Glen wrote:
> I'm wondering if anyone else on the list has redone their fulcrum pin
> bushings. I ordered a replacement bushing set and new fulcrum pin, but
> on examining the new set, the fulcrum pin was as loose in the new bushing
> as the old one I was trying to replace. The smaller capped bushing was
> OK, but the larger one (that takes grease fitting) looks as if the hole
> was overbored before threading. This allows noticeable slop even when
> threaded all the way onto the fulcrum pin.
> My question is, how much slop is acceptable? Does anyone know a source
> of bushings made to an acceptable tolerance?
>
> Also, You will soon have a new brake and clutch system completely
> rebuilt. Do you choose silicone or original fluid and why?
>
> Thanks to all who reply,
> Glen Byrns
> '59 bugeye with wiggly fulcrum pin and dry brake lines
Are you speaking of the (2) inner A-Arm bushings or the outer bushings where
the swivel axle fulcrum pin rides? Since you mention "threaded bushing" and
"grease fitting," then I assume you're talking about the latter, but this is
confusing to me since you can't buy "new" bushings; they're brazed into the
A-arm and are a part of it (unless you've found a source I haven't heard
about). In this case, you're looking at perhaps *the* suspension weak point
on Spridgets. The fulcrum pin is stepped, so the smaller end passes through
the larger bushing and starts to thread into the smaller bushing at the same
time as the larger end starts to thread into the larger bushing (the end
with the grease fitting, as you've pointed out.) And it's this larger end
that seems to suffer the most wear most of the time. It's not the fulcrum
pin that's doing most of the wearing, it's the bushing, which is why your
new fulcrum pin seems as loose as the old one - because it is! (Blame the
bushing, not the fulcrum pin.) The A-arms can be re-bushed, but not easily,
which is why most people in your situation go for new A-arms.
Or I could be way off base with this, which is why we're all on this list.
Anyone else?
Hope this helps,
Jim Algar
'69 Mk.IV Sprite, "Basil"
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