10 replies to this topic

[gazza01]

Hi there.

 

I have very slight play in 1 of the radius arms and have been told that you can sometimes fix this with just a pin change.

Can someone please give me a run through of this. What I need to do exactly. Please just this. Not all the whys and wherefores. 

Thanks in advance.

[alex-95]

Have you got a haynes manual? jack up car etc, take off undo 2 big bolts either side of pin, remove the support bracket and remove pin keeping the arm supported, put in new pin and stick it all back together.

**Then you'll still probably have play in the arm.**

 

The bush and bearing is whats going to be worn as the bush is a lot softer than the pin..

[nicklouse]

The bush and bearing is whats going to be worn as the bush is a lot softer than the pin..

 not actually true.

[alex-95]

 

The bush and bearing is whats going to be worn as the bush is a lot softer than the pin..

 not actually true.

 

More than likely though? 

 

It could be rusty and pitted which I have had and had a bearing collapse which has worn the pin. 

[Fast Ivan]

 

The bush and bearing is whats going to be worn as the bush is a lot softer than the pin..

 not actually true.

 

come on nick you know the rules, you need to quantify that statement :)

[Spider]

 

 

The bush and bearing is whats going to be worn as the bush is a lot softer than the pin..

 not actually true.

 

come on nick you know the rules, you need to quantify that statement :)

 

 

While I haven't checked them lately, I've found the replacement pins very soft. If they have any hardening, it's only a wafer thin shell and so is worse than just being a soft pin.

 

I have my pins made (at HUGE cost) but still buy the kits for all the other bits. I then usually turn the pins up for use as spacers on the shock, they are great for that.

[RedRuby]

Just a thought but have you tried greasing the arm, and checking that the large nuts are fully done up, if it is only slight play that might sort it.

[nicklouse]

 

 

The bush and bearing is whats going to be worn as the bush is a lot softer than the pin..

 not actually true.

 

come on nick you know the rules, you need to quantify that statement :)

 

and I still have not remembered the terminology that I am looking for.

 

http://www.theminifo...ar#entry3345937

 

but more commonly it is the lack of service and greasing that allows other materials to be compacted into the bush surface and that promotes the wear.

[tiger99]

You are just wasting time and money if you put a new pin in old bushes and bearings. Would you put a new crankshaft in yur old bearing shells? Well, some cheapskates here probably would, and then wonder why they needed a complete new engine....

Certain suppliers are knowingly supplying pins that are not to the original specification. The originals, properly greased every 2000 miles as per original BMC servicing instructions, were often good for 100k miles or more. I actually went well beyond that on one car.

I know, from having machined an old one to make something else, that the correct part had extremely tough hardening at the needle roller end and good, deep hardening, over 1mm, throughout the rest of its length. If you can't get these now, it says a lot about the ignorance, corruption and greed which have recently come to dominate the supply chain.

Bearing suppliers make relatively inexpensive hardened and ground inner sleeves to enable needle rollers to run on soft shafts. I can't see why they would not work with bronze bushes too. So you could get the old pin ends machined to the correct diameter and get two of these pressed on. It would be much better than using a uselessly soft pin from the current suppliers. But if you do that, it is vital that the machined areas end in a nice radius to avoid introducing stress raisers which would cause fatigue failure of the modified pin. The machining also needs to be to the exact diameter stated by the manufacturer or the sleeve will either move and wear the shaft or be forcibly expanded and be too tight in the bearings.

These sleeves are widely used in industry, for new or repair work, and it says much about the (in)competence of our spares suppliers that they have been not introduced for this purpose, and for the front upper arms.

In any case you will need to be able to line ream the new bush, or procure an exchange arm. Get a good pin somehow, grease the thing well and often, and you may never need to replace it again.

[Tommyboy12]

You can get away with a new pin and fresh grease if the play is minimal and the wear is in the shaft. Its what I did and it took away all the play. The shafts do seem to be very soft.

[AlexMozza]

A recon arm with new pin, Bush and bearing is the way to go. Correctly reamed out will give you years of motoring :)