[Stanley]

BW made three clips of Jacqueline Furneaux's crankshaft rebuild. Her 2000 Bullet was purchased new in Chennai,
then she travelled the world while writing, "Hit the Road, Jac!" (available from Mr.H)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRdLSby_7Pk&t=0s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15NEGUaRF9g&t=0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CcU16G3jNg&t=0s

[AzCal Retred]

A testimony to her maintenance & riding skills. Clean oil and no thrashing, well done. In the power production world, babbit Hydro turbine bearing lifespan can sometimes be measured in decades of continuous use before overhaul or replacement is warranted. Metal separated by a thin wedge of clean oil just doesn't wear.

[ace.cafe]

Most are not that lucky.
The factory plating process is inconsistent, and the con-rod big-ends are out of round in many cases.
I have seen plenty of them flaking off as low as 5000 miles.

[cyrusb]

Great stuff Stanley. I have a Gravely model L tractor that still has its original floating bush bottom end from 1965. I can only hope that the guys that lined up my Bullets bottom end did as good job. The Bell Curve applies to everything.

[DavidGraves]

My old German  land lady during college still had the 50 Chevy she and her Russian husband bought new....but she had never taken a license.

We made an agreement that she would license and insure it and I would drive her around ever so often.

Even then I took care of machines but dam if I didn't let the oil get a little low.......knock knock knock.

This was 1975 and that small Virginia town still had a man who could pour and regrind babbit....ran fine till her death when the neighbors got it in her will.

So, what is the nature of the RE 500 bushing ? Bronze ?

DG

[Stanley]

The Bush is babbit-coated steel, making the coating a possible weak link, especially in tuned motors.

[ace.cafe]

We made some production runs of some monolithic bronze floating bushes for our Fireballs. They ended up being preferred over the Alpha roller nearings.

However, they were made to be a package with the Ace/Carrillo steel rod which had the big end sized for the different clearance needed for the bronze. Not suitable for use with a factory alloy rod. I think Chumma still has a few sets left.

[cyrusb]

The Bush is babbit-coated steel, making the coating a possible weak link, especially in tuned motors.

You mean like every main/rod bearing in the automotive world? The babbit traps and contains the solid impurity's in the oil.

[AzCal Retred]

Hi Ace - What would a balanced crank assembly run with the steel Carillo rod/bronze bushing? Do you use the regular or high volume pumps with that? Is the recommended oil still 15W/50, or maybe thinner, like 10W/40? I'm looking for normal street usage, the 8.5/1 piston, at maybe 28 - 30 BHP max. Thanks - ACR -

[ace.cafe]

If you want Chumma to do all the rebuild and truing work, it would probably run around $900-$1000 including the Ace/Carrillo rod and the Ace Bronze bush.
It is about a hundred bucks cheaper than a similar build with an Alpha roller big end.

It's my estimate. Chumma would have to give you his price, and if he has time to do it.

[AzCal Retred]

Is there a web page or facebook location where I can contact Chumma? Ace Performance gets me to a car website...

[ace.cafe]

Is there a web page or facebook location where I can contact Chumma? Ace Performance gets me to a car website...

Ace.chumma@gmail.com