MF 50 Hi Arch spindles stuck

The bushings on my MF 50 Hi Arch spindles are worn out, so I decided to replace them. I took the wheel off and the top arm and half moon key. The spindle only slides about 1/3 of the way out and comes to a dead stop. I took the grease fitting out just to be sure. I also filed the top of the spindle in case there was any mushrooming. No luck. Still will not move. Tapped it a few times. Nothing.
Any ideas. It turns freely as well as slides up and down. I filled it full of PB Blaster to see if that helps.Any ideas?
Thanks
Marion

I think the center of the spindle is probably really rusty, and it won't fit though the lower bushing. I'd get a solid piece of aluminum, and a big hammer to see if it will move (it may even knock the lower bushing out for you).

The UK MF 362 in the photos was only just drivable with the kingpins almost completely seized. If it had not been for the hydrostatic steering it would have been impossible. I started off by greasing the KPs but that did not help at all as it was impossible for grease to pass the bushes. The bar with the plate on the end is nearly 6' in length and even with that it was difficult to turn each side individually. With a great deal of patience penetrating spray and sweat both started to turn a limited amount.
Progress was made by inverting the stub axles in the centre beam and by placing a jack with a spiggot and centre point on it. By jacking up slightly the front weight of the tractor eased the KP outwards. After a little progress the jack was lowered, the KP was knocked back down and oil worked into the bushes. As the KPs were pushed out longer spiggots were used. It was then jacked up again and a little more progress made.
The photos show how it was done. It will be a very slow and tiring job but very rewarding when you have beaten it.

Do not apply excessive force as the KP will jam in the bush in the stub axle.
Good luck.
DavidP, South Wales

That sure beats using a hammer for sure, that's pretty creative DavidP.

Thanks for all the replys. I filled it to the rim with PB Blaster last night,and it's still there in a pool on top of the spindle. Looks like rust in the middle for sure. I will be working on it this weekend and will let you know how I came out.
Thanks again
MM

Well, I used a combination of methods. I tried to pound the spindle out with an aluminum bar, but no luck. I then turned it upside down per DavidP; no luck. I then took the entire arm with the stuck spindle off of 'the front beam and put it in the back of my truck. I drove up the the largest sweetgum tree on my place and wrapped the chain around the tree and the hub of the spindle. I made sure that it would not put any pressure on the wheel axle. I then put another chain around the housing of the spindle that goes into the front of the tractor and hitched it to my truck. Pulled it " tire spinning tight." I then took out my 10 lb sledge and hammered on the thick bar of the arm and after about 5 taps, it popped loose. Redneck engineering at it's finest!
I'm not exactly sure what happened to cause it to stick. There is a rough groove in the spindle that I cannot figure out how it got there. There is also a much smaller groove on the housing they looks like it might have repaired. Could also have been related to grease fitting. Still have some measuring to do.
Anyway, not sure how to use washer and bolt to remove bushing.
Can anyone help me on that or any other method?
Thanks
Marion

I wouldn't be surprised if someone stuck a bolt, or something in where the grease fitting was to plug the hole off because the grease fitting was missing at one time. When looking at used tractors I'm simply amazed at the ways some things are "fixed". On getting the bushings out if you can find where the busing is split you can take a hammer, and chisel then start peeling the pushing towards the inside. If you can't see where it's split a saws all with a good blade, and carefully making two cuts 180 degrees apart, or a dremmel tool with small grinding wheel to cut through the bushing will help loosen the bushing up.

Well,it took a lot of hammering, but I got it! I took a Dremel tool and cut a groove down the center of both bushings, but stopped short of all the way through. The top bushing came out fairly easy;less than 30 hammer blows. The bottom bushing was a bear. I used 3/4 pipe as a drift, but it moved very little.I finally found a piece of metal closet rod that would just fit inside the bushing when I pounded on the end. As the rod was driven into the bushing, it slide on out. That"s when I looked into the chase and found a groove neatly cut into the housing and got really mad at myself for doing that. Then i realized that the bushing I cut was still in one piece.The groove I was looking at was cut years ago when someone else replaced the bushing. That explained why it was so hard to take out. I had to file down the edges, but then the new bushings went in just fine. Thanks for all the advice. You never know what you"ll find when you start tearing into old iron