The Ford Barn

'31 Patina · 04-07-2013, 10:16 PM

I believe I have quite a bit of play in my brake cross shaft. I can move it up and down and side to side. Seems like a lot of slop. Should there be any play in the shaft or should it be pretty tight?

Has anyone tried the two piece bushing?

Thanks.

CA Victoria · 04-07-2013, 10:34 PM

No slop.
Bert's Model A Center (800-321-1931) has replacement bushings. A couple of ways to go, but the easiest is the replacement Nylon or Split Bronze bushing. No need to remove the arms, takes about an hour start to finish and cost about $5. A-2477.

If these are worn, do check the rest of your brake system, slop = poor brakes.

'31 Patina · 04-08-2013, 06:09 AM

Thanks Tim.

Patrick L. · 04-08-2013, 06:33 AM

I've installed the split bronze. Seems to work well.

Kevin in NJ · 04-08-2013, 07:26 AM

A small amount of slop is ok here as it is adjusted out in operation.
Slop will cause noise.

The Split bushings have been used by many and no real problems I have heard of, but they involve grease.

Ford intentionally did not use an oil based lubrication here. It attracts dirt and can harden and you do not want binding at this point. The ball design was intentional to prevent issues as the frame is capable of a lot of flexing. The original bushings were a fiber material that appears to be graphite impregnated. These same bushing were also used on the Ebrake shaft.

You can buy impregnated bushings today. I have also found it is not very uncommon to find shafts with little or no wear. I only have a few shafts laying around and found several had no wear.

Taking the ends off and putting them back on is not super hard. You just need to drill the rivets far enough. Then you have to have something to squish the new rivets.

A word of warning. There have been several articles about putting in the grease fitting Ford forgot. Basically you need to drill out the bushing and put a grease fitting in place. This now prevents the ball bushing from floating in the carrier and can allow it to bind. Ford did not forget the grease fitting, he designed the system to not need the fitting for a reason.

So you have lots of options that all work including the brass bushing repairs. The key is doing the repair such that there is no chance for binding. I personally reused original bushings on an unworn shaft. They were a little bit loose, but a very small amount. I had a decent selection of bushings from shafts I took apart. I did add a bunch of graphite before I assembled them.

Chris in CT · 04-08-2013, 07:35 AM

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Hi Patina, Nice avatar! You can get the original-type cloth-bushed zinc die-cast ball bushings from a couple of suppliers. The cloth bushings will need to be impregnated with graphite, easy enough to do with an oil/graphite slurry before installing the bushings. You will need to remove the end brackets in order to install the original type bushings, however, but this will allow you to check the bearing points of the shaft for wear. Mine were worn quite badly and I had to build them up and re-machine them to original size. Not hard to do, but certainly more time consuming than installing the split bushings. Happy motoring!

Purdy Swoft · 04-08-2013, 11:01 AM

There needs to be some slack to allow for frame flex without binding. I use the split bronze bushings with good results. The levers don't have to be removed. My thought is, why make it harder than it needs to be?

'31 Patina · 04-08-2013, 12:04 PM

Thanks for the input everyone. I will be trying the split bushings.

KMeredith87 · 04-08-2013, 12:38 PM

I put the split bushing in my pickup just yesterday. Super simple and took no time at all, seemed to do the trick for me.

H. L. Chauvin · 04-08-2013, 01:20 PM

Hi 31,

You may want to verify the condition of the shaft where the bushings fit -- this is why parts suppliers offer building up shafts -- quite a few are very well worn from lack of lubrication over 80 years especially if the vehicle had lots of prior use.

I had (2) that were so worn that the split bushing had far too much loose play -- fit like socks on a rooster.

MIG welded the shaft & reworked it with a flat file & plumbers sand paper for a tight fit -- maybe .005" clearance.

The outside of thess bronze bushings are round so they can rotate in the (2) recessed side brackets when the riveted frame is twisting.

04-07-2013, 10:16 PM	#1
'31 Patina Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rosemount, MN Posts: 228	Brake cross shaft bushing I believe I have quite a bit of play in my brake cross shaft. I can move it up and down and side to side. Seems like a lot of slop. Should there be any play in the shaft or should it be pretty tight? Has anyone tried the two piece bushing? Thanks.

04-07-2013, 10:34 PM	#2
CA Victoria Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,113	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing No slop. Bert's Model A Center (800-321-1931) has replacement bushings. A couple of ways to go, but the easiest is the replacement Nylon or Split Bronze bushing. No need to remove the arms, takes about an hour start to finish and cost about $5. A-2477. If these are worn, do check the rest of your brake system, slop = poor brakes. __________________ Tim Downtown, Ca

04-08-2013, 06:09 AM	#3
'31 Patina Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rosemount, MN Posts: 228	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing Thanks Tim.

04-08-2013, 06:33 AM	#4
Patrick L. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Largo Florida Posts: 7,225	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing I've installed the split bronze. Seems to work well.

04-08-2013, 07:26 AM	#5
Kevin in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East NJ Posts: 3,398	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing A small amount of slop is ok here as it is adjusted out in operation. Slop will cause noise. The Split bushings have been used by many and no real problems I have heard of, but they involve grease. Ford intentionally did not use an oil based lubrication here. It attracts dirt and can harden and you do not want binding at this point. The ball design was intentional to prevent issues as the frame is capable of a lot of flexing. The original bushings were a fiber material that appears to be graphite impregnated. These same bushing were also used on the Ebrake shaft. You can buy impregnated bushings today. I have also found it is not very uncommon to find shafts with little or no wear. I only have a few shafts laying around and found several had no wear. Taking the ends off and putting them back on is not super hard. You just need to drill the rivets far enough. Then you have to have something to squish the new rivets. A word of warning. There have been several articles about putting in the grease fitting Ford forgot. Basically you need to drill out the bushing and put a grease fitting in place. This now prevents the ball bushing from floating in the carrier and can allow it to bind. Ford did not forget the grease fitting, he designed the system to not need the fitting for a reason. So you have lots of options that all work including the brass bushing repairs. The key is doing the repair such that there is no chance for binding. I personally reused original bushings on an unworn shaft. They were a little bit loose, but a very small amount. I had a decent selection of bushings from shafts I took apart. I did add a bunch of graphite before I assembled them.

04-08-2013, 07:35 AM	#6
Chris in CT Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Connecticut Posts: 272	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Hi Patina, Nice avatar! You can get the original-type cloth-bushed zinc die-cast ball bushings from a couple of suppliers. The cloth bushings will need to be impregnated with graphite, easy enough to do with an oil/graphite slurry before installing the bushings. You will need to remove the end brackets in order to install the original type bushings, however, but this will allow you to check the bearing points of the shaft for wear. Mine were worn quite badly and I had to build them up and re-machine them to original size. Not hard to do, but certainly more time consuming than installing the split bushings. Happy motoring!

04-08-2013, 11:01 AM	#7
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing There needs to be some slack to allow for frame flex without binding. I use the split bronze bushings with good results. The levers don't have to be removed. My thought is, why make it harder than it needs to be?

04-08-2013, 12:04 PM	#8
'31 Patina Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rosemount, MN Posts: 228	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing Thanks for the input everyone. I will be trying the split bushings.

04-08-2013, 12:38 PM	#9
KMeredith87 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: San Antonio Posts: 177	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing I put the split bushing in my pickup just yesterday. Super simple and took no time at all, seemed to do the trick for me.

04-08-2013, 01:20 PM	#10
H. L. Chauvin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,179	Re: Brake cross shaft bushing Hi 31, You may want to verify the condition of the shaft where the bushings fit -- this is why parts suppliers offer building up shafts -- quite a few are very well worn from lack of lubrication over 80 years especially if the vehicle had lots of prior use. I had (2) that were so worn that the split bushing had far too much loose play -- fit like socks on a rooster. MIG welded the shaft & reworked it with a flat file & plumbers sand paper for a tight fit -- maybe .005" clearance. The outside of thess bronze bushings are round so they can rotate in the (2) recessed side brackets when the riveted frame is twisting.