steering box bushing

[siii8873]

What is the trick on removing the bushing in the steering box. Mine is cracked so I'm trying to remove it to replace it. I am trying to drift it out from the inside but it is not budging!!

[69Bugeye]

Be careful or you could easily break your housing. Also watch out for gouging the bore with your drift. The drift is not really the ideal way but it is possible. Yours apparently is being stubborn.

If you don't have access to a press, find a socket, piece of pipe, etc., that will drop in and rest on the bushing. Then use your drift agains that.

Best is a press though.

I assume you are changing the bush. When I did mine, the shaft would no longer fit. Either ream to size or use a hone. I had a 3 arm hone laying around so I used that.

[siii8873]

Yes it's being extremly stubborn. The rim of this bushing does not stick out very far into the bore. It will take a fairly exact size cylinder to press it out. I'll have to check and see if any of my sockets fit it. If so a little threaded rod, nuts and spacers make a pretty good press.

[JackIIA]

I used the drift and hammer method with no problems. My normal MO is to heat before drifting - so I probably did that carefully.

I used a large wooden dowel and a hand sledge, with the box resting on top of an open vice. That said, it came out relatively easily, so may be the circumstances more than the tool. I'd expect heat would be a good friend on this one, assuming you're careful to heat the aluminum evenly. And of course careful applying pressure to the alum box.

[I Leak Oil]

Cut a slice in it with a hack saw. Comes out very easily. No heat no beating...