Suggestions on replacing Hydraulic lift shaft bushings.

JEK1 · Feb 17, 2013

I have an 8N where the hydraulic lift control bushings are worn badly. (Like about 1/8 wobble) I have always avoided replacing them because they were never this bad and it looks like a real dog fight get the bushing out and replace. I have slugged the lift arms a couple of times with a hammer and they didn’t show any sign of movement.

Any suggestion or procedures on how to replace the rock shaft bearings? Should I just live with it? Does the lift work better when the bushings are changed?

I have oxy-acetylene for heat, a very good 20 ton hydraulic press, and a sledge hammer.

Royse · Feb 17, 2013

Is there something wrong with the way your lift works now?
I have one with worn out bushings, not quite as bad as that, but it still works fine.
If there's a problem with the lift, it may be something else.
Hobo NC has a method he has posted using an air chisel you can find in the archives.
My 8N had a broken top cover, so I cut it off and then used an oxy/acetylene
torch with a rosebud and a 20 ton press to get the arms off the shaft. (also in the archives)
They sure didn't come off easy, and I don't think I could have gotten any
thing behind them to press against with the top cover still attached.
I probably would have broken the top cover trying to press against it.
If they really need to be replace before damaging the cover, you might want
to consider buying replacement arms and just cutting the old ones off with
a cutoff wheel. Split them side to side, the way the rock shaft runs, then
put a chisel in the split to spread it and then tap them off.

JEK1 · Feb 17, 2013

Royce,
Thank You for your reply. As you said, it is just like tangling with a bear.

Dean · Feb 17, 2013

I've replaced the rock shaft bushings on all of my vintage Fords.

Bushing replacement is a routine matter once the upper lift arms are removed and the lift cover is disassembled.

You will likely find that the rock shaft is worn on the load side, probably more so than are the bushings. Turn the roch shaft end for end upon reassembly such that it wears on the unworn side.

Dean

ZANE · Feb 18, 2013

Save yourself a lot of anguish and leave it alone.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
Zane

Hobo,NC · Feb 18, 2013

http://ytforums.ytmag.com/viewtopic.php?t=929902&highlight=press

Teakettle · Feb 18, 2013

It can be done. I got the rockshaft and bushings out of a lift cover as part of moving all the guts over to another lift cover that didn't have a crack almost all the way across it (the PO clearly had done something he shouldn't). The process was, basically: remove the cylinder, linkage, etc. from the cover, then every day for a week spray a little Kroil between the bushings and the cover, then wail away at the shaft end for ten minutes with a dead-blow hammer. Amazingly, the last day the shaft practically fell out. That was in the days when I had a lot more patience than I have now...

Suggestions on replacing Hydraulic lift shaft bushings.

JEK1

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Royse

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JEK1

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Dean

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ZANE

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Hobo,NC

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Teakettle

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