MTFCA Forum

I think it comes down to just how worn the one you are using as a guide is. My last go round just using a ream doing it the old way, was not real happy. I didn't use them but we a set of adjustable reams that uses a sliding tapered centering piece that fits on the shaft, so could use the hole without the bushing as a guide. Might come down to, does the shank on the ream fit the hole in the guide also, or is it loose/tight.

Use a Sunnen home. Dan

Or find someone with the proper alignment reamer. I understand the purpose of the spindle bolt being .502 is that one can use an "off the shelf" .500 reamer.

I have found spindle bushings to be too large in OD, so much so that damage to the spindle would occur. I would mike the hole in the spindle and the diameter of the bushing and turn them down to the press fit is reasonable (no charts handy here, .oo1 to .002 max I would think. Then press them into your spindle and use the reamer of your choice. If you have access to a Sunnen hone, I would go that route!

I am of the the opinion, that if you have the hone use it, but with the short arc that the spindle turns, reaming should be fine. With the hone, you could get a better fit and bushing might last longer esp if the kingpins are bigger or smaller then original that the reams were made for. I have read a number of post on Fordbarn Model A section about this subject, both opinions were expressed (hone/ream). I don't think any real conclusion was ever reached, both being valid ways to approach the matter.

By the time you have beat the old bushings out, they are out of shape both I.D and O.D, most times I use a tap and drive it in the old bushing and then punch it out. Useless as a guide.

Best to have the nice 'step' long reamer. Place both new bushings in the spindle. Then start the 'short' or pilot end of the reamer, that end is just slightly undersized and goes into one bushing easy, then the reamer drives on down and the step goes into the lower bushing. Now your long reamer is aligned and then finish driving the reamer into and out both bushings, works great.


Then face off each bushing for the snug fit to the axle yoke, being sure you have a nice flat surface on each yoke face for the bushing to glide on.

Dan- I don't think Sunnen offers a mandrel long enough and small enough to tandem hone the spindle bushings. The smallest diameter P20 mandrel long enough is for a 5/8" bore. Is there a smaller one that I'm not aware of? Hope so! For everyone- the tap method that Dan is showing is by far the easiest way to remove old bushings. If you don't have a tap, you can split the bushing with a hacksaw blade, then collapse the bushing by grabbing the flange in a vise and crushing it, but the tap is the best way I've found. Dan Mc

What Mark said. Hone them. Period.

Dan M, The “off the shelf” Sunnen hone isn’t long enough according to the Sunnen”book”, but it does work fine (just barely).