Pins/bushings time. What's your proven method on those bushings?

[fastline]

Have some that are about 1.25" diam-ish, with the bushing style that is two bushings, one on each side. I think I have worn out the internet trying to find what works best. Some reach for a welder, plasma, torch, etc, etc. I have heard where some are using a carbide tipped blade on a sawzall which may have a little more control/safety.

Like to hear what you guys are calling your 'best method'....

But most are sharing how to get them out, and not much about going back in? Torch up the bore and freeze the bushing? Will they fall in?

Some of the locations will be very tricky if I have to resort to sparks/flame but I realize that might just be required and I need to invest in more blankets.

 

[ahart]

Share some photos of what you’re working with, for me, every situation is unique and requires a different method.

 

[Tags]

Out - Weld across the surface of the bushing in a couple of spots, it will spring the bushing

In - See if your local welding supply store will sell you some liquid nitrogen. Works great for shrinking the bushings.

 

[OzDozer]

A run of weld along the bushing works for me. Allow to fully cool and they just about fall out.
Simply freeze the bushing with liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide (dry ice) when re-installing.
Get all your ducks lined up when re-installing - all tools ready to hand, no delay, just whack it straight in, before it has a chance to think about stopping.

 

[Zewnten]

Would these be for a recently purchased CAT skid?

 

[ahart]

recently purchased CAT skid?

Specifically ones in this configuration?

 

[fastline]

Specifically ones in this configuration?

For sure 13A, possibly 9A, and also the QC or bucket pins. 13A is the one I want to get to and inspect but it simply has to come apart before I know more, and that will prove tricky with this vertical lift arrangement.. The other hidden kinematic arm behind the loader boom arm moves around.

On 13A, there are hoses and everything right there. I'm trying to figure out how to lift the loader system up to get at the bushings. Obviously the bucket bushings will be no biggy.

 

[fastline]

A run of weld along the bushing works for me. Allow to fully cool and they just about fall out.
Simply freeze the bushing with liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide (dry ice) when re-installing.
Get all your ducks lined up when re-installing - all tools ready to hand, no delay, just whack it straight in, before it has a chance to think about stopping.

When you say cool, you mean slow cool or quench? Just one bead usually good enough? High or low heat?

 

[willie59]

On a bushing with that small of an ID it would be hard to apply weld across the bushing to shrink it. Best way to remove is a hollow ram hydraulic cylinder with all the appropriate pulling tools, which is very expensive to purchase. Best low cost way to remove those would be reciprocating saw blade cutting a slice or two in the bushing allowing room for it to relax. Even if you cut a bit into the bushing boss weldment, no biggie, won't hurt a thing. But if that bushing is hardened steel, prolly gonna require the gas axe to slice into it.

 

[Welder Dave]

Could probably rig up something with a big bolt or stud to go through the bore and push the bushings out. Would need something slightly smaller than the bushing to push on it and piece of pipe or tube a little bigger on the other side. You could tighten it up and pound it with a good hammer and repeat.

 

[fastline]

Honestly, if the welding trick cannot be applied due to space, I am dreaming up in my head a type of linear abrasive device. Something I have never seen but maybe should invent I guess...lol Consider how fast a good cutoff wheel might be, but instead of a wheel, have the abrasive on recip saw blade? Do they make such a thing? I realize nothing can really touch the speed of a hot knife, but I'd rather not nick the parent metal.

I'm just in the camp of relieving the bushings to take the fight out of them somehow.

 

[Welder Dave]

You tend to make things more complicated than they need to be.

 

[OzDozer]

When you say cool, you mean slow cool or quench? Just one bead usually good enough? High or low heat?

No need to quench, the shrinkage of the weld does the job, provided you lay on a decent size bead of weld. You could run two beads just to make sure. No need for high heat, just normal welding current.

If you're dead set on cutting into it, you could always buy a diamond-coated hacksaw blade!

https://www.amazon.com.au/Spyral-Diamond-Coated-Hacksaw-Blade/dp/B09GGCB2DG

 

[Acoals]

Honestly, if the welding trick cannot be applied due to space, I am dreaming up in my head a type of linear abrasive device. Something I have never seen but maybe should invent I guess...lol Consider how fast a good cutoff wheel might be, but instead of a wheel, have the abrasive on recip saw blade? Do they make such a thing? I realize nothing can really touch the speed of a hot knife, but I'd rather not nick the parent metal.

I'm just in the camp of relieving the bushings to take the fight out of them somehow.

You can get carbide sawzall blades that are pretty effective, but that would be super slow. It's not a crankshaft bearing; just nibble it out with the torch. If you are patient enough to mess with a sawzall you shouldn't have any problem with nicking the housing.

 

[Tinkerer]

Has anyone tried one of these on a bushing ?

 

[Vetech63]

 

[Willie B]

I haven't ever found removal difficult. Heat the old bushing somehow. Oxy acetylene torch can burn a slot either all the way through the wall thick of the bushing, or only heat it red. Anything between works. A welder can run a bead in the bore of the bushing. Sawzall is not a way I envisioning ending well.

New bushing install wants an accurate inside & outside micrometer. Be sure it is correct dimension. You want a small interference fit. If size isn't right the effort will fail.

Dry ice is very cold.
Liquid nitrogen is far colder.
A bushing that will not be driven in chilled with dry ice will slip in effortlessly chilled with liquid nitrogen. Nitrogen is expensive. Moving it from the store to the machine requires a Dewar, a big thermos. A few companies rent them out.
Dairy farmers have semen tanks full of it.

 

[cfherrman]

You could probably think it by heating it with a torch and going on a smoke break. After the break pound away

 

[1693TA]

I'd rig up a small hydraulic cylinder being either hollow bore, or internally threaded 3/4-16 and using grade 8 threaded rod, nuts, and hardened flat washers and pull those bushings out. Don't even really need to go that extravagant with hydraulics as a grade 8 flange head bolt in proper length, hardened nuts, and flat washers, and section of heavy wall pipe will do the same; just use plenty of heavy grease between the rotating nut and the washer it bears against.

This is a re-post of when I was pulling a pin from a manlift cylinder last summer. 10T "Greenlee" hydraulic "SlugBuster" press internally threaded 3/4-16, grade 8 threaded rod and the same with the nut welded to the pin. You could do the same with the flat washers externally ground or dimensioned to fit your bushing exterior dimension. I just used so 1X3 strip for spacers in the photo:

 

[HarleyHappy]

I have welded them but it is always just so much easier to slice them with a torch and have never had a problem cut into parent metal becca the change in metals never wants to keep cutting.