Manual Lift Linkage

[drewd 55]

I am working on a 1987 416-8 that I picked up a couple of years ago.  I bought it from the widow of the PO.  It was obvious that it had been stored outside in the past and PO had repainted etc., but this machine had seen some use for sure!  Motor sounds good and the tranny does not make noise so I am fixing it up a bit for a worker at my camp. 

I am working on the manual lift linkage now and need some advice on how far I can or should take this.  The spring in the handle was frozen when I got the machine but I got it lubed up and working again.  However, it's a bit lazy on the uptake.  Also, there is some play on the handle side of the lift.  With the weak spring and sloppy bushing on the same side the lift will not lock in place once lifted.  You can get it to catch but if wiggled a bit it simply drops.  PO told me they just left it down.  I cannot get the handle of the shaft.  I drove the pin out and am soaking it now in hope some heat will help after a day or two.  I did get the push lever out and picked up a new spring.  I would really like to replace the bushing on the handle side if possible.  The sheet metal does not look out of round and neither does the bushing but you can see that the bushing is slightly smaller than the hole in the metal so it has play on that side.  Neither the metal or bushing looks uneven from wear. The bushing on the right side is pressed in the sheet metal pretty well and is still tight on the shaft.  If I cannot get the handle off the shaft without damage to the sheet metal I was thinking of trying to work in a shim around the bushing to take up the slack.  Has anyone had this issue?  Any ideas?

 

Thanks!

[SylvanLakeWH 24,130]

A pic or two would help...

[kasey54 304]

Drewd, yes I once had that exact issue. It was on a 310 8 speed. However the sheet metal was wallowed out too.

My memory is sketchy. I believe the whole shaft can be removed by removing e clip on the rt. side, and two hitch pins that hold the lift arm centered .There is a key way and key in the shaft. I removed the bushing, and either found a larger o.d. with the flange, or i spun one up on a lathe. I don't remember. I did have to enlarge the whole in the panel. I found a large washer to fit the shaft on the out side,drilled  three small holes thru washer and panel . and nutted them in place to hold the bushing from spinning again. I had to center the shaft thru the panel. Hope this helps. You certainly understand your issue, maybe you can find a better solution. As I recall there was not room to install a flange type bushing.

[drewd 55]

Kasey54, the problem is that both the lift handle and center piece that is keyed are both frozen to the shaft.  I have better access to the handle and am soaking and working that a bit everyday until it breaks free.  Then I should be able to move that in past the flange bearing and be able to figure out if the bearing is worn.  The bearing and tin both look in round but I'm thinking that the bearing (which look like plastic) spinning thinned out enough to create the slop. If it is the metal that enlarged and not the bearing getting worn down I will make a plate as you suggest to fit the bearing tightly.  Thanks for your help!

[drewd 55]

After soaking everything for a few days I used heat and tried to loosen the arm and it would not budge at all.  So I tried the center lift control with heat...nothing!  I think these pieces were in place since built.  I did get the flanged bushing out of the opposite side and noticed that it is a press fit into the sheet metal collar.  The collar is at a taper so when bushing is pressed in and held in place.  The other side the metal came straight out so must have been pushed out by the bearing rotating freely over the years.  It was still round but not tapered.  I used the other bushing as a templet and made a shim out of some galvanized tin. Made the shim a little wider than the bushing and then tapped it into place between the loose bushing and sheet metal frame.  It was nice and tightened up the arm!  I then applied some blue Loctite around the  bushing, shim and sheet metal.  I also replaced the spring,cleaned up and painted to internal catch rod in the arm and all is working as it should!  Thanks for the tips!