home-made bushings

god1406
god1406 Posts: 554
edited January 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
The story so far: The bushes in my Haro EX1 (2001 i think) we knackered, so i contacted Haro about some replacements and they didn't seem to know one end of a bike from the other. So i made some myself out of oilite on my dad's lathe. Feeling smug i went to fit it all back together, but where the bike pivots on the aluminium swingarm had ovalised slightly, meaning my new bushes didn't solve much. Also, the flipping pinch bolts that supposidly clamp the bushes in place don't do anything.

Now, do i make some kind of shim to got between the new bushes and the swingarm to get rid of the play (for a short while)... OR just admit defeat and work on one of the many other bikes that need attention?

Any other suggestions from you mechanics out there?
Rocky Ridge

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Comments

  • red eye
    red eye Posts: 264
    im sure you can get an ovalised bush made up if you take you bike to and engineering shop.
    ooooor you could try filling the the gap with chemical metel
  • god1406
    god1406 Posts: 554
    I've considered the ovalised bush idea, but the swingarm needs to actually pivot around the stationary bushes, doesn't it? Making the bushes to fit into the ovalised swingarm would mean it wouldn't pivot.

    Making a whole new swingarm was on the cards but i'm really bad at welding and it's a little beyond me probably :(

    EDIT: Just looked at chemical metals. How well do you think that would hold up to constant abrasion through suspension movement? it's cheap so possibly worth a go, but i'm not convinced it would survive for long...
    Rocky Ridge

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  • red eye
    red eye Posts: 264
    dont know how it will last probley would need some sort of lubrication as i thought it was it was the frame that was oval but now as i type this would be impossible lol i shall read twice before i post from now on

    any way im assuming that the pivot comes out of the swingarm so why not get a new pivot made up? worst case you can get a swingarm welded up by a garage or engineering shop at a cost tho if they asking any thing around £200 mark then just get a welder second hand new ones go for around £150 upwards, practice loads you'll get the hang of it in no time.. i did :wink:

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