Chassis Bushes

[grey_ghost]

Hi All,

Restoring a 1961 Series 2 SWB - and I need to replace the rear chassis bushes.

It must have been covered in here before, but I haven't had much luck finding it.

Q1: The replacement bushes that I have, have an outer steel sleeve. Even when frozen and using WD40 as lubricant, there is no way in hell that this bush will go into the spring hanger. Is this outer steel sleeve just a guide - that is removed some how?

Q2: How is the bush/home mechanic meant to install one of these chassis bushes without something like a portable press?

I was mucking around for quite some time last night, looking at the size of the chassis bush and the size of the hole in the spring hanger, and as SWMBO often says "there ain't no way you are putting that in there!"

HELP!

Regards,
The Grey Ghost

[Blknight.aus]

you need a hacksaw and a small chisel.

cut down through the bush till its just about all the way through then using the corner of the chisel drive the thick part of the bush each side of the cut inwards away from the chassis. keep on loving with the hammer and the chisel until the entire lenght of the bush has been lifted away near the cut. squirt some WD40 or similar under the folded up edge and then wiggle away with a pair of pliers.

you need a butane blow torch and some freez'n'release. blow the flame through the bush sleeve until its hot and hit the outside edge with the freeze'n'release, then hit the center and try to drive it out with a suitable size driving tool and the FBH.

installing is simply a case of a lenght of rod with some nuts, long washers, some lube and some antisieze. Lube the threaded rod and antisieze the chassis hole and bush. Then put a nut and large washer onto the rod, thread that through the bush, then the chassis hole, another nut an washer then tighten up.


you can also drive the bushes out with an air chisel if you have the right shaped bit.

[87County]

Hi All,

Restoring a 1961 Series 2 SWB - and I need to replace the rear chassis bushes.

It must have been covered in here before, but I haven't had much luck finding it.

Q1: The replacement bushes that I have, have an outer steel sleeve. Even when frozen and using WD40 as lubricant, there is no way in hell that this bush will go into the spring hanger. Is this outer steel sleeve just a guide - that is removed some how?

Q2: How is the bush/home mechanic meant to install one of these chassis bushes without something like a portable press?

I was mucking around for quite some time last night, looking at the size of the chassis bush and the size of the hole in the spring hanger, and as SWMBO often says "there ain't no way you are putting that in there!"

HELP!

Regards,
The Grey Ghost

the factory ones have a steel inner and outer with rubber fixed between them

If you have got the old one out ....as blackknight describes above

and

if it is that much over size.....

do you have the correct bushes ?

[gromit]

Once you've got the old outer shell out you can either make up a punch and hit it with a big hammer to get the new bush in or get someone to make up a dedicated puller.

The thread below shows a puller in action and also how to get the old bush out.

Getting the Series 1 Ready for Cooma

Colin

[JDNSW]

Once the old outer sleeve has been removed as indicated above, the new bush can be pulled into place with a home made puller. This must pull only on the outer sleeve of the bush. A suitable puller can usually be made with a length of 1/2" threaded rod, a couple of nuts and washers, and a carefully selected pair of 1/2" drive sockets, although if you have access to a lathe, purpose made bits will be better. And you can use a 9/16" threaded rod - 1/2" is only barely strong enough.

Always coat either the bush or the hole with anti-seize compound. The job will be a lot easier if the bush is put in the freezer for a couple of hours.

John

[Davo63]

Hi Ghost.

Were you grey before you started this job? Having just replaced all my bushes, you have my sympathy. If I was going to do it again, I would spend the $180 and buy a cheapo press. That way, I'd still have skin on my knuckles today and wouldn't need Grecian 2000 to hide the grey.

1. As a couple of blokes have said, check you have the right size bushes and that the old outer steel sleeve isn't rusted into the chassis eye. You should be able to 'offer' the bush to the chassis eye and have a reasonable expectation that it's going to fit - with a degree of forceful persuasion.

2. If they're too big, there's your problem. If they're about the right size, chuck them away regardless unless you can get access to a press that will fit up under the chassis. If you haven't got the inner steel tubes from the previous bushes, you may want to belt the ones out of the new bushes before you chuck them.

3. Go to your local 4X4 accessories store (armed with the right dimensions) and buy a set of Old Man Emu (or similar) polyurethane bushes and some 'Molybond' grease in a little yellow tube.

4. Cut some length off the bushes with a hacksaw so both sides don't quite touch when the inner tube is inserted - liberally coated with the Molybond grease, of course.

5. Coat the assembly in more grease, pull it apart and reassemble it in the chassis eye. It shouldn't take any more force than a light tap of a nylon hammer.

PS: If you're going to do the springs as as well, it's the same procedure but get the press.

Good luck

Dave

[grey_ghost]

Hi All,

Once again - thanks for all of the advice...

The grey hair that I had before this particular task has now fallen out!

I worked out why the new chassis bush would not fit into the spring hanger... The outer sleeve for the old chassis bush was still in there! It was very difficult to tell that it was in there, but after reading the various comments on this thread and looking very closely (with a bright light) - I noticed that indeed the old sleeve was still in there.... I managed to remove it (first cutting both top and bottom with a hack saw), WD-40, a cold chisel, and a home-made puller.. It eventually came out without any damage to the spring hanger..

The next phase is to try and get a new one in... I tried last night and found that the fit is extremely tight, even though I had frozen the new bush for 24 hours. To be honest, I don't think that the freezing trick did much good.

On the weekend I plan to gently file the inner surface of the spring hanger, and also sand/clean the chassis bush to ensure that all surfaces are as clean and smooth as possible...

I will try the home-made puller again...

Regards,
The Grey Ghost.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

go to your local tool shop, get a couple of the flap wheels and clean the bore of any rust.



Lubricate the bush with grease or similar and using length of 9/16" threaded rod or series of HT bolts and washers make a puller. Remember you need to pull on the outer shell not the inner tube so need a thick spacer or 2 with a 1" hole in the middle, you will also need similar at the other end when the bush pulls through.

Also check that you have S1/SII/SIIa bushes as the front chassis bush is 3mm larger diameter in the SIII.

[Ozdunc]

Even with freezing I needed to use a puller/pusher to get the bushes into the chassis. And plenty of copper slip.
Getting the bushings into the springs was variable, some slipped in under light pressure others needed starting with the press then a BFH.

Cheers

[JimUSA]

I sure am glad I found this thread! I had a similar experience as grey in replacing the bushings in my Series 1. I had melted out the old bushings with a torch (and that smells great) but the outer sleeve was left in the chassis and it took me a while to realize this. I did the hacksaw thing (plus a cold chisel) to get the old sleeves out -- not the easiest of jobs, but they came out.

I then tried the puller thing using big washers and 1/2" threaded rod to get the new bushings in. It worked for the front bushings (which are in two pieces) although I broke the rod about four times. The back ones were more reluctant. After breaking more lengths of rod it finally occurred to me to use the old shackle pins which are hardened. I still broke 'em, but I got the back bushings in (or close enough). Nice to have that job done.