Welcome to the Austin Seven Friends web site and forum

As announced earlier, this forum with it's respective web address will go offline within the next days!
Please follow the link to our new forum

http://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/forum

and make sure, you readjust your link button to the new address!

Welcome Austin seven Friends
This Forum is Locked
Author
Comment
Track Rod End Bushes

Hi. Is it necessary to ream new track rod end bushes after fitting? Thanks.

Location: South Derbyshire

Re: Track Rod End Bushes

Yes - essential Matt.

Re: Track Rod End Bushes

Thanks Ruairidh. I've realised this now as the track rod is mega stiff. I guess it's a case of disassembly and reaming.

Location: South Derbyshire

Re: Track Rod End Bushes

Yes - easy job but essential, also, make sure the grease hole in the bush is lined up with the hole of the grease nipple!

Re: Track Rod End Bushes

Thanks, I got that part right!

Location: South Derbyshire

Re: Track Rod End Bushes

Must be a modern day phenomenon as I have never needed to ream track rod bushes bought from older spare parts suppliers, is this just another case of the poor quaility of parts supplied?

Location: Bristol

Re: Track Rod End Bushes

I have always reamed them Ian - I like them to be a good fit in the eye of the track rod arm (oversize are available if the eye is worn - often the case), consequently they squish slightly on fitting and will require opening back out.

I find the quality, availability and price of spares extraordinarily good these days. Any (small) issues I have experienced are always cleared up very quickly with suppliers.

Problems are a minuscule issue in my experience and, lets be honest, inevitable in any supply chain. Long standing business would not still be operating if they made a habit of supplying poor quality parts.

Poor assembly, after sale, has its part to play in many cases however.

Re: Track Rod End Bushes

Hi Ruairidh, I know what you mean about bushes squishing have had it happen on BMC 'A' series engines on the rocker bushes on more than one occasion ( but not always).I am surprised that you get much compression on such a small and robust bush such as the track rods.
I have had cases of someone saying they couldn't get the pins in as the bush was too tight, on investigation found that the track rod jaw was on the twist, which as you know should be released so you can wiggle the pins in and then tighten the jaw back up checking free movement is still present. Still think maybe the bushes supplied today are a tad oversize.
I have had Locktite close up larger bushes (not Austin 7) that then needed reamimg, has anyone else ever had this happen? Cheers Ian

Location: Bristol

Re: Track Rod End Bushes

For many years the Seven WORKSHOP has supplied both standard and 10 thou o/s bushes (outside diameter that is).
If you buy and fit the o/s inadvertently or otherwise then you will need to ream.

Location: Bristol