I need to replace the brass bushings in my elevator hinge, rudder hinge, and flaps. The only proplem is I can't get them out. Tried to drive them out with a srew driver and a little tapping but they did not move. I thought about using an easy-out and then twisting them. Any advise???
Elevator and rudder bushings
- Thread starter teeweed
- Start date
cubunltd
Registered User
Belle Vernon,PA
Yea, for one thing you should use the proper tool. A drift of the proper diameter (slightly smaller than the O.D. of the bushing) should work. If they still won't come out, then drill them out but with a smaller bit than the O.D. of the bushing. Then drive the remaining shell out with the drift.
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
I have a punch that is a 1/4" pilot with a shoulder that is a little bit smaller than the O.D. of the bushing. I load a new bushing in it and tap the old one out with the new one. The tool started life as a Cessna gascolator plunger until the car gas got to it.
https://www.supercub.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=958&sort=1&cat=last1&page=1
https://www.supercub.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=958&sort=1&cat=last1&page=1
I replaced the bushings on my SC empennage a couple of years ago and did pretty much what Steve P. did. I ground a "pilot" on a straight shank punch. Loaded on a new bushing and used it to drive the old one out. I didn't have any trouble with frozen bushings but drilling one out would be the best approach I would think.
bob turner
Registered User
Youse needs a "bushing pushing" kit. I have never seen one advertised, but that's probably because they are so easy to make. I'll go find mine, and give you a better description if you want, but the idea is to apply pressure to the bushing with a machine screw and a cylinder that is a loose fit in the steel part welded to the airframe. You also need a receptacle, which can be little more than a hunk of 4130 tubing with ID just slightly larger than the bushing to be pushed. Inserting the new one is done with the same idea, except all you need really is the machine screw, and a few A-N washers.
Pounding on airplane parts is something I try not to do - even pounding with the palm of your hand can damage some stuff, like the ribs in the horizontal stabilizer. And this trick works every single time, without fail. I believe we used A-N 4 machine screws and lots of washers, but I bet coarse threaded rod would do just fine. I guess you have to pound out the pins themselves, but if you put some SAE 30 on them once a month, even they slip out with a gentle tap.
Pounding on airplane parts is something I try not to do - even pounding with the palm of your hand can damage some stuff, like the ribs in the horizontal stabilizer. And this trick works every single time, without fail. I believe we used A-N 4 machine screws and lots of washers, but I bet coarse threaded rod would do just fine. I guess you have to pound out the pins themselves, but if you put some SAE 30 on them once a month, even they slip out with a gentle tap.
polarpete
Registered User
Fairbanks, Alaska
Use a steel bushing or a small short rod slightly smaller in diameter than the bushing you want out. Works best if it has a centering guide to go inside old bushing. Push it out using a C-clamp with a socket or small tube (thin enough wall to fit behind bushing next to tube the hinges are welded on) on the end bushing comes out of.
lunchmoney
Registered User
port lavaca,tx
need to replace flap bushings, where do you find them at?
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
They are aluminum blocks riveted to the flap hinges with steel rivets. I know some people have drilled and bushed with oil lite bushings.
lunchmoney
Registered User
port lavaca,tx
can the blocks be replaced very easy? flaps really vibrate when pulled in full.
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
Drill the head and bucktail of the rivets off and install new blocks. Univair has the blocks and the rivets.
KeithO
PATRON
Arizona
Reviving an old thread to ask a bushing related question. I have removed all of my elevator and rudder bushings with Steve’s tool. I ordered new bushings and clevis pins from Aircraft Spruce and I am finding that the clevis pins will not fit into the bushings. It looks like the bushings are a little undersized, especially the short ones. The bushings are advertised as being the correct Piper part number.
Is it normal or expected that the bushings and pins will be such a tight fit that they cannot be assembled by hand? Is there a better source for these parts?
Is it normal or expected that the bushings and pins will be such a tight fit that they cannot be assembled by hand? Is there a better source for these parts?
Scott A
FOUNDER
Park City, UT
Interesting timing - I just installed all my bushings last night using Steve's tool (very nice, made this a 30-minute job for all tail bushings). My bushings came with the Javron kit. But I also had a certified cub at one point and don't recall them being hard to push in. My opinion is that the pins should slip right into the bushings. We can see what the experts on here say.
Farmer Hank
SPONSOR
Kalispell, Montana
I’m not an expert, but in general a bushing that is pressed in will need to be reamed.
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
Are the bushings too tight prior to or after installation. I can usually push the clevis pin in by hand. Have had a few that needed a tap and have had some tulip the end when installed where I tapped a 1/4" ball bearing through.
KeithO
PATRON
Arizona
They are too tight prior to installation. Taking one of the clevis pins and one of the bushings I cannot put the clevis pin through by hand. It is way too tight. I put a caliper on the clevis pin and it looks like its diameter is in spec. As a quick test, I took a quarter inch drill bit and tried to put the shank through the bushing but could not get it to fit. I think it is an issue with the ID of the bushings. I haven’t looked at the Piper drawing yet but will today. I’m also going to call Univar and discuss this with them once I have the bushing spec in front of me.
KeithO
PATRON
Arizona
I talked to Univair today. They said they never had anyone complain about the fit of the bushings. They did offer to test fit the bushings with the pins for me before they ship them. I'm going to take them up on it. Making bushings that fit a hinge pin should not be rocket science.
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
They are standard bushings. Probably a vendor issue. I doubt Univair makes their own. I buy them in bulk.
KeithO
PATRON
Arizona
Would not surprise me at all if it was a vendor issue. In other words, a vendor quality control issue.
KeithO
PATRON
Arizona
I got a new set of bushings and pins from Univair and they sent the parts to me with one long and two short bushings slipped onto each pin to insure that there was no interference fit between pin and busings.
I pressed the first bushing in with Steve's busing tool and now that busing will not allow the pin to pass through. Looks like those bushings are getting squeezed by the housings when they are pressed in.
Has anyone else had to deal with this? Seems like I need to ream the bushings after installation. What's the best way to do that?
I pressed the first bushing in with Steve's busing tool and now that busing will not allow the pin to pass through. Looks like those bushings are getting squeezed by the housings when they are pressed in.
Has anyone else had to deal with this? Seems like I need to ream the bushings after installation. What's the best way to do that?
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
Tap the pin in, should not take much force at all. Then work the surfaces back and forth.
I just use an extra long bit or reamer with pliers. I just installed some a few days ago, no way the pin was going in after pressing them in. They must squeeze down more now days, because I remember years ago just having to firmly push the pins in and they were good to go.
Waldo M
MEMBER
Finger Lakes area, western NY.
Just used the Pierce Aero tool to replace the L & R outboard bushings on the elevator and stab as well as on the top hinge of the rudder and vertical stab on the PA-11-90. I was able to do this without removing the elevators and rudder. The inboard elevator and bottom rudder hinges were OK and did not need to be replaced. Guess that shows what vibrates the most in the prop blast on this airplane. The Univair supplied 80022-44 and -45 bushings and new clevis pins installed without needing to be reamed, although I had a reamer handy just in case.
Bottom line: Steve's tool design worked slicker than snot on a glass doorknob. Thank you, Steve!
Bottom line: Steve's tool design worked slicker than snot on a glass doorknob. Thank you, Steve!
KeithO
PATRON
Arizona
I have Steve's tool as well. It works great. I think in my case the tubes that the bushings press into are a bit undersized and they compress the oilite material in the bearings. Or maybe the bearing material has changes over the years. In any case, it was a real hassle getting the bushings fitted. Hopefully they are set for awhile. I don't want to even think about what I'm gonna find when I tackle the landing gear bushings.
