22-01-2021, 12:12 PM
(This post was last modified: 22-01-2021, 12:14 PM by Hedd_Jones.)
Put the crank in the vice. Clean any rust of front and rear main 'journals' with brass wire brush only. You must not reduce the diameter here, particularly the rear - where a bit of rust might improve the bearing fit.
For the big end journals, cut a strip of fairly course cloth (denim is good) the same width as the journal, say 18inches long. Then use some sort of very mild abrasive (not carborundum) as a polish. I'm sure you get the idea. You will be surprised how abrasive the denim is by itself, so perhaps just try some light oil, paraffin/diesel as a lubricant first to see how you go. You simply need to do it so that you loose the high spots. I'd be less worried about small pits than some of the others on here. your fingers are your tools here, your fingertip can feel things that you cannot measure with a mic. When it feels smooth, it is smooth!
If the rag/oil doesnt work, then a kitchen cream cleaner, or a metal polish, Peek, autosol, brasso etc. I should tell you to work your way equally around the journal to ensure even ness, but frankly on a steel crank you are not going to be removing any diameter.
I need not tell you that after using an abrasive on the crank it needs a thorough clean, particularly the oilways.
A skilled fitter, starting with a file and finishing like this can make an oval journal round again. No machine tools needed.
For the big end journals, cut a strip of fairly course cloth (denim is good) the same width as the journal, say 18inches long. Then use some sort of very mild abrasive (not carborundum) as a polish. I'm sure you get the idea. You will be surprised how abrasive the denim is by itself, so perhaps just try some light oil, paraffin/diesel as a lubricant first to see how you go. You simply need to do it so that you loose the high spots. I'd be less worried about small pits than some of the others on here. your fingers are your tools here, your fingertip can feel things that you cannot measure with a mic. When it feels smooth, it is smooth!
If the rag/oil doesnt work, then a kitchen cream cleaner, or a metal polish, Peek, autosol, brasso etc. I should tell you to work your way equally around the journal to ensure even ness, but frankly on a steel crank you are not going to be removing any diameter.
I need not tell you that after using an abrasive on the crank it needs a thorough clean, particularly the oilways.
A skilled fitter, starting with a file and finishing like this can make an oval journal round again. No machine tools needed.