Bushings

Bushes & Bushings — Taper Lock, QD, Jig & Bronze

A bush (or bushing — the terms are used interchangeably across Australian industry) is the component that locks a pulley, sprocket, hub or coupling onto a shaft, or guides a cutting tool to a precise hole location, or provides a low-friction plain-bearing surface between moving parts. AIMS Industrial stocks bushes across power transmission, machining, jig & fixture and plain-bearing applications — covering the sizes and styles used in Australian mechanical engineering, maintenance and toolroom work.

Bush Types — At a Glance

• Taper lock bushes — the most widely used hub-to-shaft connection in Australian power transmission. Split, tapered-bore bushing draws into a matching taper bore in the pulley or sprocket using cap screws. See the Taper Lock Bush Guide for sizes, installation and removal.
• QD (Quick Detach) bushes — face-mounted fastening for fast installation/removal in confined spaces where side access is restricted. Different taper to taper lock — not interchangeable.
• Jig bushes (drill bushes) — hardened steel inserts pressed into jigs and fixtures to guide drills and reamers to precise locations. Press-fit, liner, and headless types.
• Bronze bushes — plain-bearing bushes for low-speed pivots, slow-moving shafts, and where rolling-element bearings aren't suitable. See Bronze Bushes for the stocked range.
• Linear bushes — low-friction linear motion on hardened shafts for CNC and automation. See Linear Bearings & Bushings.
• Adaptor sleeves — for mounting tapered-bore bearings onto plain shafts. See Bearing Adaptor Sleeves & Withdrawal Bushings.

Taper Lock Bushes — Sizing and Series

The taper lock system is interchangeable between manufacturers following standard size designations — 1008, 1108, 1210, 1310, 1610, 2012, 2517, 3020, 3030, 3525, 4040, 4545 and 5050. The four-digit code reads as (bushing OD inches × 100) + (length × 10). AIMS stocks taper lock bushes in the full series of bore sizes within each designation, in both metric and imperial bores.

Advantages of the taper lock system: precise shaft centralisation, torque capacity far exceeding interference fit, the ability to reposition the pulley along the shaft, and rapid changeover with only a set screw wrench — no presses, heating or special pullers required.

For installation steps including correct screw torque, key fit, and how to remove a stuck taper lock bush safely, see the Taper Lock Bush Guide.

QD (Quick Detach) Bushes

QD bushes function similarly to taper lock — a tapered bushing draws into the hub — but the fastening screws are accessible from the face of the hub rather than the side. This makes installation and removal faster in confined spaces. QD bushes use a different taper angle and series designation system to taper lock and the two are not interchangeable.

Jig Bushes

Jig bushes (drill bushes) protect the jig from wear during repeated production runs and ensure consistent hole placement across all parts. Three main types:

• Press-fit headless — flush-mounted, permanent installation in the jig plate.
• Press-fit headed — head shoulder locates against the jig plate, permanent.
• Slip / fixed renewable — liner bushing pressed into the jig holds an exchangeable slip bushing, allowing different drill diameters in the same hole position or replacement when worn.

Hardness matters: jig bushes are case-hardened to Rc 60+ for wear life. Soft bushes enlarge rapidly during production runs and lose tolerance.

Bronze & Plain Bushes

Plain bronze bushes serve as low-friction sliding bearings for slow-rotating shafts, kingpins, pivots, hinge points and reciprocating motion where rolling-element bearings aren't appropriate (shock loads, slow oscillation, contamination, limited lubrication). Common bronze grades are SAE 660 (C93200) and oil-impregnated sintered bronze (oilite). Sized to a typical shaft clearance of 0.001–0.002 in/inch of diameter — wider clearance for higher speed or temperature.

Related Power Transmission Components

• Bearings — the parent range covering all rolling-element bearings used alongside bushes.
• Pulleys — taper lock and pilot bore pulleys that fit the taper lock bush series.
• Pulley Types Guide — how to specify the pulley to match the bush series and belt section.
• Circlips & Retaining Rings — used for shaft retention alongside bush installation.
• Gates — major manufacturer of taper lock bushes, pulleys and matching belt drives.

Order Bushes from AIMS Industrial

AIMS Industrial stocks taper lock, QD, jig and bronze bushes across a wide range of sizes from our Sydney warehouse. For cross-referencing an existing part number, sourcing an unusual size or volume pricing, contact our team.