Posted by Marty [108.162.245.205] on Sunday, November 05, 2017 at 22:16:01 :
Sheesh...that was an exhausting weekend.
Starting off the weekend cracking my head open didn't help but I decided that no matter what...the swivel joint on that truck Willock got was going to get taken apart.
It's probably the most challenging job I've ever done on a Power Wagon. I mean this thing had been abused for 60 years & did not want to come apart. The whole joint was frozen to the point that even lifting with my Hiab...no way that joint was going to turn.
There's grease fittings that run through steel tubing to the joint but no way any grease would go through, even heating the tubing & new zerks...it was determined to stay stuck but it was over matched :)
Took all weekend but I got the joint apart & the pin out.
It was a nightmare. My guess is it couldn't have ever been greased. The bronze bushing that runs through each cross member is roughly 6" long & about 4" or so in diameter. The bushing isn't the same diameter all the way through...the centre 2" of the bushing is cut larger..I guess to let the grease fill that area when it's pumped through the tube. Problem with this one...the pin was corroded in that area & therefore larger diameter than the bushing outer diameters.
So...I'm thinking no grease for a very long time otherwise how does the pin rust like that??
So...16 hours of work & it's one for me...none for the swivel joint.
Surprisingly...it all looks nice after some cleaning & filing.
I figure I'll put the pin in a lathe & clean it up a little but even the bushings seem nice.
Time for a beer :)
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