Removing brass/bronze swing arm bushings?

Paul LeClair said:
ps now need to somehow fix the pick up feed on my sand blasting cabinet, with my new compressor I have lots of air volume but the glass bead isn't being picked up properly, guess it is what I get for buying a really inexpensive but large blast cabinet....

Pull the nozzle off the gun and see if there is an obstruction in the sand feed area,

A chunk of metal can stop the flow.

Just a possibility.

Rod
 
Paul LeClair said:
I am going to figure out how to cut a couple of removal reliefs in the step(s) inside the swing arm to be able in the future to get the new bushes out without all this drama...

Paul LeClair

Why bother now you have a removal tool ? Bit late now but I forgot to mention to do the bushes one at a time, fit one new bush then ream from the other side using the old bush as a guide otherwise you will have alignment problems. Other alternative is if you have an old fashioned motor engineer nearby he can hone the bushes inline using a kingpin hone.


    Keith
 
A front end shop that works on larger trucks might have the honing machine needed, older trucks used kingpins, maybe sone newer ones still do. Or try one of the older machine shops who still do custom work. I had my bushings in my antique 1948 Ford truck steering box honed by a machinst who was 85 at the time, he called it a pin machine.  He died and I think his skill and machines both were buried with him. 
 
Paul LeClair said:
ps now need to somehow fix the pick up feed on my sand blasting cabinet, with my new compressor I have lots of air volume but the glass bead isn't being picked up properly, guess it is what I get for buying a really inexpensive but large blast cabinet....

Paul,

Block the gun exit with your (glooved) finger/thumb and press the pressure button, this should clear the take-up hose from any obstruction.  

This problem comes up once excessive moisture gets into the blast media, the stuff becomes lumpy and clogs the hose quickly.  If you have a water seperator fitted in the air supply line, check and empty it, if not, fit one!

piet
 
for honing the bushings, well, I took BOTH the old bushings out without thinking things through..... Getting the new ones honed to suit after installation may be a challenge, will have to shop around for an old school machine shop/mechanic with the correct tools, if even available.

I have to cut down the new bushings to proper length to suit this swing arm, and won't have access to my buddies lathe until the upcoming weekend, so while I wait for lathe access I am going to change out the blast media in my bead blasting cabinet and also check the pickup tube and gun for any obstructions. I already do have a decent inline water separator that I plumbed in when I installed the new compressor recently but I'll check it and make sure it is working properly.

as this is a used and custom swing arm of unknown origins, I also have a bunch of measuring to do to make sure everything lines up where it should, and deal with whatever straightening/modifying it may or may not need, and I am going to grind and re weld most of the welds, add the necessary chain guard mounting brackets, etc. Wolfgang apparently acquired this swing arm on a heavily modified Laverda 180 he bought some time ago, which bike he then returned to stock configuration for better resale value, and knows nothing of the custom swing arm's origins or manufacturer. The swing arm is nothing fancy, steel, square tubing, wider than a stock 180 swing arm, set up for a larger swing arm pivot diameter until I just removed those larger id bushings, really beefy wheel mounting points.

the entire purpose of this project is to be able to fit the 4 inch wide gold Astralite to the rear of my 79 1200 already fitted with carbon fiber bodywork and gold striping, I am debating what colour to spray the swing arm once it is mechanically ready to fit - black or gold? Opinions?

Paul LeClair

the other result of this project is that the RGS Executive will be going back to stock RGS silver wheels, and silver control levers, the gold control levers and gold Astralites will all be swapping over to the 79 1200
 
All you need to do now is nuke the green 1200 bodywork from space and the job's a good 'un!  8) :P :-*
 
Grant said:
All you need to do now is nuke the green 1200 bodywork from space and the job's a good 'un!  8) :P :-*

Hi Grant

the orchid green 1200 bodywork with the handfuls of prismatic flake and handfuls of gold flake in the clear coat presently lives in my den/office/computer room under a spotlight on top of a cabinet. It is shimmering at me psychedelically as I type...... 8)

Paul
 
Orchid green, eh?
Take it to the local disco and they can use it as a mirror ball.  :D 8) :LOL:

Joking aside, it looks like you spent a lot of time on it but I still prefer the original Mirage green.

Just waiting for engine parts to come back from Germany so I can button up the engine and finish off the rebuild.

e3fh.jpg

 
Paul and anyone else who wants cheap cold, dry ice will stay at −78.5 ?C until it all turns to vapour (which then heats up the whole earth but that's another story). How to get it to cool Laverda parts? Smash up the dry ice with a hammer into ~1cm diameter pieces (wrap it up in a towel before you smash it or it'll shower everywhere) and make up a slurry of dry ice pieces in acetone. The acetone won't freeze but it will get down to −78.5 ?C. Keep adding chunks of dry ice, dunk your swing arm (or barrels) in the slurry for 10 minutes or so. Then pull it out CAREFULLY (or your skin will freeze to it :o :-X, maybe try using gloves ;)) and start trying to separate the bits.
Not as good as liquid N2 but where are you going to get that stuff and how do you transport it?

Ken
 
I normally use a small antique hand shaper as a slotter for these dreaded bronze bush tasks.

However, you can use a junior hacksaw blade in a purpose built holder/handle.

Get a piece of small diameter round bar that will fit inside the bush with heaps of clearance.

Hacksaw a slot lengthways down it to hold the back of the blade to keep it straight & rigid.

Then superglue the back of the blade into it.

Cheers,

Rob
 
Paul-Happy to see the job is progressing-I now have a new method to consider, thank you. Off the subject-is Grant allowed to post those kind of pics? Seems almost pornographic: two Italian beauties all stripped down under the Spanish sun...I'm typing with one hand...
 
mcnicol said:
dry ice, Not as good as liquid N2 but where are you going to get that stuff and how do you transport it?

Ken

Liquid Nitrogen (-196oC) is vastly superior to dry ice and on another planet from the freezer!
I was lucky enough to work at a large Pharmaceutical plant, we had thousands of litres of the stuff!
I used to use Densotape as a dam on the part to be shrunk if liquid is required INSIDE, or just dip any new item in the liquid for a couple of minutes before fitting (with tongs).
After that the most stubborn part can be thrown in position from metres away it is so loose or the old part drops out like a stone.

Find yourself a Pharmaceutical company or laboratory nearby and if you talk to then nicely enough you may get some.

How to transport Liquid Nitrogen?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Liquid-Nitrogen-Cylinder-Container-Tank-Blue-Carrying-Bag-YDS-2-16-3-4-NEW-/390654424995?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af4d177a3

EASY.
 
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