Question about trackhoe bearings?

A

Alan Molstad

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I was at work the other day watching the chief mechanic work on a trackhoe.
I noticed that he was replacing the roller bearings for the main turntable that allows the trackhoe to spin around on the tracks.
Each roller bearing was about 2 inches thick and about 4 inches long.

I took a few home to see if I might learn if they were made out of a steel that would be good for a knife?
I welded one roller bearing to a steel rod, (That was a trick I tell you what), and I have started to forge the roller bearing flat by hand.

As the work goes slow, because this steel even red hot out of my forge is very slow to move under my hammer, I would like to hear your guess as to if this steel will prove usefull for a knife?

If you had to guess, what type of steel would this type of roller bearing made out of?
 
You have my sympathies for trying to hand forge a 2X4" roller bearing out by hand! That is a lot of metal to move. To draw it out to 1/4" will produce a 2" wide and 30" long bar of steel.Might be easier to slice it lengthwise into four 1/2" thick sections, and forge each one into a blade.
The best guess is 52100 for roller bearings (Ed Fowler used to love them, IIRR). Best thing is to ask the mechanic changing the barrings what the material specs are.They will be listed on the box most likely.
 
I would never use 52100 for that, too brittle .I would use the much tougher case hardened alloy like 4320 or 9310.That's how we did it at Timken !!!
 
Alan Molstad said:
I was at work the other day watching the chief mechanic work on a trackhoe.
I noticed that he was replacing the roller bearings for the main turntable that allows the trackhoe to spin around on the tracks.
Each roller bearing was about 2 inches thick and about 4 inches long.
Click to expand...

Please let me be the first to say that if they work out and you could get any more, I'd gladly take a couple off your hands for a reasonable price :)

-d
 
this streel is strong!
I banged on it for another hour tonight, it's coming along but it's a lot of work.

I have heard of 52100 steel, however I have no understanding of 4815
Is there a way for a guy to tell the difference?

In any case, will this make a good blade?
 
We used 4620, 4320, 9310 for bearings at Timken. I'm not familiar with 4815. To determine if it's a case hardened steel cut a roller in half .Polish it down to 320 grit and etch it. A strong etchant would be better so it won't take so long. A case hardened roller will show a distinct case near the surface .
 
and thats a big deal why?

I dont understand, why would a person care the way something was hardened?, would that just be a moot point once the forge heats it to the point of getting it to anneal?
 
Oh, and I dont known for sure if the bearing came off of a CASE trackhoe or off a Komatsu.....it was a big one thats all I remember
 
Al,
If you ever get a piece forged flat, send me a small chunk and I will test it for you and let you know what it is. Why would you want to guess? How were you planning on heat treating on a guess? Better yet, why go through all the trouble of forging on a guess. Send me an email if interested. No charge.
Matt Doyle
 
bladsmth said:
They will be listed on the box most likely.
Click to expand...

This is the best idea I have ever heard!
I have been so busy thinking about the old bearings and learing what they are, that it never dawned on me that the guy replaced them with new bearings that had to come from somewhere in town...

I just need to ask the guy where he got them?
Then just go there and ask to see a box of new bearings...
 
Alan Molstad said:
This is the best idea I have ever heard!
I have been so busy thinking about the old bearings and learing what they are, that it never dawned on me that the guy replaced them with new bearings that had to come from somewhere in town...

I just need to ask the guy where he got them?
Then just go there and ask to see a box of new bearings...
Click to expand...

That could be a wild goose chase, I think the only people that care what kind of steel those bearings are are in this forum and in the place they are designed.The guy at the parts counter's head would spin if he had to sell bearings based on alloy.Dont get me wrong I use found steel's all the time,and have fun doing it .I have tried writing to toolmakers and companys that make wire rope,none of them ever replied.
 
The box will not show you anything other than a part and model #. From that you could enquire to the company but still likely a goose chase as Joe said.
Matt
 
Alan Molstad said:
and thats a big deal why?

I dont understand, why would a person care the way something was hardened?, would that just be a moot point once the forge heats it to the point of getting it to anneal?
Click to expand...

If it's case hardened it's basically a very thin hard shell on unhardenable steel :thumbdn:
 
I would go with the offer to analyse the steel, then you know for sure. or-If you can get the number off of the bearing and name of the outfit that made it, call them, usually they will tell you right up front.
 
mdoyle said:
Al,
If you ever get a piece forged flat, send me a small chunk and I will test it for you and let you know what it is.
Click to expand...

Could I just send you one of the bearings?
I have been busy with learning how to make a knife handle out of Rambouillet sheep horn and I have now reached the point where it's about time to start the next knife.

I would LOVE to learn if the many roller bearings are 52100 steel or not.
It would be nice to learn that they are 52100 as that would mean that "Im all set with good steel for the rest of my life!"

However it would be nice to learn if the roller bearings are a junk casehardened steel too, and know this information before I fire up the forge and spend 4 or 5 days with a hammer banging on it .

Could you write to my home email address (alanmolstad@hotmail.com) and send me the address where I could mail a roller bearing to be tested?
 
while we get the test answers back....

I was out banging steel tonight in my forge and i did a little work with two different types of bearings.

I have a 1 & 1/2 inch ball bearings, and a 4X2 roller bearing.
Yesterday i had fully heated both to anneal them, and so tonight i tried to work them into shape.

The Roller bearing of known 52100 steel worked down about average under my little hammers. I didnt take that long for me to have the ball bearing into a shape of a smaller knife .

The 4X2 roller bearing was darn near unaffected by my attempt to forge it flat.

It is some very strong steel!

Im useing the monster hammer , the big one that is actually a cut down full length slegde hammer...still could not get it to move very much...
 
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