Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

I am curious as to which brake cross shaft bushings the majority of you are running, original style with woven insert, solid bronze, split 2 piece bronze, or nylon?

I was originally going to use the woven insert type as it kept the flexibility of the brake system as it was designed and eliminated dirt attracting grease. However after reading some articles and talking with club members and vendors, they say that the woven style do not last nearly as long as the bronze.

With the bronze bushings they need to be greased, but by adding the grease fittings it eliminates the flexibility of the brake system to move with the chassis. Looking at the various suppliers, I can only find one vendor that sells bushings and a rebuilt cross shaft with grease fittings, all the rest provide no way of applying grease. Are these bronze bushings actually being run dry? Or is it a grease once and hope that it lasts the life of the car?

I like the concept of the original bushings but I plan on driving my car a lot and would prefer to not have to keep rebuilding the cross shaft.

Thanks

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

I too have pondered this. I use the slit bronze bushes and grease them well on assembly with a grease containing some graphite. As there are no grease nipples on them and I don't think dismantling and greasing them is an option, I use a spray on Teflon lubricant which penetrates the bushes (I use it liberally) and hopefully keeps them lubricated.
I'd like to hear what others do.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

I am going to go with the original. As for wearing them out, I don't expect to. When running a couple of thousand miles a year they will last longer than I will. Of course I am old. Jack

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

From what I have seen the cross shaft bearing surface will be worn to the extent new bushings will not be of much use. Install the repair kits and life will be good.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

The split brass bushings are superior:
> They will clamp-up to a worn shaft;
> No rattling of the shaft;
> No play in the shaft;

> Brass is more durable than the original woven cloth bushings;
> Installation of the split bushings is doable without the removal of the shaft's levers.


I saw cut one-piece brass bushings rather than buy the split bushings because the saw cut yields bushing segments that are slightly less than half to assure clamp-up on the shaft.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

I agree , I use the split brass bushings and have never had a problem with them .

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

Split brass.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

I put in woven bushings over 40 years ago, still fine, but they were constructed like original, not a metal piece with a chunk of frame welt glued in

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

I also installed woven bushings back in the late 60's,trouble free so far.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

Anybody got a picture of woven bushes. I've never even heard of them.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

Thank you all for your replies! Sounds like the woven bushings are tougher than I was led to believe.

Those of you running the bronze bushings, do you lubricate them in anyway as part of your routine maintenance?

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

Where are you finding shafts that are not worn in the bearing area?

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

We drill a hole in the lower retainer and install a grease fitting in both the split type or solid type bronze bearing so it sticks thru the hole. Been doing this for a few years.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

Daren, there are a couple of vendors that will build up the shaft and turn it back to the right size.

redmodelt, do you cut any kind of a groove in the inside circumference of the bearing to carry the grease?

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

The kits have a sleeve and Loktite to repair the worn area. I have installed two kits so far and am really pleased with the results. I do not remember if there was grooves in the bushings.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

No on the groove.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

Old post. Old bushings. Old mechanic... Any comments on how to best remove what looks like the original woven bushings without removing the levers for installing a brass split bushing?

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

I used a rotozip, it’s like a larger dremel tool. I put a cut off wheel on it and didn’t cut to the shaft, just got close and used a large flat screw driver and twisted/prayed them apart with no nicks to the shaft.

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

You might be able to use a Dremmel type tool to split the bushing to remove them, however the 3 service shafts I restored had the shaft area worn down significantly. So you will probably need to remove the levers and build up the shaft ends (weld them) and dress them down. I have done all three shafts by welding up the bushing area and it isn't too bad of a job.
Rusty Nelson

Re: Which service brake cross shaft bushing?
 

The original style bushing with the woven liner holds water / moisture, so I find corrosion pitting on the journals of many brake shafts. Split brass bushings are superior to the originals. Also, Bert's has a nylon bushing that can be split. I also see in some catalogs a kit of brass bushings and shaft mounting brackets with a grease fittings.