Rear spring shackle bushing intallation???

SoCalCoupe

SoCalCoupe

Well-known member
Stuck again.


I have the axles and housings off my 1941 Ford and am getting ready to install the Columbia axle. How do I install a new new bushing and stud in the Columbia housing?



Tried to use a gear puller to press the old one out of the old housing but it broke the stud. I'll have to get a new stud and bushing from Third Gen Auto.
 
No one has answered, so I'll give my take on the deal. Its a dirty stinky job. I use the acetylene torch, heat up the stud, which is at the same time burning off all the whatever material around it until you can pull the stud out with a vise grips. Once the stud is out, I burn/blow out all the rest of that whatever material with the torch. once all that stuff is gone, you now have just the thin outer shell left , and I burn that out with the torch also.

Its very thin, so pre heats quick enough that you will not cut the forged steel housing.

some folks at this point use a hacksaw blade to cut a relief in it, but i just go after it like a savage with the torch. good luck, they are a pain in the butt
 
There is a bushing removal tool that has a stepped shape available just for those bushings. Been over 20 years since I pounded them out. I used a # hammer,, no touch available. I am still muttering bad words... Chap
 
I have the KRW tool with specific bushings for removal and installation that accomplishes this task. Still a bit of work. I use a brake hone to polish up the inside of the hole and put the new stud in the freezer overnight before attempting to install it. See if anyone is in your area or in the EFV8 club has this tool to borrow.
 
All above will work. I drive the innerds out and use a hacksaw aimed at the solid part of the spring hanger then a small sharp chisel to drive the shell out. Then take the new bushing and chuck in in a drill press and use fine sandpaper a little at a time till you can get the bushing where it can be driven in. I foo have a tool set for installing and supposed to be for removing also.
 
I have had success using a 9/16 deep socket and a press for pushing in a new one. Your results may vary...
 
OK. I'm back to zero. I destroyed one shackle bushing trying to pound it in. Finally got it out with a hack saw blade, etc. Really ugly, multiple hours. Used an $18 brake cylinder hone to clean up the mess. Got WORD from an expert that 2 thousandths is a good interference spec. My really cheap manual calipers only go to 1/8th of a 1/16th which is 8 thousandths. Ordered a new hi-tech caliper which is supposed to be good to 0.5 thousandths.


Looked up the numbers on freezing a bushing in my reefer. 0.5 thousandths seems to be the number. Not good enough.


When I get the new caliper I'll do more honing on the bore and more sanding on my 3 remaining bushings.
 
I have carried out this job twice, all 8 bushes on the same car, 40 years apart. I removed the central pin using a hammer and drift and the rubber/fabric insulator by drilling, cutting and driving them out. A gas axe might be faster. I used an adjustable reamer of the correct size to clean out the inside of the hanger and spring eyes. When fitting the new bushes, I reduced the outside diameter of the new bush slightly over the full length using course grit, say 40g emery cloth, with the bush spinning in a drill press. I used a socket and hammer to drive the bush into the hanger and spring eye. You must be able to push the bush in at least 2 thirds of the way into the cleaned hole by hand before finally driving the lightly lubed bush home! You will get the feel of what you can get away with, with regards to reducing the bush diameter, as you go but never try to drive the bush in, if it will not go in 2/3 by hand first. Best to buy a couple of spare bushes, as to remove a stuck bush that is not fully home, requires destruction of the bush!
 
I'm beyond frustrated with this project. Got the first shackle bushing out and used a brake hone to slightly enlarge the hole in axle housing. Replaced my cheap calipers with high precision calipers to measure and get the interference down to 2 thousandths. Destroyed the second bushing trying to get it in too. I'd gladly pay someone to take me out of misery by pulling and replacing the bushing but I don't know who that would be. Couldn't even bear to look at the car this past weekend.
 
SoCalCoupe said:
I'm beyond frustrated with this project. Got the first shackle bushing out and used a brake hone to slightly enlarge the hole in axle housing. Replaced my cheap calipers with high precision calipers to measure and get the interference down to 2 thousandths. Destroyed the second bushing trying to get it in too. I'd gladly pay someone to take me out of misery by pulling and replacing the bushing but I don't know who that would be. Couldn't even bear to look at the car this past weekend.
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I just did this very same task last weekend on a '39. Took about two hours total for all four.
Want to ship them to me? I'll do them promptly.
It's easy with the correct tools.
 
Kube said:
It's easy with the correct tools.
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I'll bet you're right that it's easy to do with the correct tools.


I'm thrilled with the distributor tool you sold me last year. I'm a tool junkie and it's now one of my prized possessions.



Looked around for the KRW bushing tool you mentioned earlier, seems to be extremely difficult to find on the market. I'll give this some thought, but not too much, then PM you. It's probably about $180 shipping each way. Heavy and odd size. But like I said, I'd pay someone to take me out of my misery.
 
Re., "Looked up the numbers on freezing a bushing in my reefer. 0.5 thousandths seems to be the number. Not good enough."


Did you try heating the spring or shackle in addition to freezing the pin?
Assuming that you start at 70°F


- Freezing pin gave you .0005" reduction in diameter, delta T or ~ 60°F
- Heating to 300 or 400°F, delta T of 230 or 330°F
- Freezing and heating would yield delta Ts of 270 or 370°F
- .0005/60 = R/270


Reduction of pin and enlargement of spring/shackle hole:
"R" = 0.00225 or 0.00308" respectively


If you have a press, it could be setup with the spring or perch being heated with a heat gun, spaced on top for drop in pin clearance, grab the pin from the freezer with a pot holder and press it in.


Glenn
 
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Unless you are going for Dearborn points, do yourself a favor and use what Ford sold as a service replacement. The kit has rubber bushings and you can install them with your fingers. If you want something stiffer, use Urethane bushings, all street rods use them. Even though I have the KRW tool, I only put the original steel parts in my Dearborn car with the pins having holes for cotter keys. If you use this type of replacement, I would bet you won't wear them out in your lifetime and it is FAR less stressful installing them. My 2 cents.
 
Here's a photo from just last week.
 

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Kube, like the looks of that tool. Sawed out the second bushing, reamed out the housing some more, sanded down the new bushing, looked like about .001 interference but still destroyed the third bushing trying to get it in. I'll stew about this some more. It's a Columbia housing so guess I'll have to disassemble it a bit more to get the weight down to ship it.


Have to get on with my life, can't keep doing this.
 
SoCalCoupe said:
Kube, like the looks of that tool. Sawed out the second bushing, reamed out the housing some more, sanded down the new bushing, looked like about .001 interference but still destroyed the third bushing trying to get it in. I'll stew about this some more. It's a Columbia housing so guess I'll have to disassemble it a bit more to get the weight down to ship it.


Have to get on with my life, can't keep doing this.
Click to expand...

Cut out the frustration and send me the housing.
Eliminating the interference also eliminates the designed torsional twist resistance.
If you are going to do that, install the neoprene bushings.
 
Got the third ruined bushing most of the way out today. Still another hour or two of work to complete it.



Neoprene bushings? Urethane bushings? I'd be all about that. Looked around for a while and couldn't find the right fit.


Any sources, part numbers? I'm willing to depart from stock on this.
 
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