Hydraulic Connecting Rod Bushing from TM

[Don B.]

So it sounds like an 11/16" brake cylinder hone would work for this issue? Would that size work for the pilot bushing as well? Not sure how much material removal we are talking about.

[lyle11]

With regard to the clutch pilot bushing, when I was replacing it, I read about honing it in past threads but I got lucky. That bushing went in with some mild resistance but fairly easily. Same with the PTO bushing. In both cases the shafts turn freely with no problems since.

The connecting Rod was much harder to install. I don’t have a press so I ran a 5/8” bolt through the bushing and connecting rod with flat wasters at both ends and tightened the nut on the bolt to pull it into place. It went in smoothly but with a fair amount of resistance.

I didn’t find 11/16” ball hone but didn’t look much. My understanding, from what I read on McMaster-Carr is that you use the next larger size if there isn’t an exact fit and you stop and check often before you remove too much material. There is a limit to what repairs I want to do on a Cub. I have that mindset that I buy a new part and install it and I’m good to go, but I learned in this case that’s not always possible.

I called NAPA about ordering and picking it up at the store to get it faster but they no longer carried it so I bought a 3/4” 180 grit on EBay. Supposed to have it in 11 days. I got a check postmarked Saint Paul, MN that made it to NE Ohio in 4 days. Previous two took 16 days so hopefully things are speeding up.

[Gary Dotson]

It's a little late for me to think of a sandpaper whip, now, but a small wood dowel with a slit cut in the end, a piece of sandpaper folded and inserted in the slit and spun with a drill works well in the absence of a hone. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner.

[lyle11]

I received the ball hone yesterday. Followed the directions on the package. I dipped it in 10-40 oil before each pass and ran it back and forth through the bushing for 30 seconds. In 3 passes, it met the specs Glen posted, which has to be the ID of the bushing after polishing.

The only issue I see is that the instructions say that the hone needs to be rotating when it enters and exits the bushing. This, at least for me using a hand drill, results in a rounding of the corner where the rotating bushing enters. Probably about 1/8” into the bushing has a rounded edge on the entry side only. The bushing is actually about 1/8” wider than the one I removed and protrudes from Control arm about 1/16” on each side so I think I have the same amount of material in contact with the pin even with the rounded corner. I wonder if a well oiled hone pushed into the hole before rotating would have prevented this. I’m sure they tell you to have it rotating for a good reason and I suspect it would distort the hone and probably not cut evenly. Also, I used a 3/4” hone since I didn’t see a 11/16” but I didn’t look very hard. The 3/4” is bigger than the final honed size but you stop before it removes too much material. But I think it would be hard even with a drill press not to get this rounded corner where the large hone first enters the bushing.

The ideal way to do this would be to have a drill press and reamer or whatever tools are needed but I can’t justify the expense for this one time use. Or, as suggested take it to a machine shop but there aren’t any machine shops by me like the one man shops who did large and small fixes for farmers.

I’m not sure Gary’s idea about using a slotted dowel and fine sandpaper might work just as well and avoid the rounded corner. But I’m satisfied with this procedure for $20 and, based on the wear of two bushings I’ve removed from working touch controls I think this will work fine for a long time.

[SamsFarm]

As mentioned already, any round rod of wood or metal with a slit cut in the end, and wrapped with a fine abrasive paper will work as it should.

Wrap the abrasive cloth tightly around the rod enough be snug in the undersized hole.

Turn them in the same direction as you wrapped the paper on.

Go slow and check fit often.

Easy to make with simple tools (hacksaw and a vice)!

This is a common tool in the tool & die trade!

[SamsFarm]

Please dont try using a drill bit on a bushing like that.

Drill bits can grab violently, track crooked, and easily ruin your nice bushing!