Longer bushing life on earthmoving equipment

A plant hire company in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, has improved bushing life by installing self-lubricating bushings from Vesconite on some of its equipment.

This is according to BPD Plant Hire workshop manager Richard Stoltz, who installed Vesconite bushings on the main pivot points of a JCB TLB (tractor-loader-backhoe) and a New Holland skid steer

Prior to introducing Vesconite, OEM bronze parts were installed on both machines, notes Stoltz. However, operators did not grease the parts and the hiring company found that the bronze bushings tended to wear away within three to six months, he says.

Seeking a solution to the wear problem, BPD turned to Vesconite bearing materials. Stoltz had used the material for its wear and self-lubricating properties in the past, but had used it for wear plates and slides rather than bushings previously.

Needing a solution to overcome the short lifespan of the bronze bushings, he first installed the Vesconite bushings on the TLB and was so impressed that he then installed Vesconite bushings on the skid steer. The Vesconite TLB bushings have operated for two years and are still in working condition. The skid steer bushings, meanwhile, have been installed for six months and are running well.

Stoltz confirms that self-lubricating Vesconite has proven advantageous on the bushings of the bucket dipper arm of the TLB and the bottom loader arm bushings on the skid steer. These parts are exposed to the most friction and wear and, if bronze OEM parts are used without greasing, they, unlike Vesconite, do not last, he says.