Front end bushings - Ferrous vs oilite

[ontarioyamaha]

I replaced all the bushings in the front; easy but long job. I purchased from a local sled shop. The only thing that i am worried about is they are ferrous metal and not oilite. The colour looks correct but about half way thru the job I used a magnet to pick up the screw and found it stuck to the bushing. I was already too deep into the project to knock them back out to return them. The guy told me they were in fact oilite.

The thing that worries me is now what will wear. If the bushings are softer than the then the collar then no problem but if the bushings are harder then the collars will wear. My buddy tells me I am over thinking it and that I won't have the sled long enough to worry about it.

Does anyone have any experience with the individual materials.

 

[Froggy]

Yeah your buddy is right about the softer material will wear out first, if possible try using a file on each to determine which material is softer which will be the one to wear out first. Hopefully the bushing is the sacrificial one.

 

[ontarioyamaha]

I pulled it back apart, to install the new grease fittings, and checked with a file. The bushings are definitely heat treated. I just hope they are softer than the sleeve. I had no access to a tester so the old file method was my only indicator. Now that I have grease fitting on all the moving parts it will not really matter. I will likely give it a shot after each weekend and as such it will mitigate any wear.

 

[AndyApexLTX]

Interesting, as this was the wear on the main shaft up in the tunnel (LTX-2013), from the stock bushings. appears to me that the stock yamaha bushing are a bit harder that the aluminum shaft.