ralph289

I need to replace the strut bushing in my strut I believe it is an Octura unit but Fuller Fast Electrics sells them.

I believe I have located the correct bushing for it, just waiting for them to arrive. They are real short about 7/16" long and seems thicker then the usual strut bushing that is longer with holes in it.
Any idea how to get the old one out ?? I have tried everything even heating up the strut then trying to knock it out from the other side. It will not move.
Ray Fuller says I need to "tap in the new one the old one goes back farther and stays inside. " Sounds like that may work as there is a space between the front and back bushing. But next time there would be no more room for another bushing, would sure like to take the bad one out, this would give more room for grease also.
Anyone done one of these or have ideas ?
THANKS
Ralph

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

The bushing OD is a nominal size and can be found in a small set of straight punches, if not seperate. I think Sears sells them individually. They are usually just a little bit undersize, just for this kind of job. Find one that has the same OD as your bushings.

The hard part is not smashing the strut barrel. The only way I've found is blocking the tounge of the strut (end with the slot) in a vise to hold it, and using another small block under the small lip of the strut barrel to stop it from slipping down when the bushings are struck.

The strut barrel is the same size all the way through, so you have to keep tapping on the top bushing to remove the bottom one and it might get hard to tap.

You can go with the next smaller straight punch in the set and get past the top one to remove the bottom one first before the top one hits.

I would try and remove them also for more grease.

I would hit from the nose piece side so that stays put - it is just pressed in and it might be a lighter press than the bushing.

You can come from each side with the new ones, they dont have to be driven through the barrel.

If possible, use a stub shaft inside the bushings when installing, to help keep them aligned and the bore ID from collapsing undersize.

If you have a vise, putting the new ones in should be squeezed in with it to keep the ends of the bushings from mushrooming over with hammer strikes. Use some thin ply to protect the ends of the bushings from the jaws, and it will also help start them. After they are started just a little bit in the vise, back the vise off and let the bushings straighten and start some more.

Keeping the old bushings in increases the force needed to do the job and thats not good.

What would really help the job is a short piece of good solid tubing that will pass the bushings but small enough to support the back of the strut barrel to clear the punch and the old bushing when pressed or tapped, or simply a piece of plate that is strong enough that has the bushings OD diameter drilled in it and can be held in the vise and is used to place the strut barrel on to let the punch and the bushing pass.

ralph289

Boy, sure doesn't sound like fun. I should have the tools I need but it is going to be a pain by the way it sounds. I thought for sure it would move when I heated it up. Like you said going to have to have it well supported in a vise or maybe in a block of wood.
Thanks for the pointers.

jetpack

My Feedback: (1)

No sweat on this end. The second time having to do it goes pretty good, the first one is always a bear.

It wasn't a bad idea to try and heat it up, but the bushings are pretty thin and heat up just as fast as the strut so there's no gain. Brass and bronze also have about the same expansion rate of aluminum which doesn't help.

f16man

How about using a small rat tail file and file thru one side this will colapse the old bushing and relive the press fit, you also my have some corrosion between the bushing and the strut bore so some penitrating oil could also help things loosen up. This ones gonna take a little patience but she's gotta come out. one other meathod would be to find a tap that would thread the inside of the bushing and fix up some kind of slide hammer like a body work dent puller bip it out of there. GOOD LUCK.

ralph289

Yes I had thought about cutting the bushing also I now have it soaking in some WD-40 too, untill I get the new bushings.
Had not thought about the tap idea, that may work but it is really in there.
THANKS
Ralph

toyotatruckin

believe it is an Octura unit but Fuller Fast Electrics sells them,
if its my old rigger it was a fullers

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Drill them out, it's that simple.
I've made my own brass bushings out of tubing, you can make quite a few of them for a buck.
I flare the prop end and cut it to the length that you need. To hold grease I put diagonal slots in it using a Dremel cut-off wheel then clean out any shavings with a drill bit.
What's cool is that you can then pull the bushing out when you lube the flex cable and just dip the bushing in the grease. Coat your cable then slide it into your stuffing tube and the grease won't get wiped off when going through the bushing.

ralph289

Sounds good Ron, Good ideas.
Ralph