Installing bushings

[darryl gillum]

Before the laughter begins I'm a plumber not an equipment operator or equipment mechanic, but since the ression hit south florida pretty hard, I'm doing what ever I can to work as many days ase guides in I can, so if fixing the machine gets me a days work, I'm in

I got the bucket bushings out fine with a rosebud torch and a hammer and punch, but will anybody share with me the secret to getting my new bushings back in, I tried heating the arm and freezing the bushing (thats how I used to get BSA valve guides in), any way I get to about a half inch of success and it just stops, bigger hammer didn't work, phsycotic behavior and even bigger hammer did not work. I am lost

 

[willie59]

Before the laughter begins I'm a plumber not an equipment operator or equipment mechanic, but since the ression hit south florida pretty hard, I'm doing what ever I can to work as many days ase guides in I can, so if fixing the machine gets me a days work, I'm in

I got the bucket bushings out fine with a rosebud torch and a hammer and punch, but will anybody share with me the secret to getting my new bushings back in, I tried heating the arm and freezing the bushing (thats how I used to get BSA valve guides in), any way I get to about a half inch of success and it just stops, bigger hammer didn't work, phsycotic behavior and even bigger hammer did not work. I am lost

Welcome to the forum darryl gillum. :usa

After you make 3 posts you will, after a short time, lose your probationary status. Then you can start a new thread about your question.

 

[John C.]

darryl,
I have always used a hydraulic hollow ram jack to install bushings. Freezing usually works just fine but if you don't hit the hole just perfect the bushings seize in place and then it's a real bugger to get them moving again. Preheating the hole a little is OK, preheating the hole a lot is not a good idea.

I have grade eight threaded rod that I put through the bores and the bushing. My hollow ram jack will fit over the threaded rod and I just pull the bushing into the hole. If it is more than the jack can pull by itself I use the happy tapper for a little shock therapy.

I know that work is tight right now but sometimes it's better to do one of two of these types of jobs with an experienced hand before you start doing them on your own. It's like plumbing, it may seem to be an easy job but there are always tricks the pros use that really make the job go fast and trouble free.

Good Luck!

 

[willie59]

Hi John C, seems darryl has cut out on us for the moment, I was kinda hoping he'd get his posts in and start a thread. I have one of those hollow ram Enerpac jacks myself. You can put a 1 1/4" threaded rod through it. That tool is some of the best money I've spent on a tool.

 

[Orchard Ex]

Darryl,
I moved your question to it's own thread. You're good to go now. Welcome to HEF!

 

[-3Doc]

darryl,
I have always used a hydraulic hollow ram jack to install bushings. Freezing usually works just fine but if you don't hit the hole just perfect the bushings seize in place and then it's a real bugger to get them moving again. Preheating the hole a little is OK, preheating the hole a lot is not a good idea.

I have grade eight threaded rod that I put through the bores and the bushing. My hollow ram jack will fit over the threaded rod and I just pull the bushing into the hole. If it is more than the jack can pull by itself I use the happy tapper for a little shock therapy.

I know that work is tight right now but sometimes it's better to do one of two of these types of jobs with an experienced hand before you start doing them on your own. It's like plumbing, it may seem to be an easy job but there are always tricks the pros use that really make the job go fast and trouble free.

Good Luck!

This is the answer to your problem!! I have done hundreds and it works every time 100%

 

[willie59]

Thanks Orchard Ex, continuity is a good thing.

darryl, here's a pic of the tool John C is referring to. The first two pics are removing swing cyl bushing on a JCB backhoe, the last two pics are installing a new bushing. And I agree with John C, keep heating components to a minimum, if none at all. Heating and cooling can change the dimensions of pin bosses that bushings are pressed into, and a couple of thousandths make a ton of difference in whether or not a bushing will go in. Always clean the hole good with a flap wheel on a die grinder. Make sure there are no burrs or dings from old bushing removal. Freezing bushing helps, dry ice freezing the bushing gives better results. But in either case, you have to move quickly. The more time it takes, the frozen bushing will warm up, which is why these hollow ram cylinders are handy. They are expensive, though. It's possible you might be able to rent one for a project.

Bushing removal






Install new bushing

 

[Steve Frazier]

They used something like that at the shop of the trucking company I worked for to replace Hendrickson bushings.

 

[MrElectric03]

Depending on how close they are we usually slightly heat the bore and have the bushing in the freezer for a while and use a small hammer to tap them in.

Our preferred method is to freeze the bushings with liquid nitrogen, they usually slide right in very easily.

The press is a great failsafe if it gets stuck part way into the bore but we prefer nitrogen because the setup time is far less.

 

[Allgood]

Sorry to be off topic, but the question seems to have a sound reply. I'm a small time owner/operator who can't afford dealer new prices for pins and bushings for my Bobcat mini. Any suggestions where to buy? I'd like to replace some before they break on the job. Thanks much in advance for any suggestions!

 

[John C.]

ATCOEQUIP

Thanks for the photos. They are worth more than a thousand words.

John C.

 

[willie59]

ATCOEQUIP

Thanks for the photos. They are worth more than a thousand words.

John C.

I agree with ya John...these things are one cool tool. Best money I've spent.

 

[Digger Dan]

Thats a cool tool for sure, But I bet for the farmer fix it it types you could make a getto version with some big but fine threaded rod and the right size sockets or equivalent....

 

[cletrac]

Try dry ice it works better..

 

[willie59]

Thats a cool tool for sure, But I bet for the farmer fix it it types you could make a getto version with some big but fine threaded rod and the right size sockets or equivalent....

Your right Digger Dan, before I got the hollow ram cylinder, that's one of the methods I used. But it's hard on the threaded rod for repeating jobs. As you tighten a nut to pull in a bushing, the rod has to be going through some form of thick washer plate. As the rod is being pulled through the plate, it scrapes the threads of the rod and damages the threads. The method works fine to do a few bushings. If you have to do a number of them, you find yourself fighting to get the nut to go over damaged threads. I do bushings frequently, that's why I purchased this tool.

 

[nigelbread]

Hi how have you got on?
I use a fine threaded rod of as big as a diameter as possible as a pulling screw.
A good clean of the bore [as posted above] a coat of engine oil and as above heavy thrust blocks, thick washers nuts or whatever is available.
essential to ensure bush is square in hole.
tighten rod and if required square hit with a big sledge!
common sense is required, one big hit is better than lots of light taps.

 

[damnescavator]

This is an old thread but remains useful as these machines do not change much. I am replacing the whole mess of bushings on the front end of my 2001 IHI 80NX with about 5500 hours on it. On a typical excavator there are 4 pins to replace- two on the bucket itself (mine does not have a quick coupler), plus two more located higher up, one in the end of the dipper/stick, and another in the bucket curl link. I plan to do 3 of these 4 assemblies. Today I did the upper link assembly, some pictures are attached. I did not use any type of freezing method, I just used a 20 ton hollow bore cylinder (the Hydrofore 20 ton, see e-bay for $300) as shown. It was slow going and I found that you need some seriously fat washers to do this job, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1/2" steel plate is what you need or the washers will deform under the 20 ton load of the hollow ram. I started with a piece of 1/4" mild steel and it started deforming so I doubled it, and then it was enough. Although I had never done this kind of work before I have done wheel bearing race replacements and let me tell you these goddam bushings are NOT EASY. If you were wondering why folks are using crazy chemicals like nitrogen to freeze these bushings, that's why. These are VERY hard bushings and they are VERY tightly fit into the bores. I barely made it with my 20 ton hollow ram. Barely!

 

[Tags]

If you’ve never used nitrogen to shrink and install new bushings then you don’t know what you’re missing. Once you use it you’ll never do it any other way. It makes installation quick and easy.