TR2/3/3A honing out the bushing in the steering box

Best to buy or borrow a 7/8 reamer or you might find a local machinist who will ream it for you. It can be done with a hone but not accurately.
Tom

sp53 said:

I am looking for techniques for honing out the bushing in the steering box. In the past, I have used a brake wheel cylinder hone, but I do not like the results. I only need to remove a small amount and have never tried those hones with blades, but again they look like they chop and leave scares for such a small piece. It almost looks like I could roll up some sand paper and twirl that around until I get enough off the bushing; any ideas are invited.

steve

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If you take it to an auto machine shop they should be able to do a precision fit with a Sunnen or similar hone.
Tom

Are you sure you need to remove anything at all? It's OK if it goes in a little stiff, it will loosen up quickly. I ask only because all of mine have been fine with no reaming at all.

If you do have to ream, my suggestion is a fixed "chucking" reamer. The inexpensive import models will do fine for this job, for as many times as either of us put together is likely to ever do it. Those cheap adjustable reamers with the moveable blades are total crap, IMO, best way possible to ruin your work!

With the fixed reamer, use a stone or diamond hone to blunt the cutting edge slightly. They come with a negative rake suitable for reaming steel, what you want is a tiny area with zero rake so it doesn't dig into the soft brass bushing.

Is it a brass, bronze bush or an oilite bush? Oilite should be bored rather than reamed as reaming tends to close up the tiny oil passageways. At least that was what I was always told. Seem to recall there is a special tool that is inserted into the oilite bush that keeps it sized correctly.

David

I usually fit front cam bearings in T series engines with a hand honing and 600 grit sand paper. It takes a bit of time but all is well in the end. If its a bit tight, like Randall says, it will work in shortly.

Well that is kinda what my gut tells me Randall and Brinkerhoff in that if it is tight it will lap in quickly and anything that cuts is going to do more harm than good. My father in-law left behind a bunch of adjustable reamers that I think are for old kingpins in trucks or something, but my gut tells me I am going to trash this thing if I use them. The last time I reamed a steering box bushing I used a brake hon, but it was too short for the bushing, so I had to pull it up and push it down leading to fit that worked, but is questionable because I think I have high and low spots and once the high spots melt away it is going to be loose. In fact, I almost left this old one in because the movement was very slight. And yes Randall it is very close now, I think I am going to twist up some 600 sandpaper and twirl it around some and see if I can gently force the pin in and then try and turn it with the arm and then let shaft lap itself in.
steve

DavidApp said:

Is it a brass, bronze bush or an oilite bush? Oilite should be bored rather than reamed as reaming tends to close up the tiny oil passageways. At least that was what I was always told. Seem to recall there is a special tool that is inserted into the oilite bush that keeps it sized correctly.

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It was my impression that Oillite was used for dry bearings, the steering box bearing is inside the oil seal and should be lubricated by the box oil. Tom

I was not sure what the bush was made from so I thought it was worth passing on the bit about Oillite bushes.

David

The steering box bushings I have bought from TRF and Moss have all been pre-sized. No honing required. As a gearhead, though, I'd rather be able to hone the bush to min clearance, rather than pre fit. You can get it tighter so it will last longer.