Quote:
Originally Posted by Fordors
Oilite is porous and that allows it to be self lubricating. The part is pressed from metal powder and sintered (fired) in a high temperature furnace for a set time producing near net size. In the case of Oilite it would not be reamed or honed to final size, they would press either a mandrel or steel ball through it for precision sizing. Once sized the parts are subjected to a hot oil bath in a vacuum tank to impregnate them.
If Ford did use Oilite k/p bushings how did they get the grease passages in the ID and also, were they steel backed like the k/p bushings I’ve always used? I see no advantage to using Oilite since the king pins required greasing at regular intervals.
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Fordors, this is a very good synopsis on Oilite bushings, and several very good reasons why they would not, or should not be used as kingpin bushings.
The kingpin bushings that I've seen and used in the 60 + years I've been playing with these early Fords, have not been porous/Oilite bushings that would have been ruined by reaming or honing them to their final inner diameter.