Raymond Shaft – RA850-137-581

Transferring rotational motion within the control linkage of a Raymond electric lift truck, this machined steel shaft rides against bushings and sleeve bearings as the connected assemblies pivot and actuate. It belongs to the family of linkage shafts that index and drive the moving parts inside the truck, carrying input from one member through to the next.

Its bearing surfaces are precision-turned so the shaft stays in alignment and cycles cleanly under repeated duty, keeping the linkage free of the backlash that develops when a shaft runs loose in its bearings. A shaft in this position wears steadily where it contacts its bushings, and as clearance opens the linkage picks up lost motion and vague response.

Fitting a fresh shaft restores tight, quiet, backlash-free operation and protects the mating bushings from the accelerated wear a scored shaft causes. Match the replacement to the assembly it replaces by the shaft length and the truck series, since Raymond uses different linkage shafts across its models and the bearing surfaces have to correspond to the bushings already in place.