Can we have some photos of the parts you have produced please
ND Rear Hub spherical bearings (Bushes)
Hi, just joined the forum.
I'm a mechanical design engineer and have produced a replacement bush for the units that fail in the rear hubs of MK4 ND's. They are a proper premium grade spherical bearing unit, with seals, and also there is a tool set for removal of the old bush and fitment of the new. These will be available in 2-3 weeks time.
Thought i'd post now as this may be of interest. Not sure yet if I'm allowed to post prices so if interested then let me know please.
I'm a mechanical design engineer and have produced a replacement bush for the units that fail in the rear hubs of MK4 ND's. They are a proper premium grade spherical bearing unit, with seals, and also there is a tool set for removal of the old bush and fitment of the new. These will be available in 2-3 weeks time.
Thought i'd post now as this may be of interest. Not sure yet if I'm allowed to post prices so if interested then let me know please.
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Hello,
Can you provide technical details of the materials used, where they are sourced from/manufactured and explain the potential advantage of these, if any over other existing repair solutions?
What will the pricing be and what payment options will be available?
Can you provide technical details of the materials used, where they are sourced from/manufactured and explain the potential advantage of these, if any over other existing repair solutions?
What will the pricing be and what payment options will be available?
Hi Ian, the materials are 6061 Aluminium alloy, good strength and good corrosion resistance, with material certificates and manufacture to ISO 9001 standards. CNC machined with full tolerance conformance certificates. The spherical bearing is a premium grade manufacturerd in Germany. These replicate the original Mazda intention of a fixed point of rotation both in terms of across their axis and around it. They are totally free to rotate around the bolt axis without inducing a torque reaction, just like OEM. A polybush cannot do this in any or around any axis.
Bushes will be £75 each, £150 for two, £300 for 4, and the tool set will be £60. Postage will be extra, very likely £25.
I can be paid by bank transfer direct or through PayPal. I am also planning access to these via eBay, however the price will be slightly more due to eBay fees.
Thanks
Brian
Bushes will be £75 each, £150 for two, £300 for 4, and the tool set will be £60. Postage will be extra, very likely £25.
I can be paid by bank transfer direct or through PayPal. I am also planning access to these via eBay, however the price will be slightly more due to eBay fees.
Thanks
Brian
Thanks Brian, have these been road tested yet or is this an engineering solution only at this stage, though nothing wrong with that per se?
I don’t need any yet (and may not), it’s nice to be fully informed though.
I don’t need any yet (and may not), it’s nice to be fully informed though.
Hi Ian, these were first road tested approx two years ago, and have been sold through another outlet since. Probably in around 75-100 cars in that time with no issues at all. I am the designer of these with sole design/manufacture rights. I sold them through another party but that arrangement has expired, and was much more expensive. So I decided to make some slight alterations, but only in the seals to aid production, and I can offer these now at much less cost.
Best regards
Brian
Best regards
Brian
Thanks Brian, I think I understand a few other things too now.
Hi Brian,Hi Ian, the materials are 6061 Aluminium alloy, good strength and good corrosion resistance, with material certificates and manufacture to ISO 9001 standards. CNC machined with full tolerance conformance certificates. The spherical bearing is a premium grade manufacturerd in Germany. These replicate the original Mazda intention of a fixed point of rotation both in terms of across their axis and around it. They are totally free to rotate around the bolt axis without inducing a torque reaction, just like OEM. A polybush cannot do this in any or around any axis.
Bushes will be £75 each, £150 for two, £300 for 4, and the tool set will be £60. Postage will be extra, very likely £25.
I can be paid by bank transfer direct or through PayPal. I am also planning access to these via eBay, however the price will be slightly more due to eBay fees.
Thanks
Brian
All genuinely interesting and a great alternative to replacing the entire hub as Mazda would have ND owners do.
I'm both a time served Mech Craftsman & retired Mech Engineer ( a late bloomer into pro Engineering 😉)
Obviously there are a fantastically more economical solution to Mazda' s solution which is so wasteful too but I'm interested in other tangible benefits, less so on function performance but moreso on longevity.
What differs in this spec over the OEM spec that may extend lifespan.
Many thanks.
Hi Steve, the OEM unit is a Mazda custom unit, their own version of a spherical bearing. If you know the construction of a tie rod end balljoint, it’s similar, a ball sandwiched between two rings or cups. The Mazda unit inner shaft is one piece, and relatively course, the ball of the joint is a small diameter and chrome plated. The seals are relatively stiff. The joint allows nearly +/-13 degrees movement of axis and full rotation about the axis. The seals are incapable of maintaining their integrity at full tilt and let water in. The water degrades the ball and its chrome plate, causing wear on the ball and the polymer cups/rings. There isn’t much contact surface area and this deteriorates, causing clearance and knocking of the bush, and MOT failure. The new bush uses a proper premium quality bearing, it’s a maintenance free steel/phosphor bronze unit, capable of handling 3 tonnes static load each, it’s arrangement is a greater surface area than the OEM and all the support is present in the plane of the applied load, as opposed to the OEM which has an open joint at this area. The seals of the new bush have been chosen to retain their integrity at full tilt, with obvious results.
This design has been installed in cars for two years now with no failures. I have recently changed some areas for manufacturing reasons only, nothing to affect performance.
This design has been installed in cars for two years now with no failures. I have recently changed some areas for manufacturing reasons only, nothing to affect performance.
Haha, I suppose I could have shortened that to “greater load bearing capacity of greater integrity, and a seal that works”
Cheers
Brian
Cheers
Brian
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
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