Hi all,
I'm doing my trailing arms bushings today (poly) and knowing they have to be reamed for the shaft so I grabbed a brake/cylinder honer I had handy and started boring the bushing (like what I'd seen in threads here at World.)
Unfortunately I'll grow old a die before this method gets me anywhere. Simply put, it's not cutting it (or hardly).
I saw in a thread that Eric with PMB now uses a small 3X1 barrel sander to get this work done (like this one http://www.mcmaster.com/#rubber-drums/=qlel82) and so I guess I'll go ahead and order one along with a bunch of sanding bands...but even then, I've heard the task can be a rather long one.
Anyone have experience with this job and have a tool recommendation to cut this material using garage type tools (drill)?

Where did you order the bushings from? Eric is the only one I know of that sells the correct hard-style polyurethane that can be reamed. Chris Foley also offers the service, but he does it for you.

The soft polyurethane may not be able to be reamed like the hard style. I was able to with little effort using a brake hone after ordering them from Eric.

Mine are the hard style requiring ream.
Had a few sets on the shelf. The brake hone isn't working for diddly on em

Small drum sanders work....

I just completed the reaming and installing process for the hard poly bushings. The 1" sanding drum was too large for my pivot shaft diameter, so I used a 3/4" sanding drum in my drill press and slowly reamed them while a held them in hand and moved them slowly around to get a nice even ream. Did a lot of test fitting until I got them just slightly snug. Didn't take very long at all. After reaming them, I had to sand down the outside faces until the outer surfaces of the pivot bolts were just slightly proud of the outer surfaces of the pivot bolts when the bushings are in place in the control arms. So the pivot bolt faces will snug up to the mountings rather than tightening down on the bushings selves.

Hmmm. That comes as somthing of a suprise. The 1" was what Eric recommended and measurement of my bushing indicates 1" would be the appropriate drum. But you're saying that didn't fit and you used a 3/4".
And you say you bored until "snug". Snug on the installed bushing or snug out of the trailing arm. Mine are snug off the arm but quite snug (difficult to turn) when installed. I was given to understand they should turn freely by hand once installed on the arm (or rather the shaft should turn freely in them).
I'm just about to spend 30 bux at McMaster Carr for the 1" but don't want to be making a mistake that'll cost me...

I have always used flapper wheels to sand/ream the bushing to fit.
The bushing does need to be fit for smooth movement once it is installed.
I always installed the bushing and sanded to fit while in the arm.
Note the poly bushing swell up as the get warm so if you sand and sand and sand till it fits, it will be loose when the bushings cool off. Go slow.
You also need to be sure you are aligned to the center axis of the pivot shaft or the bushing will bind and squeak once the shaft in thru both bushings.

Flapper wheels: http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-flap-wheels/=qli8j1

Jim

Hmmm....
Flapper wheels....Liking that idea

I bought my bushings from Eric and used the brake hone method following Eric's instructions. Didn't take any time at all to get the proper fit. I just went slowly and tested the fit several times. In fact I had to be careful not to open them up too much!!
Mike

80 grit, 1"X1", flapper wheel from NAPA did the job quite well. And believe it or not, an 80 grit on my ginder faced em nicely too.
I installed the 6mm zerks per Eric's vid as well, so all good again :-)

check out #44

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=91491<br />

or search "Home made tools, Show us yours"