The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Steering sector shaft bushing size question

I read where the suppliers of these bushings all send us bushings of one size only and the original bushings are of two sizes. I got my Jim Carter sector shaft bushings and as expected, they too were of one size...the larger. I read where many of us cut one of the bushings off in order to match the original shorter bushing. I called Jim Carter's tech guy and he said it is not necessary to cut one off. Has anyone had any experience with this? Thanks - Scott
(Yes, I am STILL working on my steering)

Yes, both bushings are 1.375” long from the vendor. The original side cover bushing is .850”. I made a mandrel to keep from crushing the bushing and turned mine down in the lathe to the correct length. Here are a few pictures of the steering box:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/steering&page=5

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Thanks again Denny. I am wondering if the Jim Carter guy is right about not needing to shorten the one bushing. Anybody know?

Thanks - Scott

I'm sure they know more that the team of engineers at GM did back in the day. After all, the youth of today are smarter than we'll ever be, right?
DG

Well as we all know the shop manual does not go in to the replacement of the bushing in the side cover of the steering gear assembly (sec 9-6)it states "If this bushing is worn a new side cover and bushing assembly should be installed as it is impractical to replace this bushing in the service department." Masterparts shows this as a unit. As for why do you get two bushings the same size? Up until the last couple of years that is the way they came from GM two in a package both the same length. Should they both be the right size for this application? You bet Lets see what we can do.
Now you must remember the Jim Carter's "Tech Guy" is really there as a free service and he does do his best. That said if you think an answer he give don’t make sense looking at the parts you have in your hand you could always ask for someone else there. Oh and next to Jim Carter he is the oldest guy there.sorry Dave

The GMC manual gives instructions for replacing the cover bushing.

ahhh I didn't have mine handy just this dang ol Chevrolet but do have a GMC master parts that give the part number as a unit. No this is going to bug me till I get to work in the morning. Time to make sure I have the GMC shop manual on pdf so I can find it.

Dang Fred, seems like your always coming up with a repair solution from that GMC manual that the Chevy manual skipped over. That there GMC service manual is a lot more generous than the Chevrolet shop manual so I might just be adding one to my reference library.
As fur as the bushing goes, it’s time to put a stop to will it or won’t it work if left long. So I put me fresh-hot-delicious coffee aside, got myself bundled up and ran out to the barn for a picture session. Here are a couple of pictures of the old short bushing and the new long replacement bushing adjacent to the boss that they would get pressed into. You make up your own mind. You may never have to adjust the sector gear lash out to this point but rather than have to pull the gear out and fix it at some later date, I’d just as soon put it back the way it was engineered originally and not have to think about it. http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/122489281/large http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/steering&page=6
And before some sharp-eyed expert brings it up, no, that is not the actual replacement bushing in the picture. That is the original long bushing which is the same length as the two replacement bushings that are being supplied in the kits. The new short bushing is already installed in the side cover, page 4.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

This does go to show you that the GMC/Pontiac guys might have been in the same family but had their own ideas and very often went in to more detail in their writings.
Here is a edited pdf taken out of the 1947-54 GMC Shop Manual covering that bushing replacement.

That's certainly an easier way to get the bushing out of the cover than chiseling out like I did.

Doh! Now I feel stoopid!

Thanks for the scan.

regards,
Leon

Ok the shorter bushing for the cover is now in process for the kit ME297 to be updated. I did find that this bushing is stocked by Jim Carter's in small quantities under the part number MES145. These kits will now come with the correct size bushings and the instructions out of the GMC manual. I understand this comes too late for those of you who have already went though the trouble of cutting the bushing down but your input here, in emails and on the phone are always appreciated.

Thanks for all of the replys. Sounds like we are working together to get this persistant problem ironed out for all that follow! It's great. - Scott

Forgive me Mike, I'm a little confused, but are you the JC “tech guy”? Or are you the manufacturer of the steering kits for JC? I’m just trying to figure out how you got the kits changed. We complain about ill fitting parts here almost everyday and it seem that it falls on deaf ears.
Oh, and thanks for the scan of the GMC fix, always seems to simple once someone points you in the right direction.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny
I can sure understand, I used to handle the tech calls a few years ago, Now I do more in house tech be it truck questions walk-ins may have and the in house computer/network guy. I have been around here for some years. Scanning the stovebolt was never in my job description but.... it seems to happen from time to time, many things I read do get in front of Jim some get attention some may get lost , This was a simple fix that when we took on having the bushings made got over looked for it was the way we had always received them from GM. As for problems falling on deaf ears well I do try to relay concerns from customers whenever I can to Jim (I will say I am known as the guy that stirs the pot). Denny we all are amazed at the detail you show with your photos and explanations of each project you share if you ever wish for a item “we” make to be adjusted I would be happy to get you in contact with Jim a lot of guys know already most any day if you call here at the shop and need to talk to Jim he will often take your call. As for anyone just PM me and I will be happy to give you my extension number and talk to you.

Thanks Mike, it's good to know that we here on the bolt have someone on the inside that we know is listening. I was in manufacturing for many years and I understand the problems you must run into trying to supply the thousands of parts.
I still recall when I was a teenager back in the 50's when the only real large-scale vendor was the J.C. Whitney's store. The variety of parts available to us today never ceases to amaze me.

All that being said, it’s kind of frustrating when many of the parts that we buy are so close that minor changes during manufacture could have produced a part that would be indistinguishable from the original. The steering kit that we’ve been addressing in this thread is one example. By the simple act of placing the correct bushing in the kit you’ve graduated from a ‘C’ to an ‘A+’, it really doesn’t take much to bring your grade up to par.

I’ve got two replacement bumpers here that are about 98% correct. The only way that you can tell them from the original AD bumpers is that the manufacturer failed to break the edges like the original ones. Now that they’ve been plated it’s to late to break the edge, but had they just taken it one step further by finishing the edge they would have had a perfect reproduction.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL