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A.B.C.'s OF BABBIT BEARING METALS

There is much confusion among customers about Babbitt Metals. We know, because of the numerous phone inquiries we receive from people like your self, who are trying to help the customer get the right material for the job. Please don't misunderstand us, we are ready, willing and able to answer your questions cheerfully, but we thought it might be even more helpful if we wrote out some of the basic information in a format that could be reached at your fingertips.

The A.B.C.'s of Babbit Metals are as follows :

A. Babbitt Bearing Metals are basically divided into two families- Tin base and Lead base. Our most popular tin base Babbitt Metal is Syracuse Government Genuine Babbitt (ASTM B23 Grade 2). Our most popular Lead base Babbitt Metal is Syracuse Stonewall Babbitt (ASTM B23 Grade 7)

B. Tin base Bobbitt’s are best for high speed applications. Also, best for hard to lubricate applications, such as Marine shaft bearings. They are more expansive because of the high cost of Tin. Lead base Babbitt is best for low speed, heavy load or very dusty applications such as Sugar Cement grinding mills. They are less costly.

C. It is much more important to buy the best available material for the job because on average the material is only 10% of the total job cost. Using a Tin base Babbitt Metal made from secondary metals. Only primary metals should be used in alloying a Tin Base Babbitt.

D. There are three commonly used standards used to specify the correct Babbitt. They are :

1. ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)
2. SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers)
3. U.S. Government Federal Specifications QQT-390

E. United American Metals over the past 80 years has developed trade names for all of our Babbitt Metals. The following index shows first, United American Metals "Syracuse" brand name, then to the right, the equivalent standards, where applicable, for ASTM, SAE and Federal specifications.

F. TIN BASE ALLOYS

Syracuse Government Genuine Babbitt

89% Tin	Equivalent to :
7 1/2% Antimony	ASTM B23 Grade 2
3 1/2% Copper	SAE 12
	Federal Spec. QQT390 Grade 9

Specification Babbitt:

89% Tin	Equivalent to :
8% Antimony	ASTM B23 Grade 3
8% Copper	No SAE equivalent
	Federal Spec. QQT390 Grade 3

G. LEAD BASE ALLOYS:

Syracuse Stonewall Babbitt

10% Tin	Equivalent to:
14 3/4% Antimony	ASTM B23 Grade 7
1/4% Copper	SAE 14
1/2% Arsenic	Federal Spec. QQT390 Grade 7
Balance Lead

Syracuse Manganese Anti-friction Babbitt;

5% Tin	Equivalent to :
14 3/4% Antimony	ASTM B23 Grade 8
Balance Lead	Federal Spec. QQT390 Grade 6

H. Your cost for the Tin base alloys depends on the quantity ordered, and in the case of Tin base Babbitt, the Tin market price for the day of the quote. Quantity price "breaks" are at less than 55 lbs., 55 lbs., 110 lbs. and 110 lbs. Standard package is 55 lbs. per carton.