Spindle bushing reamer

[James Rogers]

Any of you who need things like this done should call me or Mitch or Brent and just send your parts and have them done. I can install your bushings and hone them in a couple of hours for about 50$ and send them back in a flat rate box. Whole job would be less than 100$.

We all have web sites that list contact info.

[Kurt in NJ]

For people that havn't seen one this is what a Sunnen hone looks like ---this is a "wet" version, there is a "dry" version that was marketed to garages for kingpins and wheel cylinders that is just the main part without the table/tank unit, they came with an assortment of mandrels for common kingpins and wheel cyls of the era, the baisic machine can be found for under 100$ sometimes, I bought my first one at a garage sale for less than a couple of Brattons reamers ---to buy all the mandrels that may not be as easy, some of them cost much more than a reamer for the fancy rebuildable ones.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Humble opinion:

I bought a spindle reamer from Bratton's about 15 years ago that works great every time if one takes the time to learn how to use it properly.

Also have a bushing driver set bought years ago from Harbor Freight that has sizes that work for driving out or installing all Model A bushings.

Also have a precise special distributor bushing reamer that works perfectly.

Paul Moller, in his Chapter 10 of Volume 1, "Model A Ford - Restoration & Maintenance Handbook", wrote a good article with photos on how to ream spindle bushings if one is interested in learning same.

If you feel that you cannot accurately work with hand tools, forget it -- like anything else, all hand tool work requires patience, hand & eye coordination & a certain amount dexterity.

In my opinion, after doing a few spindles & distributors, this is important when using reamers:

1. Get the correct spindle reamer or distributor reamer, U.S. made of tool steel, from a reliable source, as opposed getting a cheap foreign made reamer that is about as inaccurate as the Chinese the India versions of what they think are correct American shoe sizes & shirt sizes.

2. Place spindle in vise such that reamer is always vertical; hence, not adding weight & thus not allowing excess cutting to one side of the bushing.

3. Have a large oil can handy with lots of oil, (detergent or non-detergent), & "flood" the reamer with oil on every 360 degree revolution -- too much oil is never a problem.

4. Insure that the bushing holes are aligned with the spindle grease fittings.

5. Apply no downward force to reamer while carefully turning; i.e., allow the weight of the reamer to slowly & accurately cut the bushings with its own weight. Also place one hand directly over reamer to steady it at 90 degrees while turning the handle on the wrench.

6. "Never" turn reamer counter-clockwise -- "always" slowly turn "clockwise".

7. When finished, don't throw your precise reamer in your tool box beating up the cutting edges like many mechanics would do -- clean it, oil it, & wrap the reamer in an "oiled" cotton cloth, & store it in a piece of protective PVC pipe with caps on both ends -- it will be like new for the next set of bushings.

8. When finished reaming, thoroughly clean insides of bushings.

9. Lastly, get a straight wood dowel about 18" long & fit it into a power drill.

10. On the other end of the dowel, up to about 4" from the other end, cut about 1/16" deep & about 45 degree knife marks into the wood dowel on all sides, 4" long, allowing wood dowel slivers to protrude upwards.

11. Wrap wood dowel with enough four aught, (0000), steel wool such that the steel wool wrapped dowel can fit inside the bushings. The wood slivers will prevent the steel wool from slipping on the dowel.

12. Add oil to the steel wool, & turn the drill "ON" & polish the inside of the bushing for about 45 seconds until it shines like a mirror -- works for distributors also.

13. If one thinks the steel wool will cut too much, let it run for (3) hours & one will experience that the bushing will not get any larger with (0000) steel wool such that the king pin or distributor shaft will get loose -- gunsmiths use this technique often to improve & remove friction in bores of high quality shotguns.

FWIW: Have nothing against machine shop work of any kind today in 2013; but whether it involves, wood working, plastering, roof sheet metal work, or whatever, it just appears that fine craftsmanship & the care somehow slipped out of the window a few years ago -- if it works once, do it again.

[Purdy Swoft]

Not trying to argue or rub anyone the wrong way . I like and don't hesitate to use reamers. I think that Ford used reamers in the day. I was told years ago that if used properly, reamers cut a surface as smooth as glass, I've found this to be true.I use a hone on engine cylinder walls. I use an adjustable hone when fitting wrist pins because I can slip up on the fit by honing and test fitting untill I like the feel. Hones have fine grit that cuts the surface. Grit leaves fine grooves, this works good for cylinder walls for the rings to wear in an seat. If a reamer is used correctly it cuts smooth like a sharp knife. I've had good luck with Brattons reamers. I just do my stuff, I've got a few model A's and I would be lost without my reamers. I've reamed a few spindle bushing s for friends and neighbors for free. Most don't want to spend the money for reamers because they would only use them once. I've got a spindle bushing driver that Dave Wilton made and gave me back in the ninties. It only takes probably thirty minutes to remove, replace and ream the bushings.

[Gary Gregory]

Thanks guys. The reamer i found is a older USA made in very good shape.

[H. L. Chauvin]

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Hi Gary,

At $1.75 per bushing, as stated above, maybe just try to practice on a few -- you may be totally surprised what happens when one is brave enough to try something new.

For a vintage hand tool craftsmanship comparison, & for observing differences in human hand & eye coordination from a few years ago, just compare the delicate handwritings & signatures dated around 1915 -- then look at those of 2013.

Now, on the other hand, if you need very delicate surgery, & you are looking for a special surgeon who can work with delicate hand tools & instruments, don't ask to see your surgeon's 2013 handwriting before surgery -- please wait until after.

Hope this helps to try your reamer.

[Gary Gregory]

Thanks again. I have used a reamer on the spindle bushings on my Model T and everything seemed fine.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

[QUOTE=H. L. Chauvin;714466]

For a vintage hand tool craftsmanship comparison, & for observing differences in human hand & eye coordination from a few years ago, just compare the delicate handwritings & signatures dated around 1915 -- then look at those of 2013.

Now, on the other hand, if you need very delicate surgery, & you are looking for a special surgeon who can work with delicate hand tools & instruments, don't ask to see your surgeon's 2013 handwriting before surgery -- please wait until after.
H.L,
Went to Ol' Dr. Ghormley, our workman's comp Dr, to get stitched up, AGAIN! His hands shook with a Palsey of some sort With GREAT concentration, & absolute steadiness, he installed about 27 stitches, tied & snipped the thread & then his hands began their usual shaking!!!!ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! Bill W.