Spigot bush replacement.

[DarkMatter]

I'm in the process of replacing the spigot bush on my '96 Griff 500. I've heard a few people say how their old one virtually fell out. Mine was much more difficult to remove.

Now the new one is proving to be difficult to fit. By using a block of wood to protect the bush I've been able to knock it most of the way in but it remains about 1/8" proud of the crankshaft. I'm pretty sure it's correctly aligned, but in the confined space under the car it's difficult to be certain.

Would applying heat to the spigot bush now cause it to expand or contract in relation to the crankshaft?

Thanks. (I'll be glad when I'm driving it again rather than laying underneath it!)

[rev-erend]

I wish you have asked before you fitted it..

I did mine recently and put mine in the freezer overnight and wiped the frost off the next day.

Tapped it in fairly easily with a small piece of wood and a hammer.

[eff eff]

Most things expand when heated, if you can't feel a gap between the leading edge of the bearing and the bottom of the bore in the shaft with something like a small hook its probably at full depth

[DarkMatter]

rev-erend said:

I wish you have asked before you fitted it..

I wish I had too!

rev-erend said:

I did mine recently and put mine in the freezer overnight and wiped the frost off the next day.

Mine had been in the freezer for 4 hours, obviously not long enough.

eff eff said:

if you can't feel a gap between the leading edge of the bearing and the bottom of the bore in the shaft with something like a small hook its probably at full depth

I used a hooked instrument to confirm that the bush wasn't fully home.

Anyway, thank you rev-erend and eff eff for your advice. Tonight I managed to get the bush fully in, phew.

I did a web search to seek some advice on fitting these bushes and some people recommend soaking them in oil for a day before fitting. If in addition to that if it is kept in the freezer for 24 hours I expect it would have fitted more easily.

[aerospoke]

If nobody comes up with a better suggestion you could try to spray it with cold-spray as used in electronics for finding temperature-related faults.
Cheers Jens

[DarkMatter]

Thanks Jens for your suggestion, but fortunately I have now fitted the bush OK.

[rev-erend]

Or just do what a mechanic would do..

FBH and a drift..