Taper Lock Bushes: They May Be Small But They Deliver a Big Impact

What is a Taper Lock Bush?

A taper lock bush is a minor but priceless mechanical device used to hold pulleys, sprockets, or couplings to a rotating shaft. It's made with a tapered exterior and a cylindrical interior and clings to the shaft with friction. Once in place, it forms a solid, dampening-to-vibration assembly — all without having to weld, key, or machine the components.

These bushes are also very common in engineering, machine maintenance, and industrial environments where there is a need for dependable shaft mounting. From conveyor belts and packaging units to farm equipment, they're the go-to choice when you require strength and ease.

Although sometimes underappreciated, taper bushes ensure equipment operates well by preventing parts from becoming out of alignment, decreasing play between components, and reducing wear on both the shaft and attached components.

How It Works

The style is simple but effective. The taper bush is fitted inside a corresponding taper bore in the pulley, sprocket, or hub. When you tighten the mounting bolts, the bush is pulled into the bore, and the tapered faces lock in place. At the same time, the inner bore of the bush grips the shaft, creating a secure no-slip fit.

The holding power is friction and not adhesives or deformation. This is the reason that the assembly is so strong yet easy to remove when needed. To break it, you simply remove the bolts, insert them into the jacking holes, and snug them up. This forces the bush out of the taper and releases it from the shaft without causing any damage.

Because it doesn't require heat or pullers, disassembly is neat and convenient to perform — ideal for maintenance crews looking to minimize downtime.

Why They're Industry Favorites

Taper lock bushes are trusted in a wide cross-section of industries — manufacturing, food processing, mining, automotive, farming and more. Their popularity is the result of a number of significant advantages:

• Easy to move on – It is easy to install and does not need specialized tools.

• Standardized sizes – Interchangeable from manufacturer to manufacturer, minimizing sourcing and replacement hassle.

• Secure fit – The taper system provides a secure hold that will not loosen as a result of load or vibration

• Reusability – As long as the bush is not distorted when unscrewed, it can typically be reinstalled.

• Low maintenance – After being fitted correctly, they only require adjusting or checking rarely.

They are very handy when parts need to be changed or re-aligned frequently. When you're replacing a pulley or retreating a system, with a taper bush you can easily do the job without having to disassemble the complete shaft assembly.

They’re also a practical solution when you’ve got a shaft and a hub with different bore sizes. Rather than machining a custom fit, the bush acts as the adaptor — saving both time and cost.

Choosing the Right Size

Taper bushes are available in various standard series, i.e., 1008, 1210, 1615, 2012, etc. Every series lays down the bush's outer size, i.e., length and maximum bore capacity. Within each series, you have varying sizes of bores (usually in metric or imperial) depending on your shaft diameter. 

To choose the appropriate bush, you will require the following:

• The exact shaft diameter

• The bore size of the pulley or hub

• Whether or not a keyway is required (and size)

The fitting must always be done on a burr-free, clean shaft. Bolts tightened to the correct manufacturer specification using a torque wrench prevents over-tightening, which will destroy the bush or shaft and be hard to remove later.

Some bushes are equipped with pre-drilled keyways, but some are plain bore — it depends upon the application and how much rotation forces will be necessary to justify a key.