Buy Bronze Bushes Online in Australia
Bronze Bush Selection — Quick Reference
Bronze bushes = PLAIN BEARINGS supporting ROTATING or SLIDING shafts in low-to-medium speed applications. Operate without rolling elements + tolerate misalignment + impact + dirty environments better than ball bearings.
| Bronze Bush Type | Best For |
|---|---|
| Sintered Bronze (Oilite) | Self-lubricating — oil-impregnated porous bronze |
| Wrapped Bronze (DU/PU) | Steel-backed PTFE-lined — maintenance-free |
| Solid Bronze (SAE 660) | Heavy load + impact tolerance |
| Graphite-Plugged Bronze | Self-lubricating + high temperature |
| Cylindrical Bush (Standard) | Plain shaft support |
| Flanged Bush | Axial location + thrust face |
| Common ISO Sizes (Inner / Outer / Length) | Press-fit match |
Critical: Sintered bronze NOT serviceable — replace when worn. Wrapped bushes = maintenance-free. Solid bronze requires periodic grease. Press-fit installation — bore + bush + shaft tolerance critical. Companion: bushings, bearings, spherical bushings.
Bronze Bushes
Bronze bushes are plain bearings that support rotating or sliding shafts in a wide range of low-to-medium speed applications. They operate without rolling elements, relying instead on a film of lubricant — or in the case of self-lubricating types, the material's own internal lubrication — to carry the load between shaft and bush. Bronze bushes are a practical, cost-effective bearing solution for applications where ball or roller bearings are over-specified or impractical. AIMS Industrial supplies bronze bushes for maintenance and engineering applications across Australia.
Types of Bronze Bushes
- Cast bronze (SAE 660 / C93200): The standard engineering bronze bush. Good load capacity, excellent machinability, and widely available. Suitable for general industrial use — pivot pins, linkage bearings, conveyor rollers, and machinery pivot points. Requires external lubrication for best service life.
- Sintered bronze (oilite / SAE 841): Manufactured by powder metallurgy — the porous structure is impregnated with oil during production. This oil migrates to the bearing surface under load and heat, providing continuous self-lubrication. Ideal for applications where periodic regreasing is difficult or impractical.
- Wrapped bronze bushes: Formed from strip rather than cast — a thin bronze strip is rolled into a cylindrical bush shape. Lower cost, good for moderate loads. Often used in automotive and agricultural machinery linkages.
- Flanged bronze bushes: A flange at one end locates the bush axially in the housing as well as providing radial support. Used where thrust load or axial location must also be managed by the bush.
Load and Speed Considerations
Bronze bushes are best suited to low-to-moderate shaft speeds and steady loads. The key selection parameters are the PV value (pressure × velocity) — the product of the specific bearing pressure and the surface velocity. Each bronze grade has a maximum PV rating; exceeding it leads to rapid wear or thermal failure. For high-speed applications, rolling element bearings are more appropriate. For very slow movement or oscillation, bronze bushes are often the better choice.
Lubrication
Non-self-lubricating bronze bushes (cast and wrought types) require grease or oil lubrication, typically supplied through a grease nipple drilled into the housing. Lubrication intervals depend on load, speed, and operating temperature. In contaminated environments, more frequent lubrication is needed to flush contaminants from the bearing clearance. Oilite sintered bushes require no maintenance lubrication, making them suitable for sealed or inaccessible housings.
Sizing and Fit
Bronze bushes are dimensionally defined by bore diameter, outside diameter, and length. A controlled press fit into the housing is standard — the bush OD is slightly larger than the housing bore, and the bush is pressed in cold. After pressing, the bore should be checked against the required shaft clearance, as pressing can slightly reduce bore diameter.
Order Bronze Bushes from AIMS Industrial
AIMS stocks bronze bushes in standard sizes across cast, oilite, and flanged configurations. For non-standard sizes or large quantities, contact our team.
People Also Ask — Bronze Bushes
Q: What's the difference between sintered and solid bronze bushes?
Sintered (oilite) bronze bushes are made by powder metallurgy — the porous structure is impregnated with oil that migrates to the bearing surface under load and heat, giving continuous self-lubrication with no maintenance needed. Solid (cast) bronze bushes, like SAE 660, have better load capacity and impact tolerance but need external lubrication for best service life.
Q: Can I service a sintered bronze bush if it wears out?
No — sintered bronze bushes aren't serviceable. Once the oil-impregnated structure is worn, replace the bush rather than trying to relubricate or repair it.
Q: When would I choose a flanged bronze bush over a standard cylindrical one?
A flanged bush is the right choice when you need axial location or a thrust face in addition to radial support — the flange locates the bush axially in the housing. A standard cylindrical bush is for straightforward plain shaft support with no axial load to manage.
Q: What is PV rating and why does it matter for bronze bushes?
PV is pressure × velocity — the product of specific bearing pressure and surface velocity. Each bronze grade has a maximum PV rating, and exceeding it leads to rapid wear or thermal failure. For high-speed applications, rolling element bearings are more appropriate; bronze bushes suit low-to-moderate shaft speeds and steady loads, or very slow movement and oscillation.
Q: How are bronze bushes fitted?
A controlled press fit into the housing is standard — the bush outside diameter is slightly larger than the housing bore, and it's pressed in cold. After pressing, check the bore against the required shaft clearance, since pressing can slightly reduce the bore diameter.