Various questions: Plastics. Tank Bibs. Wallets.

[confab]

1) My forwards are worn out and need bushings made for them. I bought some brass to do this with, but has anyone ever tried any of the newer, high tech plastics?

Ever thought about it? What do you know about them? Is Harley using them for applications like this? I dunno what kind of plastic it was, but I know I recently saw a Ford Truck with a plastic brake piston. Any thoughts, generally?

2) Is there somewhere that sells leather(ish) shovelhead tank bibs for less than 60 bucks?

The few I see are ugly and expensive, both. I hate to go to all the trouble to make one, but..

3) What are you doing for a riding wallet? Any ideas here?

I hate chain wallets, but I can't afford to lose it on a 3 or 4 hundred mile weekend.

4) is there an easy fix for finicky shovelhead turn signal buttons?

[Guest]

you dont want to make the bushes from brass, it wont last,
you should use phosphor bronze,
it kinda self lubricates & is harder & what propper bushes should be made of, many think it's brass but it isnt.

[confab]

Okay.. There's a LOT of options here.

https://www.mcmaster.com/bearing-bronze/

[47str8leg]

Okay.. There's a LOT of options here.

https://www.mcmaster.com/bearing-bronze/

I replaced my kicker cover bushings with oillite bronze.

[JBinNC]

CDA 660 is the most common and good for bushings in the motor and transmission. Bar stock is getting pricey (never been cheap). Sometimes you can find a cast sintered bushing that you can modify. Kick shaft bushings in 4 speed kick covers are the sintered type. Commercial sizes of those are cheap. I keep a few sizes for various repairs.

Since your forward controls just pivot rather than turn, you could use brass if you have some.

H-D does use steel clad plastic bushings for shift shafts, and of course in the front forks, but those are purpose made products.

Jim

Edit: Oops, meant to say SAE 660. I think the 932 is the CDA number.

[10scDust]

My wallet is a chain wallet. Although I don't hang it from a belt clip, I put a keyring at the one end, & that's where the house front door key is. Then I just tuck the key, w/chain attached, into my front pocket.
So, unless you have a zippered pocket in your vest or jacket, you're at your own discretion what to do.

For the record, I went down once on my dresser, all the contents of my tourpak went everywhere! So I wouldn't keep it anywhere on the bike.

[Dougtheinternetannoyance123]

1) My forwards are worn out and need bushings made for them. I bought some brass to do this with, but has anyone ever tried any of the newer, high tech plastics?

Ever thought about it? What do you know about them? Is Harley using them for applications like this? I dunno what kind of plastic it was, but I know I recently saw a Ford Truck with a plastic brake piston. Any thoughts, generally?

2) Is there somewhere that sells leather(ish) shovelhead tank bibs for less than 60 bucks?

The few I see are ugly and expensive, both. I hate to go to all the trouble to make one, but..

3) What are you doing for a riding wallet? Any ideas here?

I hate chain wallets, but I can't afford to lose it on a 3 or 4 hundred mile weekend.

4) is there an easy fix for finicky shovelhead turn signal buttons?

#4) If you are talking those blocky, alloy cast housings? You can clean the contacts, renew the springs and use a product I cant remember off the top of my head, But its a sealant-conductor for electrical. We had a vendor telling us its great stuff, he was right. I had working maintenance several light fixtures constantly burning out bulbs, trouble shot it and couldnt figure it out. I tried cleaning the contacts and then soaking them with this rattle can spray. Problem solved. I left that job but never had a bulb burn out since, and that was 2 years before I left. Lucas 71 and up switch housings are similar, and same problems.

#3) I still have the wallet I slid down the road on when the drunk knocked me off my bike. I found it in the road about 20 yards back. Good leather! My ass? Not so much. (Rashed). But just replaced it as the exterior was still okay but all the pockets were falling apart internally. Off the bike I still carry a traditional folding leather wallet, But anymore, I zip it into a inside jacket pocket, too many close calls to risk, and on the Buell felt it slither up & out of my back pocket, so I dont risk it. I have considered a chain, But, I did see a guy have his get caught in a wheel, Too long of a chain. Ripped his pants, and he didnt go down but he went wobbling badly and nearly crashed. Check carefully, But those I know with a chain-wallet say it gets caught on everything, A buddy said his caught on a corner or handle at the strip club and he fell and spilled his beer. Not a optimum outcome.
(Was laughing at a Instagram clip of a bunch of hipsters moving a long shovel chopper for a womens biker show, But it was 4 guys moving the bike, WTF? Womens bike show? Women cant move a scoot?
Anyway what was hilarious was all the comments. "Why does everyone look like Johhny Depp?" "Group buy on the Mexican blanket serapas?" " Everyones carrying boutique bone handled knives, any bets they never see daylight?" and yes,, Comments about the wallets and chains.)

#2) Cant help too much there. Seems everything leather and bling for HD has stupidly high prices. But I did stop in at a Bulk leather supply store and shopped their remnants piles, Bought some leather for a few projects, and as well, got some leads on who is reasonable and good quality for leather sewing and repairs.
See: https://oregonleatherco.com/
See: https://oregonleatherco.com/catalog/
Good folks, several locations.

#1) THIS I can help you on, First, good advice on different types of bushings, if you do go Brass, (It looks awesome as well) You can mill a groove or add lube fittings, suggestion is there is many types of lubricant fittings from oil to grease. They require other than standard fittings to feed lube in, but its an option.

BUT....... Theres a very interesting product for a "Plastic" type bushing. I learned about it about 15 years ago from a very talented tool & Die guy who also designed machine shop tools and gear. Stuff is mind boggling. Very strong, durable and literally slicker than sh*t.
Its called Turcite. Similar to teflon,, but various grades of it. Most of what I used was a baby shit green color, But it comes in other colors. I made center stand bushings, side stand, Swing arm bushes and fork slider bushes out of it, and 15 years later, NO WEAR!

Gordy built some custom Milling machines and lathes and used it for some of the bearing surfaces and those machines are still running on them.
I plan to use it in more projects and I would strongly recomend looking at the stuff for all sorts of projects. Plus, Its relatively easy to machine, shape or cut.

See: https://www.boedeker.com/family/turcite
See: https://m-p.com/product/turcite-machined-parts/

"TURCITE MACHINED PARTS
M&P can make custom Turcite Machined Parts to your specifications or drawings.

We have a plastic machining facility; Turcite® is one of the plastics we can use to make parts.

MATERIAL DESCRIPTION

Turcite® is a self-lubricating thermoplastic bearing material manufactured by Trelleborg Sealing Solutions U.S., Inc.
These materials are cost effective, chemically resistant, wear resistant, and can be used in a wide range of temperatures.
There are two grades of Turcite®: Turcite® A and Turcite® X.
Turcite grades are acetal-based materials, their properties and applications can be compared to Delrin AF®.
Turcite® materials are only available in rod form.

NOTABLE MATERIAL FEATURES

Self-lubricating
Low cost
High chemical resistance
Moisture resistant
Always oven annealed for stress-relief
GRADES OF TURCITE®

Turcite® A

(also known as Turcite® TA)

Turcite® A is suitable for moderate to heavy loads at moderate speeds.
Turcite A performs well under vibratory and dynamic loading and is readily machinable.
Turcite® A is BLUE in color.
Turcite® X

(also known as Turcite® TX)

Turcite® X excels in low load and high speed applications.
Turcite X has minimal hygroscopic characteristics and possesses low thermal expansion properties, resulting in a structurally stable material
Turcite® X is RED in color.
TURCITE PARTS

M&P makes Turcite® Machined Parts in a completely controlled environment.

Examples of parts we machine from Turcite®:

Turcite O-rings, Turcite Seats, Turcite Bushings, Turcite Bearings, Turcite Guide Blocks, Turcite Ways, Turcite Wear Pads, Turcite Washers.

Turcite® is a registered trademark of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions U.S., Inc."

[DoomBuggy]

I have a chain wallet that hangs from our key hooks by the back door. I only wear it when I ride, but I always wear it when I ride. Only takes losing a wallet once to learn to love them.

[47str8leg]

I have a chain wallet that hangs from our key hooks by the back door. I only wear it when I ride, but I always wear it when I ride. Only takes losing a wallet once to learn to love them.

I second that.
That’s what prompted me to get one several years before I started riding.
Lose a wallet once with all your money , license, credit card and whatever and you’ll see the value.
Don’t need a ridiculously long chain.
They have some minor drawbacks but they’re a lot easier to live with than the alternative.

[confab]

Wow.. Such a breadth of knowledge is what makes this place special Thanks, all.

I'm fascinated with modern plastics, so I'll probably try those first and drop back to the 660/932 bushing brass if the experiment doesn't prove successful.

Googled this, and they mention "phosphor Bronze" directly in the applications. I've seen many people reference "oillite" as well.

Applications of Turcite® (Lubring)
Most commonly, Turcite® (Lubring) has been used in the machine tool industry where it serves to either replace or reinforce standard phosphor-bronze LM guideways. The material was earlier used primarily to recondition old machines in which the guideways had worn out. However, increasingly it is incorporated in new machines as well – owing to the higher life and lower maintenance required in comparison to metal guideways.

https://polyfluoroltd.com/blog/the-w...bring-turcite/

Thank you all very much..

[confab]

PS:

Grades and Colors
Turcite® A
Turcite® A is designed for moderate to heavy loads at moderate speeds. It performs well under vibratory and dynamic loading and is easily machined. Turcite® A has an outstanding service life, a continuous maximum service temperature of 180° F and higher wear-resistance than Turcite® X. Color is blue and it is available in rod only.

Turcite® X
Turcite® X was engineered low load, high speed applications. Is has a long service life and an exceptionally low coefficient of friction. Minimal hygroscopic characteristics and low thermal expansion properties make Turcite® X a structurally stable material. It has a continuous maximum service temperature of 180° F but lower wear-resistance than Turcite® A. Color is red and it is available in rod only.

Turcite®-B Slydway®
Turcite®-B Slydway® is a low friction linear bearing strip material for use, primarily, on the ways and gibs of machine tools. It provides low friction, stick-slip free operation, long life and minimum wear. Turcite®-B Slydway® is applied using a two part epoxy resin after cleaning and degreasing the bare metal surface thoroughly. Turcite®-B Slydway® is dimensionally stable, maintenance free and can be operated with or without lubrication.

[Dougtheinternetannoyance123]

A lot has changed since I made anything with the Turcite. * I may be wrong but the old guys who introduced me to the stuff
pronounced it TURK-Ite, Not Turs-ite. Anyway, A friend had a big fab and machine shop and we rented a space in the shop to do our own thing.

(CAD/CAM metal stud making machines, Design a building, feed in the program and machine spits out the pieces labeled, like a Erector set. Everything just snaps together and add screws. All the screw holes where they need to be, conduit, plumbing, and electrical holes pre-punched, and it came with engineering certs for code. Most commercial buildings are now using these products)

So, we used Turcite on some parts of that machine, But in the other business, they frequently used it for a variety of customers, There is several potato chip manufacturers here in Oregon, the rollers in production used Turcite, as well as several bridges over the local river used it as well on the lift spans. Gary had blocks and tubes-rolls of the stuff on the shelf, I have a few chunks still in storage. At the time, It was lime green color, I saw a dark brown or reddish brown color once, But dont remember the application. Clearly, the product has changed, But as I said, It worked super well for all sorts of applications.

The machines I was involved in building, can spit out enough material to do a 1200 sq ft house faster than one person can catch the parts, so usually 2 people catching and stacking material. I talk to those guys from time to time, and one still services the machines we built. The turcite stuff doesnt seem to wear out for where we used it. Other stuff does,, several of our machines in Hawaii, and one in Puerto rico, they erected a ton of buildings for hurricane damage. In Hawaii, insurance is cheaper for metal stud buildings than wood. (Bugs, rot, etc) And I saw pictures of storm damage where the wood stick homes were demolished but our metal stud buildings still standing. Point is, try the Turcite. good stuff.