My Willys 3A and 3B Community

3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Modifications"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Incites => Topic started by: garage gnome on July 06, 2013, 10:02:12 PM

Title: Bell crank bearings to a bushing
Post by: garage gnome on July 06, 2013, 10:02:12 PM

My 49 had a bad case of the death wobble, as Ryan knows. I knew it was the bell crank bearings causing it. Instead of replacing them with new ones, I decided to try a different approach.

My bearings were not too bad, bit worn enough to have lots of slop.

(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/35CD8267-2B06-47CF-A6A0-43646443AD55-1778-000002684600CBFB.jpg)

I got this bearing grade bronze alloy to make my new bushing.

(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/BD2A1EBD-473F-4297-B390-B8A5D4253430-1778-000002684BB08A20.jpg)

Turning down to size on the lathe.

(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/32D8D0A6-B359-4EF2-B7C3-66D20DA27E08-1778-00000268517753DF.jpg)

Boring the hole out.

(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/BB88BEAE-3916-4FFD-9E78-FC9123FBE1E7-1778-00000268563AD9EF.jpg)

After is is all set, I drilled a hole in it for the grease.

(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx125/willyscjmj/3CB6EB90-3C14-4A5A-AB50-DC571A580098-1778-000002685CE69F4F.jpg)

I put it back together, and wow, the steering is nice and tight. Zero slop now. Hopefully this will last longer than those needle bearings. It should if it gets greased regularly.

Title: Re: Bell crank bearings to a bushing
Post by: garage gnome on July 06, 2013, 10:08:17 PM

I'll take it for a test drive tomorrow once I drain out the water contaminated gas thats in it...  ::) If it steers better than my '53, then I'll be making another for that one!

Title: Re: Bell crank bearings to a bushing
Post by: F Bill on July 07, 2013, 08:24:27 AM

Hey that boring bar holder looks really familiar.. Does yours have weird head sizes on the clamp bolts?

I'm surprised to see you still using the old style tool post.

Nice work, I'll be watching to see how it performs.

Title: Re: Bell crank bearings to a bushing
Post by: garage gnome on July 07, 2013, 12:29:15 PM

Yeah, it does have a weird size. I think it is metric. I do know that it is adjustable though!

Why, is there some new fangled thing I should be using for the tools?

I drove it around the shop some and it seemed good. I'll take it for a longer ride this afternoon.

Title: Re: Bell crank bearings to a bushing
Post by: F Bill on July 07, 2013, 12:51:04 PM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271153274345?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I bought one from CDC machine tool company, had a local machine shop adapt it to my compound and am pretty happy with how solid it makes the tool. Of course an atlas tool post is pretty flexy compared to yours.