I'm going to use bronze bushings. Why would Mister Thrifty spend $5 for a bronze bushing instead of 70¢ for a steel one? Because something's going to wear out. I'd rather have that something be a five dollar bushing than a fifty dollar shackle.
Another advantage of the bronze is that when it does go, it will be easier to remove than a rusted-in-place steel one.
No amount of pressing would move this steel bushing, so I've resorted to the old hacksaw trick. It's so hard that I've worn out two blades on it. I'm going to town to see if I can find some more aggressive blades.
Steve did you heat it before pressing if that doesn't work heat it and dunk it hot into PBlaster it doesn't need to be red before dunking just moderately hot works for me.
Your hand seems to be healing nicely Steve.
Die grinder with a burr on it will cut a groove with less back and forth motion.
Or dremel tool
Could you weld a bead down the center like is done on a bearing race? It should shrink when it cool and almost fall out. Scott
Dissimilar metals always make a superior bearing surface than metal to like metal.
Good move.......
Heat the bushing red hot with a torch and let it cool. Will probably fall out, and no, it won't get hot enough to hurt the perch or spring. Dave
I see a torch in a lot of your posts, Steve. It takes seconds to take a slice out of the bushing with a cutting torch. Saves the arm muscles for other chores.
Often I have seen as much or more wear on the steel object than on the bronze bushing
Your comment has made me think though. I am going to take a set of new shackles into the heat treater to talk about getting them "case hardened". They would then be hard enough that a file wouldn't mark them then.
I like Mack's idea. Sure beats work. I had the thing out in a few minutes.
I used steel bushings in my first Model T 54 years ago, when I didn't know any better. I haven't used anything but bronze since. Why put wear on an old stock shackle, especially a NOS one! And please don't use grease. Oil works much better. Ford knew that.
Don't know if all the vendors get their bushings from the same source, the bushings I bought were soft, at least compared to original Ford bushings which were hard.
I've been told that dirt mixes with the lubricating oil and makes a grinding compound that embeds itself into the bronze and wears the shackle. Steel they say is actually a better bearing material in this application. Sort of like how you can drill holes into glass by embedding cutting material into copper.
Tom
That makes a lot of sense based on my observations.
steve ,don't know if the trick calls for it but I think your blade is cutting on the back stroke
the arrow goes front
By the way Steve, I forgot to mention it when you showed the picture with the hacksaw, but are you using Bi-Metal blades? There is a BUNCH of difference. Lorenzo is correct too. Dave
Whoops, I looked at the picture again, this time more closely. The arrow says attach to handle end. A bit confusing. Dave
I hunt down dremel tools and ryobi versions of the same at yard sales and such and have about 4 with different tools on them. Also the bigger 1/4 electric die grinders.They allow me to deal with bushings and such much easier.
That is how I cut out all the bushings in the T transmission I installed new bushings in back 7 years ago or so.
I have often told folks that come to my shop if my dremel tool and my air compressor and torch are missing,I may as well have my hands tied behind my back because I would be unable to fix anything!
When I had the sign factory here, I used the Sears version of Dremel grinders in the making of signs. I bought them rebuilt for about $20 each. I keep several of them, each with a different attachment so I don't have to change, on the shelf under my work table. Today one of them helped me face a drive shaft bushing.