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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 345 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 345 | I'm in the process of replacing bushings on my '54 steering box. The bushings I received from the supplier are the standard 1.125" inner diameter, but the pittman side would still be a bit sloppy. While I have this thing apart, I'd like to get it tight. My question is: does anyone know if its possible to get a bushing with a slightly smaller inner diameter but have all the other dimensions the same? | | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 206 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 206 | You may have to take it to a local machine shop and have one made. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 272 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 272 | Hello tlorber, A few weeks ago I went to my local Applied Industrial Technologies store and purchased the bushings I needed for my steering box rebuild and they were dirt cheap! I took in my old bushings and they measured them and ordered replacements which I picked up the next day. They probably even have the oil seal also. This is their website: www.applied.com Here are the offices near Los Angeles: Gardena 13723 1/2 Harvard Place. Gardena, CA 90249-2527 PH: (310) 515-5882 Los Angeles 7545 Telegraph Road Montebello, CA 90640-6516 PH: (323) 724-5111 North Hollywood 6908 Tujunga Ave North Hollywood, CA 91605-6212 PH: (818) 766-8115 Good luck! P.S. - I wish I had known of your bushing extraction method a month ago!
1948 AD Pickup
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 345 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 345 | littlebuddie-
Thanks for the tip. The North Hollywood location is very close and I'll stop in. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 272 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 272 | Hi Again,
They did not have the exact length for the cover-side bushing so I ordered a 1" length and ground it back to fit and it worked perfectly. Also that cover side bushing seat is a little tiny bit smaller than the sector side seat so I honed the seat a bit with a brake cylinder hone and that worked fine. You might prefer to turn the O.D. of the bushing down instead of honing out the cover though. In any case, my steering has never been better than it is now in the 40 years that I have owned the truck.
1948 AD Pickup
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 345 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 345 | Littlebuddie,
Thanks again for the tip. If I were to heat the side cover, would it expand enough for me to get the standard bushing in? Also, how hard is it to drive in the pittman side bushing? | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | tlorber,
BAD idea...
Stuart | | | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 272 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 272 | Well, I would take automarc's answer for the heating question but to answer the second question, the bushing goes in smoothly as it should. There are some bushings available from The Filling Station http://www.fillingstation.com/ that you might want to look at as well. Is the bearing race in your adjuster cap an insert or is it milled in? I was surprised to find that it is milled into the adjuster cap for my steering box. littlebuddie
1948 AD Pickup
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