TheSamba.com :: View topic - Bus Center Pin Replacement (Long, MANY pics)

Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:19 pm

sled wrote: thanks greg. Where did you get your reamer? and what did you pay? I had a hell of a time finding someone who could supply them for a relatively reasonable price (not from the UK)

I got mine from Baum tools

http://www.baumtools.com/home.php

Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:42 pm

for a reamer, i would try other sources, like Metric and Multistandard before ordering from Baum tools. Baum is usually overpriced. however, for some reason sometimes they seem to be the only people that have certain things.

As i said in my initial post, the kit pictured (Febi/Bilstein) contains a poor bolt, and i don't use them. The non threaded portion of the bolt is too short, and the teeth of the bolt can gouge the pin, especially if the pivot arm is loose on the pin or the bolt is not torqued properly or comes loose, allowing movement of the arm and pin.
here's a pic of damage.

I've been using modified correct DIN 960 bolts that have the correct length of non threaded shaft. the parts book specifies a 60mm length for 1966 and newer, and this length sticks out past the end of the pivot arm. the length of the earlier bolt is 42mm, and does not stick out nearly as far.

here are a bunch of comparison pics to show different bolts and how they fit in the pivot arm:
Correct late style bolt installed. Notice overall length and the amount it sticks out of the pivot arm.

Early style bolt installed. Notice how the bolt is nearly flush where it comes out of the pivot arm.

Left: Modified, modern DIN 960 10G bolt. This is correct length as specified by the latest updated Split Bus parts book. Length is 50mm.
2nd from left: Bolt that comes with Febi/Bilstein kit. This is correct length as specified by the latest updated Split Bus parts book. Length is 50mm.
3rd from left: Modified, modern DIN 960 10G bolt. This is the length of early style pinch bolts. Length is 42mm.
Right: Original early style Rasche 8G bolt. Length is 42mm.

Original Rasche 8G early style center pin pinch bolt. Notice length of non threaded shaft.

Original Rasche 8G early style center pin pinch bolt. Original (bottom) compared to a modern, modified 10G DIN 960 bolt (top).

Original Rasche 8G early style center pin pinch bolt as the end sticks out of the pivot arm.

Original Rasche 8G early style center pin pinch bolt showing non-threaded shaft where bolt passes through pivot arm.

Modified, modern 10G DIN 960 bolt showing non-threaded shaft where bolt passes through pivot arm. Early style.

Modified, modern 10G DIN 960 bolt as the end sticks out of the pivot arm. Early style.

Modified, modern 10G DIN 960 bolt as the end sticks out of the pivot arm. Late style.

Modified, modern 10G DIN 960 bolt. Showing non-threaded shaft where bolt passes through pivot arm. Late style.

The bolt that comes with Febi/Bilstein center pin kit as the end sticks out of the pivot arm.

The bolt that comes with Febi/Bilstein center pin kit.
Hardly any non threaded shaft where bolts passes through the slot of the pin.
The teeth of the bolt could eat in to the pin, causing premature wear.

Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:09 pm

From time to time I like to re-read this thread, just to reinforce in my own mind the way a mechanic should go about his work as well as how a procedure should be taught to others.

This procedure is not rocket science once you have seen it come apart. Even with ghetto-rigged tools, the job can still be done okay if you know what you're trying to accomplish.

Sun Dec 20, 2009 6:40 pm

Nice thread

Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:34 am

Just ordered my kit and rented the reamer from WW today. Wish me luck, though with this writeup, I'm feeling pretty confident.

Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:43 am

I did my center pin using this post and it was extremely helpful.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:27 pm

Received my stuff from WW today. I was looking at the rental reamer and noticed it's not 24 mm, but 31/32. According to my calculations, that's .0968 inches, which equals 24.5872 mm.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:26 pm

Ollie W wrote: Received my stuff from WW today. I was looking at the rental reamer and noticed it's not 24 mm, but 31/32. According to my calculations, that's .0968 inches, which equals 24.5872 mm.

PM me if that becomes an issue. I have a fix for you.

Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:38 pm

Ollie W wrote: Received my stuff from WW today. I was looking at the rental reamer and noticed it's not 24 mm, but 31/32. According to my calculations, that's .0968 inches, which equals 24.5872 mm.

Measure it with a micrometer, it could have been reground. I'm going to have Pacific Reamer in Oakland regrind a 31/32 reamer down to 24mm so I can do my center pin. They quoted me around $50 for the regrind.

Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:44 am

dstefun wrote: Ollie W wrote: Received my stuff from WW today. I was looking at the rental reamer and noticed it's not 24 mm, but 31/32. According to my calculations, that's .0968 inches, which equals 24.5872 mm.

Measure it with a micrometer, it could have been reground. I'm going to have Pacific Reamer in Oakland regrind a 31/32 reamer down to 24mm so I can do my center pin. They quoted me around $50 for the regrind.

That's a good point, I'll check it tonight. Today, I'm off to the hardware store to get the right DIN 960 10G bolt.

Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:57 am

dstefun wrote: Measure it with a micrometer, it could have been reground. I'm going to have Pacific Reamer in Oakland regrind a 31/32 reamer down to 24mm so I can do my center pin. They quoted me around $50 for the regrind.

Dave! Good to see ya back in Samba land.

Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:31 pm

Ollie W wrote: Received my stuff from WW today. I was looking at the rental reamer and noticed it's not 24 mm, but 31/32. According to my calculations, that's .0968 inches, which equals 24.5872 mm.

I have the kit and rental reamer on order from WW too, due tomorrow. Would love to hear of any issues you find with that.

Got started on disassembly tonite and it has gone swimmingly so far. Was able to drive the old lower bushing up to where it contacts the upper bushing relatively easily, but I'm now at the "Wheaties point" (edit: described in another good writeup of the procedure here) where I am driving both bushings and it's not budging just yet. I may have to go the allthread puller route. And eat some Wheaties.

Great thread, and awesome original writeup, Jon. Thanks.

Tue Apr 20, 2010 11:16 pm

I hate to ask a dumb question but did you remove the zert? Once, I had forgotten to remove tha zert and the bushing hit it when I was whacking my bushing driver.

Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:22 am

Campy wrote: I hate to ask a dumb question but did you remove the zert? Once, I had forgotten to remove tha zert and the bushing hit it when I was whacking my bushing driver.

Yeah, I pulled it out before I even took off the clamp bolt. Thanks for checking, though.

Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:13 am

I tried the all-thread method too, when I got to the point where the two bushings were together and didn't seem to want to budge. The all thread (5/16) just bent my doubled up fender washers.

I ended up pounding them out with my heavy weight masonry hammer an old socket and a piece of steel. Boy was my wrist tired afterwards.

Oh, one other thing. Make sure to use some cutting fluid or even WD-40 when reaming otherwise it's a bear to turn that bit.

Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:36 am

Compliments to Hazetguy, this is a very handy tutorial!!

I've replaced the centerpin as well last year and didn't had any of those tools.. took me half a day to complete it and also found out that the new kit didn't matched so had to let them fix..

I bet it's a lot easier with these tools..

This should be a sticky!! =D>

Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:51 am

Ollie W wrote: I ended up pounding them out with my heavy weight masonry hammer an old socket and a piece of steel. Boy was my wrist tired afterwards.

Oh, one other thing. Make sure to use some cutting fluid or even WD-40 when reaming otherwise it's a bear to turn that bit.

OK, got 'em out. I had to jack the bus up higher for more swingin' room, and I alternated between a hammer and a heavy handheld bodywork dolly. Finally started seeing a little movement--not to mention that unmistakable change in tone that says it's moving--and it just got easier from there. My wrist isn't that sore, but my right forearm's so puffed up I look like a fiddler crab. (Naturally this project comes in the middle of a major home-repair job involving lots of hammering.)

Tip: remember that the hole is not vertical and aim the drift accordingly. I'm assuming the best solution for the DIYer is to use an air hammer, but my setup's over at my brother's house....

Parts & tool just arrived, and the reamer does say 31/32 (made in Poland), but WW has never steered me wrong so I'm not going to fret about it. It appears to have a step cut in it, I guess as a pilot shaft. Thanks for the tip about cutting fluid. I'm going to relax for a few hours, nailing some galvanized metal roofing over my deck, and will put the bushes in tonight, I hope. May not do the reaming until tomorrow nite.

Joe

Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:16 pm

I've been using one of my two adjustable reamers. Years ago, I had paid a mechanic to ream my two new bushings in a frontend and he measured the diameter of the shaft with a micrometer; then he set his adjustable reamer to match it, and it turned out well, so that is the route that I have taken.

Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:57 pm

I used an adjustable reamer as well. Just ream, check to see if it fits, if not keep going and checking barely taking anything off. It is not hard, and way cheaper to buy a cheap adjustable reamer than the non adjustable reamers. I replaced my center pin over 50,000 miles ago and it is still in great shape with no wobble.

Sun Aug 29, 2010 2:59 pm

Just finished up this job...took me a little bit more than a day to finish. Much better than the 2+ weeks it took when I did it on my bay bus! The photo tutorial was a big help.

I'd also like to make a plug for the bus-boys bushing removal/installation tool. With this tool, removing the old bushings and installing the new was a breeze. In fact it took me longer to bend back the lock tab on the swing lever bolt than it did to remove the bushings. Seriously.

Plus, the way the tool works it's very easy to set with feeler gauges the 1.4-1.7mm amount that the top bushing sticks out of the housing. For me, the $35 rental fee is well worth it.

The only real PITA with this job was lining up the swing arm and pushing the pin through. Only took me a few hours to do that.