Frequently asked questions – ordering, customs, technical
Short answers to what buyers ask before the first order. Technical questions link to the page with the full explanation; duty and code information is public information as of September 2026 and must be confirmed with your broker at clearance.
Ordering and pricing
How is the price of a bronze bushing made up?
Alloy weight of the stock the bush is cut from × the copper-alloy market price, plus machining time, inspection and packing. Large bushes are priced by their weight, small ones by machining time; a thin-wall bush costs more per kilogram of finished part than a thick one because more stock is cut away. We quote a finished-part price per piece, not a price per kilogram.
Do you have a minimum order quantity?
No. One bush, a sample lot or a series – the quotation shows the price at the quantity you ask for.
How long does a sample take, and production?
Samples in 3 – 5 working days for standard sizes in the readily available alloys. Batch lead time depends on size, alloy availability and quantity and is stated in the quotation; tell us the date you need the parts and we plan the stock.
Do you send free samples?
Yes for standard sizes and small custom bushes; freight is arranged case by case and stated with the sample offer. Large or special-alloy samples are quoted.
What files can I send?
PDF, DWG, DXF, STEP / STP, IGES, or photos with the three dimensions written on them. Old scanned drawings in any language are fine – we read the designations and confirm the alloy.
Can you make a bushing from a sample part without a drawing?
We machine to the dimensions you measure from the part and the housing, with the ISO tolerances we propose in the quotation; we do not reverse-engineer a design. Send bore (unworn end), outside diameter, length, flange, groove pattern and a photo.
What are your payment terms and Incoterms?
Stated in the quotation for the destination and order size; door-to-door DDP delivery is available to 30+ countries, as are FOB / CIF / DAP shipments to your forwarder.
How are bushings packed and shipped?
Rust-preventive oil or VCI bag, cartons on pallets or in plywood crates; large bushes crated so that the wall is not loaded. Sea freight for volume, air or courier for samples and urgent parts. Sea transit is typically 30 – 45 days port to port depending on the lane.
Customs codes and import duties
What is the HS code for bronze bushings?
8483.30 – bearing housings not incorporating ball or roller bearings; plain shaft bearings. Country lines: US HTS 8483.30.80, EU TARIC 8483 30 80, UK 8483 30 80, India HSN 8483 30 00, Brazil NCM 8483.30.xx (verify the sub-item), Türkiye GTİP 8483.30. Some customs offices classify plain turned rings without bearing function as 7419 copper articles; the importing customs office has the final say.
What import duty applies?
Public information as of September 2026, to be confirmed at clearance: USA – 4.5 % MFN plus Section 301 surcharges on Chinese origin (25 % plus a further 12.5 % from 24 July 2026), and possible Section 232 copper measures (25 – 50 % from 6 April 2026) whose application to machined bearings your broker must confirm. EU 8 %, UK 2 %, Canada MFN free subject to any surtax orders in force, India 7.5 % plus IGST, Brazil II typically 14 – 16 % plus IPI / PIS / COFINS / ICMS (verify the NCM sub-item). DDP quotations include the duties we can determine for the destination.
Do you provide certificates of origin and material certificates?
Raw-material certificate (chemical analysis to ASTM B505 / B271, EN 1982 or GB/T 1176) with every delivery on request; CMM dimensional report on request; certificate of origin (CCPIT or Form as required) on request for the shipment.
Technical
Is bronze good for bushings? Why is bronze used?
Bronze is the classic bearing metal: it resists seizure against steel, embeds grit, carries high compressive load (25 N/mm² dynamic for cast bronze) and conforms to misalignment. Solid cast bronze bushes are the strongest of the bronze bushing types.
What are the disadvantages of bronze bushings?
They need grease or oil; speed is limited to about 0.5 m/s with grease; price follows copper and tin prices and the part is heavy; the bush is a wear part that protects the shaft and is replaced. See bronze vs brass.
Are cast bronze bushings self-lubricating?
No. Sintered oil-impregnated, graphite-plugged and metal-polymer bushes are; solid cast bronze needs external lubrication.
Which bronze grade should I choose?
C93200 / SAE 660 for general duty on unhardened shafts; CuSn12 / CuSn10P for higher pressure and wear with hardened shafts; LG2 for water, pumps and valves; aluminium bronze for heavy load, heat and seawater; C86300 for the heaviest shock loads. The alloy overview has the decision table.
Is SAE 660 the same as C93200? What are RG7, LG2, B101, TM 23?
SAE 660 = C93200 = RG7 = CC493K, the same alloy. LG2 (C83600, 5-5-5 gunmetal) is a softer neighbour. B101 is CuSn10P phosphor bronze, not RG7. TM 23 is a Brazilian high-lead bronze (15 – 18 % Pb) nearest SAE 67, not SAE 660. Full table on the cross-reference page.
What clearance and press fit do I need?
Housing H7, bush outside s6 (to Ø120) or r6, bore E6 as delivered which closes to about H8 when pressed, shaft e7 – e8; running clearance 0.1 – 0.3 % of the diameter. The design guide has tables by diameter and a calculator.
Should I grease bronze bushings, and how often?
Yes, always. The interval depends on load, speed, heat and dirt: follow the machine maker's schedule, shorten it in water, dust or above 80 °C, and never let the bush run on dried residue. Lubrication page for grease types and groove patterns.
What temperature can cast bronze bushings take?
−40 to +250 °C with suitable grease and shorter relubrication intervals above 150 °C; aluminium bronze keeps its strength best when hot. Above 250 °C or without relubrication, a graphite-plugged bronze bush.
How do I measure a bushing for replacement?
Bore at the unworn end (or shaft diameter), outside diameter (or housing bore), overall length, and for a flanged bush the flange diameter and thickness; note groove pattern and oil hole. A photo with a rule in it helps. Round to the size chart or send the numbers as they are.
Do you make inch sizes?
Yes, to drawing – give ID × OD × length and tolerances. There is no inch standard series yet; the metric ISO 4379 series is on the size chart.
What is the largest and smallest bushing you machine?
Ø3 to Ø1000 mm. Large bushes from centrifugally cast tube with CMM report; small ones from bar. Wall and length per drawing.
Question not here?
Ask it with your enquiry – every question is answered with the quotation, within 12 hours on working days.