[Tom Endy]

Rusty:

There is a trick!

There is usually a wall of hard crud that builds up between the two bushings. This is another reason you don't want to push the bushings out with a tool as the crud will try to compact between the bushings and will certainly crack the housing.

Once the bushings are out I soak the casting in lacquer thinner, then bead blast it nice and shiney clean. I also had trouble installing the upper bushing. I had a tool made from the bottom end of a cracked housing. If you notice the top where the upper bushing sits is not flush with the top of the casting. If you put it down on a press the bushing area is not supported properly. The tool allows the top end of the bushing area to nestle in it. I place the casting upside down on the press platform and run the top bushing in from the bottom. This insures it is going in straight when it reached the top area. It also helps to chanfer the top edge of the bushing and coat it with Vasoline. I have a marker on the bushing press in tool that tells me when I am nominally even with the top of the casing. If it went in too far it is easy enough to turn it around and push it back in slightly.

Tom Endy