Build up bearing seat area on shaft?

[Daveleeander]

I have a shaft on an antique bulldozer that has the bearing seats worn down approx. 0.002". It iwll take an act of congress to get the shaft out of the frame, and I am wondering if I can plate the areas (3" diameter) with a brush to build them back up. I am wondering about either the hard chrome or nickel. THe shaft is static (does not turn).

How close do you think I could get as far as having the same thickness of plate around the shaft?

Is it possible?

Dave

[pniemandt]

Hey Dave, not sure if I understand your application correctly - does the shaft carry roller bearings or white metal or other type of bearings? At what temperature does your shaft operate, and is oil supplied to the bearings under pressure (in other words, is it something like a main/big-end journal on a crakshaft?) Either case it will not be advisable to try to plate it with anything except for a grade of chrome called Hard Chrome - but this would then have to be ground back to size. Same would go if you were to repair the worn shaft with welding and re-grinding.
Poen