Girder fork bushes

[ronan]

I am working on a set of old girder forks from the 1930's. The bushes and spindles are toast, they were never changed in their 80-odd year long life. The spindles are easy enough to replicate, but what to use for bush material ? The originals were bronze, and i was thinking can i use something more modern like polymer or something of that type, it might wear less and at a slower rate.

Any thoughts from the motor-bicyclists ?

 

[brightspark]

I am working on a set of old girder forks from the 1930's. The bushes and spindles are toast, they were never changed in their 80-odd year long life. The spindles are easy enough to replicate, but what to use for bush material ? The originals were bronze, and i was thinking can i use something more modern like polymer or something of that type, it might wear less and at a slower rate.

Any thoughts from the motor-bicyclists ?

nowt wrong with bronze lasts for donkeys years

 

[Mick Annick]

Oilite bushes?

 

[RichardM]

I'd just replace them with bronze again.

 

[Rannsachair]

My first choice would be oilite for better lubrication otherwise phosphor bronze.

 

[Matchless]

bronze, don't forget the scroll or groove for the grease, on Matchless's there is a groove in the spindle with plain bushes,

 

[ronan]

Looks like oilite bronze it is then. Its just i was reading Radco's book and he reckoned Tufnol was good too. I have a few bars of ptfe i could use either.

 

[ronan]

bronze, don't forget the scroll or groove for the grease, on Matchless's there is a groove in the spindle with plain bushes,

There is a slot about 1/16" wide that runs down the full length of the spindles on these (Triumph).

 

[grim_d]

Looks like oilite bronze it is then. Its just i was reading Radco's book and he reckoned Tufnol was good too. I have a few bars of ptfe i could use either.

Tufnol can be a pain in the bum if it gets certain oils or liquids on it, particularly penetrating fluid...swells up and binds.

 

[Agroshield]

I have a few bars of ptfe...

Have a little read up on the material. It extrudes under load.

See: https://www.edplastics.co.uk/PTFE.htm (I get a security problem with that site, but it says, "Unfortunately virgin P.T.F.E. exhibits high elastic deformation under load which considerably reduces its value as a bearing surface. This situation is dramatically improved by the use of fillers. Filled grades of P.T.F.E. are often used for more demanding applications".