Powerflex Radius arm bushes?

[DoubleOSeven]

A word of warning to early van owners. The radius arms get ‘welded’ to the lower control arm with rust and you need to remove it to get the new bushings on.

[slowcoach]

A word of warning to early van owners. The radius arm get ‘welded’ to the lower control arm with rust and you need to remove it to get the new bushings on.

Yeah I'm expecting that bad situation :-\ I thought I'd remove the lower track arm at the same time (and swap those bushes probably) which I think would drop the whole assembly low enough to get the rod out the hole. To people who've tackled this, think that would work?

[itchyfeet]

hole welded, ground back and some vactan on.

All the rust even hard rust ground off or it will keep rusting.

from this



to this




stumbled across my old 80s skateboard and it got me thinking, look about the right size

[937carrera]

stumbled across my old 80s skateboard and it got me thinking, look about the right size

Pictures or it didn't happen

[itchyfeet]

Pictures or it didn't happen

Here you are

[937carrera]

I was actually referring to you on a skateboard

[itchyfeet]

I was actually referring to you on a skateboard

I have a picture from the 80's just not showing you

paint on



The cups are pretty thin at 1.5mm wall, be nice if they did a stainless one for longer life or perhaps a mild steel one with say 2.5mm wall and then you could tack weld it in if the hole was bad.



drew it up in case

[slowcoach]

Nice work. Can you elaborate on the weld you added? I've a stick welder I've done a few repairs with, nothing on the van though. Is it a case of adding metal weld, then carefully grinding back to the right profile?

[937carrera]

I have a picture from the 80's just not showing you

Oh well, I'll stick with the image in my mind then

Back to the Poweflex bushes, are you happy that everything is now just ready to assemble and it will all fit fine?

[itchyfeet]

Nice work. Can you elaborate on the weld you added? I've a stick welder I've done a few repairs with, nothing on the van though. Is it a case of adding metal weld, then carefully grinding back to the right profile?

exactly, it's hard under than van because space is tight but remember the weld isn't holding anything together it's just a spacer to stop the rod falling so if your weld penetration isn't brilliant it won't matter. You don't have to get it right first time, add some grind, add more more in the holes, grind etc. need a 4 inch grinder and need to take the spare wheel tray off.

You could probably get away with JB weld... nah forget I said that

[itchyfeet]

Back to the Poweflex bushes, are you happy that everything is now just ready to assemble and it will all fit fine?

of course, that's tomorrow evening's job.

The problem with two vans of course is I have to do this all again

[itchyfeet]

I forgot to take a pic of the bushes before removal, but here they are, as you can see that don't look particularly bad so it goes to show they need as a minimum to be removed periodically for inspection inside or renewal regardless of what you see outside.

The same goes for powerflex, just because they look shiny outside does not mean the rust isn't eating away the steel below.




Looking at James Video he left some hard rust which I think by now will have swolen, time to take them off and treat the rust again James

[937carrera]

What did you paint it with ?

I have been getting good advice on Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80 https://www.bilthamber.com/hydrate-80

Combined rust converter and paint, can also be painted over

[itchyfeet]

What did you paint it with ?

Just acrylic paint, it's not going to last whatever you put on due to the bushes moving so I think regular inspection is the key.

[Oldiebut goodie]

If you want to have a go at hard rust removal try this - chipping hammer on a ships deck. Awful job!