MKB Forum

Bush?

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/v8_nate/VW%20Bay%201968%20Project/ScreenShot2013-10-30at081902.png)

Any ideas?

I've tried PowerFlex, but they said they cannot help. (http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/ImLost.gif)

Dunno.  Can only suggest googling all manufacturers and asking but I'm guessing you've already done that.

Is this for your suspension legs ? - What do the makers of that part say ??

Yes, although I haven't contacted all of them yet, there does not seem like that many in the first place (http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/chiny.gif)



Yes, they are for the spring-plate connection to the torsion bar / axle.

This bit:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/v8_nate/VW%20Bay%201968%20Project/DSCF4245.jpg)

Goes in here:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/v8_nate/VW%20Bay%201968%20Project/DSCF4244.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/v8_nate/VW%20Bay%201968%20Project/DSCF4247.jpg)

The bushes are technically the correct dimensions for a stock setup, however, I am installing adjustable spring-plates on my bus which is what is causing the problem.

The way the spring-plate is fabricated means instead of having one sized 'tube' with splines in for the torsion bar to connect with, you have two 'tubes' which creates the adjusting mechanism. However, to make one 'tube' fit into another, you obviously need to make one of them bigger.

Now one tube is a few mm larger, when you squeeze the bush on to it, the mass / thickness of the bush remains the same but the 'stretch' of it means it is too big for the recess in the chassis. (http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/chiny.gif)

What I could really do with is just skimming a 2mm off the outer circumference of the bush like this:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/v8_nate/VW%20Bay%201968%20Project/ScreenShot2013-10-30at124419.png)

Surely the company that supplied the adjustable spring plate have encountered this issue before ??

They have now gone out of business, but not for this issue.

Plenty of people have installed these parts, but I think they have re-used old bushes which will have been squashed due to years of use.

I am thinking I just need something spinning and a grinder? (http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/chiny.gif)

(http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/diy.gif) (http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/polish.gif)

It's possible.  There's old skool guys that create white wall tyres by spinning the wheels and using a grinder to take off some of the rubber on white-lettered tyres.

I've never seen the results close-up but it's the same deal . . . only on a smaller scale.

(http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/chiny.gif)

Get someone with a lathe to put it on some sort of mandrel, get it turning around 100-200 rpm, get a tool ground up like a knife blade but vertical. Heat that up with a torch till it's pretty hot but not glowing or gone past straw colour. Bring this is from the front cutting backwards. You should effectively skim the bush.

I've been practising this on my slot car drag tyres. Doesn't leave the best surface finish but I don't know how critical that is to you?

What if you stuck it in a freezer, then tried to turn it - reckon you'd get a better finish, then ??

I have suggested that before the last time CP brought up the subject of turning rubber. (http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/tongue.gif)

Interesting points, thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm going to fibd someone with a lathe-type setup. I'll keep you posted (http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/security.gif)

Browsing around and I found this:

http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?1244-Cutting-rubber-blocks&p=9820&viewfull=1#post9820

(http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/chiny.gif)

If once I have spoken to the local engineering places they cannot help, I might have to get a Dremmel sooner than I thought. It has been on the 'buy' list for a while now though.

(http://mkb-cc.yanksrule.co.uk//Forum/smileys/ebayanim.gif)