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Bucket bushings

Pixie

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2011
Messages
374
Location
NH
Occupation
remodeling
I'm trying hard to buy a new bucket for my Cat 307. I have new pins. I want new bushings, seals, etc.

So, I need to know how the bushings are put it ? Can I drive them out with a punch like a wheel bearing race ?

Thanks
 

treemuncher

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Dec 31, 2006
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751
Location
West TN
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eatin' trees, poopin' chips
Driving them out with a simple punch won't be easy and you will likely scar up the insertion bore on the machine. You need to shrink the OD of the worn bushing first before trying to remove it if you want to keep the bore clean and make your life easier.

Steel bushings can normally be welded inside the inner bore and allowed to cool. This will shrink the bushing and allow it to be driven out easier. Weld a full circle inside the bushing assuming enough is still left of it to accept a weld bead. Rod type really does not matter as long as you can put down a bead. Sometimes I also use an AirArc, plasma cutter, torches or Sawzall to cut a relief line down the bushing to shrink it. I also custom grind punches to split and curl back the softer bronze bushings or very thin bushings. DO NOT scar up the interior bore of the machine where the bushing is driven into. A cylinder hone will clean up any scale and light high spots prior to installation of new bushings.

I usually custom cut bushing driving tools on my lathe for the installation of the new bushings. If you have access to a lathe, do that. Your bushings will be installed cleanly without deformity if you have the correct tools. I normally cut them from solid stock, cut a driving shoulder that will do the actual driving force and center bore it so that I can pull it in with a piece of 5/8 or 3/4 all thread from the other side. This also assures proper alignment when starting the drive in. Weld a nut on the outer end of the all thread so you can drive it in with a sledge if the pulling does not work on its own.

Chill the new bushings before trying to insert to reduce the OD and make insertion easier. If liquid nitrogen or dry ice is available, that is safest. Me, I normally use liquid propane as it is usually the only cold stuff I have around the shop. Propane is NOT safe but then neither am I. DO NOT use that anywhere near people, buildings, engines, etc. Use your head before messing with flammables.

Maybe if you need some bushing practice you can help me with the Menzi next winter! I've forgotten how many bushings go in this thing but I did replace about 12-15 on one front steering knuckle this past spring. That did not include the front or rear of the leg. It likely has well over 100 replaceable bushings, mostly bronze.
 
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Pixie

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2011
Messages
374
Location
NH
Occupation
remodeling
Thanks, Treemuncher. I was afraid of that. Maybe I'll pay someone ?

My Bombardier Muskeg has 16 wheels with 2 races/bearings in each so I'm pretty darn good at changing those !!
 

Volvomad

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
476
Location
Ireland
I use the house freezer . Not nearly cold as I would like but it does help especially to get a good start to keep things square . I often open my delivery of parts and pick out the bits for the freezer including bearings,bushes large lip seals and if I am using a driver /dolly ,I lob that in aswell .
 

Willie B

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Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,063
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
Funny you should ask.
I just went through it on a Case 580K backhoe.
Getting them out is easy. As mentioned, weld, acetylene torch, plasma. Your goal is heat the old bushing red hot. It'll try to expand, but has nowhere to expand. It crushes while soft, as it cools it shrinks. Almost any tool will work to remove.

Liquid nitrogen at -194 F is the best way.
Dry ice may be more readily available, It is 100 degrees warmer than liquid nitrogen.
Have tooling READY. Take the time to make a driver the right size. A big boy with a big hammer is a must as a helper.
 

Delmer

Senior Member
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Jan 3, 2013
Messages
8,891
Location
WI
I always thought you welded a line the length of the bushing, axially, not around the circumference. Just like if you were going to blow it out with a torch. If you just heat a strip the length that you would cut, that section shrinking will be enough to get it to come out easy.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,548
Location
Canada
I think welding can work either way. I did final drives on a smaller Deere track loader and just ran a quick Mig bead around the inside of the bearing races and they fell out.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,165
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
I have had luck doing either to free up bushings. Steel it seems to work good to just weld in a couple places and with brass/bronze just heating till a few spots start to puddle then let cool and usually tap or pull out easy.

For installing bushings that need to be set to a specific depth to allow room for seals I always made a puller plate with a flange so it would stop right where I wanted it to. Without the flange seems like they always wanted to jump at the last second and go past where they needed to be.
 
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