I have read through the two latest oakie bushing posts, but unfortunately mine is an issue of going in, not coming out. My '46 1/2 ton pickup, the new oakie bushing will go into the torque tube about 25%, then it bottoms out solidly. I understand that it is an interference fit and being snug is a good thing, but this is way beyond snug. The videos from Jayhawker mention him turning down the oakie on a lathe. I do not have access to a lathe or machine shop. However, my plan is to jig the oakie on a bolt, pin it between washers and nuts. Mount the bolt in the chuck of a drill press and spin it against a flat sanding surface or a file. I don't have the means to measure the inside of the torque tube so I pulled my measurements from the original oil seal and the original front bushing piece, It looks like I need to take .0095 off the new oakie. Oil seal was 1.6935 and new oakie seal end is 1.703. The front of the oakie, brass bushing end, falls within the specs of the torque tube to slide in. When milling the oakie down to size would you turn down the threaded section of the bushing along with the smooth sections of the tube? My thinking is that the "threads" on the okie are fine enough that they would collapse as they are driven in and create a secure fit.
Thoughts and suggestions on my process are very much appreciated.
