Girder Fork Bushes

[simon.holyfield]

I'm musing over how best to replace the bushes in my girders. Has anyone used an internal bearing extractor to pull them out? Or a large tap?

I'm thinking it might be feasible to replace them one by one, to save pulling the whole front end to bits.

[Mick D]

Hi Simon

Wouldn't they need line reaming?

Regards Mick

[Simon.Gardiner]

Get some substantial washers, OD about the same as the bush OD. File big flats on two opposite sides until the distance between the flats is reduced enough to allow the washer to be passed through the bushes when turned edge-on.
Insert washer (or washers if one isn't substantial enough) through bush, turn to butt up against internal end of bush and use a bolt (or stud+nut) and a suitable piece of tube (or maybe a socket) to draw the bush out

Alternatively it may be possible to draw a pair out by pulling one right the way through the forks? (I've only seen girders on other folks' Ariels so I'm not if the bushes are in stepped housings or not.)

I think I've seen somewhere that the Club has some OE bushes that are finished to size and don't need reaming, if you can still get them.

(ISomeone will be along who'll know!)

HTH

SG

[MGriffin]

I think youre overthinking this.
I just used a piece of stainless rod with a angle ground at one end and drifted the buggers out. 5min job.

[simon.holyfield]

I think you're overthinking this.
I just used a piece of stainless rod with a angle ground at one end and drifted the buggers out. 5min job.

Probably. It's a job I've been meaning to get around to for ages - I was thinking about how to minimise off-road time.

At the end of the day, these bikes aren't exactly complicated are they!

[paul.jameson]

Mike Griffin used exactly the technique I have always used. I can't remember any ever putting up much resistance. As for replacement bushes, Allan Simpson at Singles Spares will probably have what you need.

[MGriffin]

I think youre overthinking this.
I just used a piece of stainless rod with a angle ground at one end and drifted the buggers out. 5min job.

I bought some 0.608” OD bushes from Drags as the lower fork cross tube had been kindly bored to suit those and the top cross tube I had to use plain old garden type 3/4x5/8 bushes. I suspect someone was chasing out some ovality in the tube there.
neither needed any really reaming but more so just honing out to remove the “crush”.
M.