Enviro or other stove's bronze Oilite Auger Bearing would you change it? See pics

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Don2222

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Feb 1, 2010
9,189
Salem NH
Hello

I yanked this out of a 7 year old Enviro Empress FS but I have seen a few bad bearings lately. Yes they all go bad and need to be changed sooner or later. However the unforgiving bronze bearings can bind to the auger shaft and turn in the auger end plate. I just saw this happen on an Avalon Astoria but I have also seen it happen on a 10 year old Enviro Empress insert. Many years ago Dr. Whitfield came out with the Nylatron auger bearing for his 3/4" Stainless Steel auger shafts, a supper combination. He also stated the original bronze bearings should be changed out to the Nylatron. I have seen a Whitfield Quest with a 19 year old auger motor still working well. The Nylatron not only fits Whitfield but the older Enviro II and IIIs with the 3/4" auger shaft and the Saranac and West Point if you drill 2 holes in the end plate to match their mounts. Many augers these days have a 5/8" auger shaft, they seem to work fine but the augers that I have seen with a 1/2" shaft, I would stay away from since I have seen the hole ripped out by a hitch pin!

Therefore
What type of bearing or bushing do you have and what would you do to keep that auger Augering Well?


Pic 1 - Dirty Nasty Bronze 5/8" Bearing from our 7 year old. See black inside bearing!
Pic 2 - Permanently lubricated Nylon 5/8" Bearing as a replacement
Pic 3-5 Whitfield Nylatron
 

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Last edited:
Not sure what material my auger bearing is made out of but doesn't look like any of those... :)
 
Hi Lake Girl

Interesting!

Can you post a pic from underneath or in the hopper with no pellets?
 
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