Main bearings?

[effvee]

Hi, has anyone ever made brass main bearings before? I think they would hold up better than the aluminum alloy.

[70Turbobug]

Hi, has anyone ever made brass main bearings before? I think they would hold up better than the aluminum alloy.

I don´t think they would to be honest. It´s different if using Brass as a bushing,but as a split bearing I don´t think it would have any advantages or would be suitable.

[effvee]

Hi, well what I mean to say is, a brass like meterial. If they are using brass for bushings and guides, why not a bearing? I don't mean just plan old brass. I remember asking how was it possible at Rimco when Greg Riddle made my #4 bearning. He made if out of a T-6 Aluminum. I don't think even the tang would be that hard to mill in today CNC world? Just a though:o

[70Turbobug]

A main bearing has a different load on it than a bushing.A bushing is usually used to hold a component in position or as a guide or as a sort of shim for oversize holes where there is virtually no tolerance and there´s usually not much load concentrated on a particular portion unlike a main bearing where the crank tends to move around under stress.There may be a bronze-alloy that would work,but I have never seen them used as a main bearing,at least not in a post world war 2 engine.

[don m]

Folts and Shue (sp?) had to use a custom made t4 bronze split thrust bearing in their old flanged cranked, Autocraft engined rail 20 yrs ago, std units wouldn't hold up. worked for their program.