Today I finally got the bushings replaced in the connecting rod. I had been sawing on the old bushings for about a week trying to get them out. This was to no avail. I could not get a strait cut with the hack saw blade. I finally got sick of this and took the connecting rod to a tractor mechanic at Dordals implement.It only took Mike at Dordals about 10 mins to get the old bushings out and get the new ones in. He used a air hammer to remove the old bushing. DOH!! I have one of those but never even dawned on me to use it for that. He took the chisel bit and peeled the bushing that I had cut notches in with my hack saw. Bloop out it came. He then stuck a socket that was the right size into the end that he removed the cut bushing. this rested on the other bushing from the inside. He then stuck a extension onto the socket. Using a blunt bit for the air hammer. He hammered on the socket. He stuck the other end of the connecting rod onto another socket that was the same size as the opening of the connecting rod. Bloop out popped the other bushing. Makes me mad I didn't think of that. Hope I explained that good enough. He then just hammered in the new ones with a big sledge hammer and a bushing tool. He only charged me $10 for the effort. It must have been all the ewwing and aweing I was doing. Also the "dang Mike you really know your stuff" After a week of hack sawing I would have paid about any thing just to get it done. When I got home I put the plunger back together. New bearings, Sharp blade and new connecting rod bushings. I had previously reset the rails that the bearings ride in all the way out. They had been adjusted in to compensate for bearing wear. Of course I broke a few bolts in the process. Braham hardware is selling me quite a few bolts for this project. Needless to say the plunger is all rebuilt and back in the machine. Should be ready to bale any time now!!!!
Thanks to all those that helped me on this project. You are great!!! Whew!! what a project. I have photos and every thing on my web site. Just click this link then click on the New Holland 68 tab on the left side of my web page.
| 
