TR4/4A Greased pilot bushing paranoia

[Dash]

Before I remounted the flywheel I smeared some general purpose lithium grease on the outside of the pilot bushing since it rotates (the one the trans shaft slides into) but I didn't put a whole lot on it thinking the shaft itself actually rotates inside the bushing as well. Now I'm having one those moments thinking maybe I should have used bearing grease and more of it.
I'll coat the shaft itself before attaching the transmission of course but am I being too paranoid?
The flywheel and clutch are back on bolted with threadlocker and really don't want to have to pull it all back off just to apply another finger full of grease..

 

[Rut]

IIRC the bushing is an oilite bushing and you should soak it in oil for 24 hrs before installing. Grease can keep the pilot shaft from seating and also cause the pilot bushing to push out because of hydraulic pressure.
HTH, Rut

 

[TR3driver]

IMO you're fine. No grease is required, but a little dab of lithium certainly won't hurt anything.

 

[CJD]

For that bearing to much is worse than too little lubrication. You're good.

 

[Dash]

Transmison back on BUT my manual says the bolt torque to engine is 8 to 10 ftlb's which seems a little slack to me. When I torque it to those specs the bolts just don't seem tight enough given the fact those bolts are the only thing supporting the back end of the engine. In the past when I've had the trans out I always just tightened those bolts using a regular ratchet and tightened as much as i could but now that everything is more accessible and I can get a torque wrench on most everything I'm going by the specs. Is that torque setting correct? 10 lbs isn't very tight..

 

[TR3driver]

FWIW, the TR3 manual says 15.

 

[CJD]

I was helping my best friend put a temp sensor on his Harley last month. He's a 6'5" ex Navy Seal. He was screwing the sensor in as I was walking to the bench to get the torque wrench. I told him 3 times "only finger tight until I get the wrench"! Before I got back to the bike he had snapped the probe in 2!! $120 part ruined. The torque value was only 3ft/lbs...which is obviously less than a Seal can impart bare handed.

Torque is listed for a reason. It doesn't matter what you think "seems" right...engineers have spent a lot of time calling it as it needs to be. If that still bothers you, then use a little locktite.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

IIRC the bushing is an oilite bushing and you should soak it in oil for 24 hrs before installing. Grease can keep the pilot shaft from seating and also cause the pilot bushing to push out because of hydraulic pressure.
HTH, Rut

37 years ago, while on assignment in South America, I was talking to a co worker in the hanger, who was doing one of the myriad inspection on the aircraft.
He had the mags out of one of our Helio Couriers, had the oillite bearings knocked out, sitting on a 1/2" thick steel plate clamped to a workbench....and the torch burning...and he heated the oillites up to cherry red, and using the tip of the torch, just flipped them off the edge...and into a big can of lubricating oil on the floor.
Now, I had never seen that before....he said the heat expanded the bearing, opened the pores, and when you flicked it into the oil it absorbed through the pores, and cooled.

It was interesting.

I am not sure how well 24 hours soak would do cold, but better than nothing.

 

[TomMull]

37 years ago, while on assignment in South America, I was talking to a co worker in the hanger, who was doing one of the myriad inspection on the aircraft.
He had the mags out of one of our Helio Couriers, had the oillite bearings knocked out, sitting on a 1/2" thick steel plate clamped to a workbench....and the torch burning...and he heated the oillites up to cherry red, and using the tip of the torch, just flipped them off the edge...and into a big can of lubricating oil on the floor.
Now, I had never seen that before....he said the heat expanded the bearing, opened the pores, and when you flicked it into the oil it absorbed through the pores, and cooled.

It was interesting.

I am not sure how well 24 hours soak would do cold, but better than nothing.

That certainly is interesting but since heating and quenching has a dramatic affect on hardness, and that affect if quite different on various alloys, I'd need some metallurgical assistance before heating my pilot bearing.
I'll soak mine cold and come to think of it, some of the new Oilite bearings come impregnated with oil, and do not need soaking at all. Old Oilite pilot bearings that are still in good condition don't need re-soaking either although that will do no harm.
Tom

 

[Deleted member 8987]

That certainly is interesting but since heating and quenching has a dramatic affect on hardness, and that affect if quite different on various alloys, I'd need some metallurgical assistance before heating my pilot bearing.
I'll soak mine cold and come to think of it, some of the new Oilite bearings come impregnated with oil, and do not need soaking at all. Old Oilite pilot bearings that are still in good condition don't need re-soaking either although that will do no harm.
Tom

Apparently acceptable by the FAA as it was so written.....