Front and rear Spring Bushings 5781 or CO1T-5781-A and 5781 or CO1T-5781-A

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Ian,

I bought similar front pins from Dennis Carpenter however they were Chinese repros. They were such a tight fit on the pins that I didn't use them and waited until some NOS came along.

The Dennis Carpenter ones could have been used with a bit of careful reaming. As most of these parts come out of the same factory in China it is something to be aware of if you use a repro bushing.

The rear bushings of course are much larger diameter and seem to be harder to find.

The originals are of interesting construction. I don't think the bronze liner is pressed into the steel sleeve because it is of extremely thin wall thickness, Unlikely to press in without crushing. I believe the bronze is pressure bonded to the steel similar to Raco Ware in Australia, or Revere Ware in the US. I cannot detect even the smallest gaps between the steel and bronze even at the lengthwise split. I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time, and happy to be corrected if so.

Bronze bushings on steel pins is preferable but as Lynn says others have used steel bushings on steel pins. You would however want the best surface finish possible on the inside of the bushing to prevent chewing up the pins.

Cheers,

[Lynn Eades]

just to add to Jacques's post. Matching dis-similar metals is best. With a hard surfaced pin (eg. a chromed and ground surface) a softer steel bush is best.
You don't want too much side clearance.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Guys

In the last several posts some interesting things have come up. Maybe we need a discussion of how to install and fit the bushings and pins.

For example you need to have a pin in the bushing as it is pressed into the spring eye to reduce chance of distorting the bushing if the spring eye is not round.

Or pressing the bushing in instead of driving it in.

Or leaving the old bushing in place and putting a long snug fitting rod through the old bushing and the new bushing and using the new bushing to push the old bushing out as the new is installed.

Buying bushings that to long and cutting them off to fit after they are installed.

Just some thoughts.

Cheers Phil

[Mike K]

Years ago i used to buy the bushes from Jacobs spring works in Oakleigh but they are probably long gone .

It's often the case that the spring eye is not a perfectly circular shape , the eye can be worn to a oval shape or it may have been originally manufactured slightly out of round which makes installing a new round bush a difficult job.

If you have access to a lathe you can machine some new bushes to suit your springs. Measure each spring eye dimension and then make each bush to suit each eye.

You could fit a bronze liner into the machined steel bush , make the bronze liner thicker than required, press it in, then bore it to suit the pin diameter.

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Years ago i used to buy the bushes from Jacobs spring works in Oakleigh but they are probably long gone .

It's often the case that the spring eye is not a perfectly circular shape , the eye can be worn to a oval shape or it may have been originally manufactured slightly out of round which makes installing a new round bush a difficult job.

If you have access to a lathe you can machine some new bushes to suit your springs. Measure each spring eye dimension and then make each bush to suit each eye.

You could fit a bronze liner into the machined steel bush , make the bronze liner thicker than required, press it in, then bore it to suit the pin diameter.

Yeah Mike,
I actually have a lathe (yet to assemble in my workshop), but I think procurement method might be better time wise My motto has always been if you have to spend a month making a small item, it's probably better to buy one.

I would probably have to practice for about a year to be good enough to turn out one bush. Better men than me have mastered lathes, I can skim a commutator and probably make a pin, but that's where my skills (and I am an electrical fitter) ends.

PS I have all my fingers...still

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Hi Guys

In the last several posts some interesting things have come up. Maybe we need a discussion of how to install and fit the bushings and pins.

For example you need to have a pin in the bushing as it is pressed into the spring eye to reduce chance of distorting the bushing if the spring eye is not round.

Or pressing the bushing in instead of driving it in.

Or leaving the old bushing in place and putting a long snug fitting rod through the old bushing and the new bushing and using the new bushing to push the old bushing out as the new is installed.

Buying bushings that to long and cutting them off to fit after they are installed.

Just some thoughts.

Cheers Phil

My method is to place a stake or wide blade into the split end of the eye of the spring and spread it slightly prior to installing a new bush. It takes a bit of force but with a 12" cold chisel with a 1" blade you can hammer it into the split and spread the eye just enough to make the bush slide in with little effort. Being mindful its spring steel and it has a force stored when you do this!

The bushes must be pressed in and not hammered using a solid tube as close to the bush diameter as possible. (some sockets are good). With the eye spread the bush sometimes goes all the way in, but a press is handy for the final placing.

That is a good tip to add the centre pin, I haven't done that in the past, but it would reduce the chance of crushing your nice new bush. (been there, & done that)

Having reamed the eye hole with a brake wheel cylinder hone and suitable lubrication first.
Its a messy job and you have to go slowly so as to not damage the hone.

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Ian,

I bought similar front pins from Dennis Carpenter however they were Chinese repros. They were such a tight fit on the pins that I didn't use them and waited until some NOS came along.

The Dennis Carpenter ones could have been used with a bit of careful reaming. As most of these parts come out of the same factory in China it is something to be aware of if you use a repro bushing.

The rear bushings of course are much larger diameter and seem to be harder to find.

The originals are of interesting construction. I don't think the bronze liner is pressed into the steel sleeve because it is of extremely thin wall thickness, Unlikely to press in without crushing. I believe the bronze is pressure bonded to the steel similar to Raco Ware in Australia, or Revere Ware in the US. I cannot detect even the smallest gaps between the steel and bronze even at the lengthwise split. I could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time, and happy to be corrected if so.

Bronze bushings on steel pins is preferable but as Lynn says others have used steel bushings on steel pins. You would however want the best surface finish possible on the inside of the bushing to prevent chewing up the pins.

Cheers,

Yes Jaques,

It appears that the bronze insert is two pieces on some....but not all.

Steel pin bushes might be easier to obtain. I don't think i want to wait to find NOS ones.

the pins appear to be ok; Very little wear, so I am guessing that the bronze took the wear out.

A tight fitting pin on the bush would be ok, I could probably ream it out a little. A shame they are not the same size as Land Rover ones

Cheers,

Ian