I have an old Sunnen LB grinder that needs a little work, but could be put into service. What can I expect as far as performance from this machine, and do you offer mandrels for it. Also, could it be used to resize connecting rods?
I have an old Sunnen LB grinder that needs a little work, but could be put into service. What can I expect as far as performance from this machine, and do you offer mandrels for it. Also, could it be used to resize connecting rods?
Your largest concern will be the availability of machine parts. Those that are needed to complete your rebuild. Goodson stocks a majority of the mandrels used in engine rebuilding, I.E. connecting rod and wrist pin bushing tooling. All the tooling on the manual machines enterchanges, the spindle diameter is the same. You don’t have all the speed adustments of the newer models, which end up as an inconvenience, not an imposibility. Good luck on your ”NEW” machine.
I have an old 2 speed LB grinder in my shop. Believe it or not I even use it for rod resizing. All the Sunnen mandrels will fit it. I can work to tenths no sweat. It of course doesn’t have the power of the later models so you have to work slower. In honing out rods I have to be careful to only feed out enough of the stone as the machine can handle without jamming. It would probably be helpful to construct an adjustable rod holding fixture to absorb the counter-torque on the rods. Look at a later model machine to see how they’re made. You can make one yourself out of some steel stock. I hone 2 rods at a time. By staggering the rods to each other the mandrel isn’t trying to hone such an oval hole which is part of what makes it jam. The only parts you will need with any regularity will be the flat drive belt. You might be able to get a belt outfit to make you one if you can’t find it elsewhere. make sure you oil the main spindle with some regularity, as it runs in the cast iron of the machine itself. There are oil cups on the side. I made a stand with a trough and honing oil system which improved it considerably. The stones don’t clog as much. The later machines have mostly more bells and whistles. I use a Chinese made dial bore gauge for the rods and can consistently hold them to no more than .0002” total variation in a set of rods.The pin bushing gauge that came with the machine doesn’t do a bad job, but I usually rely on telescopic gauges and a mike, and do the final fit by feel. When the pin will barely fall through the bushing by its own weight it will have .0002”/.0003” clearance. I’ve put 150,000 miles on my own vehicle using this method of pin fitting.I’ve also used mine for getting really nice finishes with consistent diameters on other non-automotive stuff that I’ve done most of the work on the lathe in my shop and finished it with the honing machine.Hope this helps you.
Need belts for a LB Grinder Sunned
i need information parts for sunnen MBB1290 the belt for the pump price of the item.