual race surface for a ball bearing - I misunderstood your description.
It could only be usefull to build up a worn surface so that a ball race inner wold have the correct fit on the shaft.

Ah, now I understand Yes, I've considered fitting a ball race track in it's place. I don't think there would be enough clearance as right below the built in track is a spiral race. Difficult to describe, sorry but I do appreciate the ideas.

I have now tried putting it all back together and it actually feels 'smooth' enough despite the very bad bearing track. I do intend on fitting PAS at some point so if I can get some more mileage out of this manual box I shall do so.

[BXBXBXBX]

Hi there is an option or two. Have the bearing track ground true and then metal sprayed back to the original dimensions, it does work and has a long life if it is done properly.
The other way I have done which was a 'desperation bodge' as time and money was very short and actually turned out much better than expected was as follows. Profiled a grinding disc to the shape of the worn track, held the shaft so it could be rotated and located with out wobble, grinding disc onto angle grinder mounted so it could be 'adjusted' and taking the minimum amount off the surface rotated the shaft re-profiled it true.
OK I know it destroyed the hardening but carefully adjusting the box so that it was not adjusted hard up but allowing just the tiniest amount of clearance worked well. It lasted for over a year and was still good when a new box was located.( took some finding they were pretty rare.)
Cheers.
Geoff.