Removing the bush (part 1)
If you are working on a bench and the intention is to blast and refinish the axle, remove stub axles, back plates, brake pipes pipe clips, hand brake clips etc. Makes the axle easier to handle and takes away the risk of accidentally damaging components. Items that need to be replaced can be on order as work progresses.
Note, the orientation of the bush is important. I recommend taking photographs to record the correct positioning of the bush in the axle before removal. These should be referred to when fitting the new bushes.
If the mounting bracket is still attached to the bush remove the long bolt through the bush along with the mounting bracket. In my case the bolt head and nut were so far gone I had to saw between the nut and the washer beneath it. The bolt then came out very easily and the mounting bracket was removed:
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Removal by destruction
There is a method of removing the bush that is posted regularly on the internet, drill the rubber from within the bush and then saw through the resin outer sleeve of the bush in two places along the whole length, cuts should be roughly diametrically opposite and be careful not to cut into the steel of the axle. The two halves now knockout.
A quick and dirty method, again regularly reported on the internet, is to burn the rubber with oxy acetylene; not sure about this one but if you go for this method make sure you have PPE and understanding neighbours. Cut the outer resin as above.
There are two things to consider before you go down this route. Firstly the tools that fit the bush also remove the bush, so unless you have a tool that will only fit bushes, the tools you need to buy to fit are also likely to remove and keep the bush in one piece. Secondly keeping the bush in one piece is good if you intend to restore the axle by blasting it. The old bush can be refitted to protect the bush location surfaces of the axle from blasting grit and paint spray or powder coat.
Removing as described in the manual
DIY tools set up to provide the method of removal described in the manual:
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To set this tool up select the largest sleeve that will pass through the bush location on the axle. It is not possible to select the correct sleeve by measuring the new bush. 71mm suggests a 70mm sleeve would be correct.
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However the resin bush compresses as it enters the housing so the correct bush is one that just slides inside the bush location.
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68 mm OD is the correct sleeve
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Now select the smallest sleeve that the larger diameter end of the bush will slide inside.
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A large bearing puller clamped to the axle provides a thrust surface for the last sleeve selected.
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Set it all up around the bush
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Get the spanners out and start winding, the bushes come out easily when the axle is in good condition.
The next section describes how to remove the bush if the method described in the manual is unsuccessful.