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Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:20 am

To make sure I am doing installing the swing lever shaft correctly: according to the Bentley from '54- The order of installation from bottom of swing lever shaft to top swing lever arm is..

1) slide thrust washer over swing lever shaft.
2) insert swing lever shaft.
3) slide spring washer over swing lever shaft.
4) slide dust seal / metal cover over shaft.
5) slide plastic seal over shaft (I assume this is the "O" ring)?
6) insert swing lever shaft into swing lever.
7) install pinch bolt w/ lock plate.

Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:39 am

mynameismud wrote: To make sure I am doing installing the swing lever shaft correctly: according to the Bentley from '54- The order of installation from bottom of swing lever shaft to top swing lever arm is..

1) slide thrust washer over swing lever shaft.
2) insert swing lever shaft.
3) slide spring washer over swing lever shaft.
4) slide dust seal / metal cover over shaft.
5) slide plastic seal over shaft (I assume this is the "O" ring)?
6) insert swing lever shaft into swing lever.
7) install pinch bolt w/ lock plate.

Looks right to me.....you might need a large "C" clamp to press everything into place before installing the pinch bolt.

Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:41 am

Clara wrote: mynameismud wrote: To make sure I am doing installing the swing lever shaft correctly: according to the Bentley from '54- The order of installation from bottom of swing lever shaft to top swing lever arm is..

1) slide thrust washer over swing lever shaft.
2) insert swing lever shaft.
3) slide spring washer over swing lever shaft.
4) slide dust seal / metal cover over shaft.
5) slide plastic seal over shaft (I assume this is the "O" ring)?
6) insert swing lever shaft into swing lever.
7) install pinch bolt w/ lock plate.

Looks right to me.....you might need a large "C" clamp to press everything into place before installing the pinch bolt.
If you try it without the c-clamp, you'll be looking for another pinch bolt!

Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:00 am

Lind and I just performed this operation on my 66 night before last.

If you are using the febi pin kit during task number 4 you might want to stretch/press/pull/push/force the large white upper dust seal onto its sealing surface BEFORE you assemble any parts onto the top end of the swing lever pin. It will help assembly with a C clamp go super smooth. The large upper seal in the febi kit seems/was just a little too small in diameter to just slide over the shouldered area of the center pin boss. Lind and I kinda used both of our hands (all 4) to put the seal on kinda like a tupperware lid.

Hopefully you have a 24mm reamer vs a hone/adj. reamer/sandpaper :lol:

Instead of the bulky C clamp we used a huge pair of channel-lock pliers.

Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:05 am

big c-clamp...darnit...i knew there was something i forgot while at ace yesterday..

Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:10 am

just use a trolly jack to push it up a little from beneath. :D

Sun Mar 26, 2006 12:35 pm

You have to use a large C-clamp and put one side on the head of the center pin and the other side on the swing lever next to the pin. If the C-clamp is large enough, you can put a socket on the swing lever where it fits over the center pin, put the one side of the clamp against it, and move the swing lever down that way.
The C-clamp has to be used because the spring or wave washer has to be flattened out in order to get the bolt holes in the swing lever lined up with the U-notch in the shaft so the bolt can go in.
Remember that the top bushing has to stick out a little. It should not be driven in flush with the housing like the bottom one.

Sun Mar 26, 2006 2:07 pm

well- i got a big-ass C clamp, had it going good, then all of a sudden the damn pinch-bolt started to strip... :evil: , so, now i get to buy not only a swing lever arm but another swing lever pin kit... :roll: (unless someone has a pinch bolt that they can part with).

Sun Mar 26, 2006 2:13 pm

mynameismud wrote: well- i got a big-ass C clamp, had it going good, then all of a sudden the damn pinch-bolt started to strip... :evil: , so, now i get to buy not only a swing lever arm but another swing lever pin kit... :roll: (unless someone has a pinch bolt that they can part with).

Did the swing arm threads get messed up, or just the threads on the bolt?

Sun Mar 26, 2006 2:27 pm

campingbox wrote: mynameismud wrote: well- i got a big-ass C clamp, had it going good, then all of a sudden the damn pinch-bolt started to strip... :evil: , so, now i get to buy not only a swing lever arm but another swing lever pin kit... :roll: (unless someone has a pinch bolt that they can part with).

Did the swing arm threads get messed up, or just the threads on the bolt?

swing lever arm threads too.. :oops: i swear, i need to purchase stock in one of these companies - for as much as i spend- now where do i get a swing arm? i see wbw or others do not carry them- and what's teh best way to prevent this from happening again?

Sun Mar 26, 2006 2:41 pm

mynameismud wrote: campingbox wrote: mynameismud wrote: well- i got a big-ass C clamp, had it going good, then all of a sudden the damn pinch-bolt started to strip... :evil: , so, now i get to buy not only a swing lever arm but another swing lever pin kit... :roll: (unless someone has a pinch bolt that they can part with). Did the swing arm threads get messed up, or just the threads on the bolt? swing lever arm threads too.. :oops: i swear, i need to purchase stock in one of these companies - for as much as i spend- now where do i get a swing arm? i see wbw or others do not carry them- and what's teh best way to prevent this from happening again?
have you considered paying someone else to work on your bus?

Sun Mar 26, 2006 2:50 pm

hey- that's low :-s ...how else am i to learn... :lol: making a trip to indiana soon Lind-

Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:03 pm

mynameismud wrote: hey- that's low :-s ...how else am i to learn... :lol: making a trip to indiana soon Lind-
no trips planned in the near future. I will roll through this summer, but I have a pretty full schedule.

the way I look at it, if I am only going to do a job once or twice, then I don't bother learning it. I pay the local waterpumper specialist to work on my quantum when it needs repair, but I do most all the service myself.

many things like upholstery and transmission work are fairly universally accepted as being best left to the professionals. if you are not considering making a career out of setting up suspension in buses, why not pay someone who is. there are plenty of other things that will keep you busy on your bus.

Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:17 pm

i hear that- which is why i had the engine, tranny and front beam done by someone else- i would figure installing a bolt would be a no brainer... also- try to find someone local who has touched a bus is a challange in itself-

Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:00 pm

How did the threads on the bolt and in the swing lever get stripped? Did you unscrew the bolt and it was fine and then cross thread it putting it in?
Get a flashlight and look at the threads in the swing lever. If they aren't too bad you can clean them up with a tap. A die could clean up the threads on the bolt if they aren't too bad.
I've put German center pin kits in two frontends and I can't remember if they came with a bolt. If they did I would have a used one I can send you.

Mon Mar 27, 2006 4:45 am

got what i need- thanks..i think the thread stripped on the center pin- it wasnt quite lined up.. :roll: yeah- i know.

Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:35 pm

The thread on the bolt got jammed against the notch in the center pin?

Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:42 pm

Campy wrote: The thread on the bolt got jammed against the notch in the center pin? - thats what i think- i am guessing that the notch, wasn't lined up properly (well, obviously really) since it was a new bolt-

Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:50 pm

I'm thinking I'm in line to do this job.

As it is now, the swing lever shaft rocks back and forth when turning the wheel, giving me about 45 degrees of play in the steering wheel. I'm assuming that's not normal, correct?

So... to fix this. I've got the swing lever kit from WW on order.

Should I assume I will be replacing the shaft bushings no matter what? Or is it possible to remove the pin, washers, seals, etc. and the new pin will slip right in fine nice and tight? I gotta think not, I figure its the bushings gone bad giving me all that play...

If replacing the bushings, is there a trick to get the old ones out easily? Bentley refers to a "drift VW 131 a" ... is that a fancy name for a common tool?

How do they come out, top one out the top, bottom one out the bottom?

Should I stop kidding myself I can do this and hire a "professional"? I re-tapped my stripped RGB threads after taking it apart, I figure I can handle this?

Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:41 pm

polo wrote: I'm thinking I'm in line to do this job.

As it is now, the swing lever shaft rocks back and forth when turning the wheel, giving me about 45 degrees of play in the steering wheel. I'm assuming that's not normal, correct?

So... to fix this. I've got the swing lever kit from WW on order.

Should I assume I will be replacing the shaft bushings no matter what? Or is it possible to remove the pin, washers, seals, etc. and the new pin will slip right in fine nice and tight? I gotta think not, I figure its the bushings gone bad giving me all that play...

If replacing the bushings, is there a trick to get the old ones out easily? Bentley refers to a "drift VW 131 a" ... is that a fancy name for a common tool?

How do they come out, top one out the top, bottom one out the bottom?

Should I stop kidding myself I can do this and hire a "professional"? I re-tapped my stripped RGB threads after taking it apart, I figure I can handle this?
Replaceing this assembly will take care of 90% of that free play in your steering wheel.
You are correct. It's the bushings that wear the most. The pin is hard, bushings soft. Getting them out is the easy part. It's installing the new ones that has to be done right. Then they must be reamed to fit the pin properly. If you have never done this before you might want to find someone who has and have them help or find a professional. Hopefully he knows what he doing.