karl ruiter

So, I decided to replace the bushing in my UCAs myself, and I did not want to get a huge press that would be in my way and hard to move. Tried the hammer approach. Forget that! So I got a small 6 ton hydraulic press with an opening of 16 in from ram to base to see what could be done. The short answer: a little tricky, but very possible. Getting the axle out is a pain, but the rest is all pretty easy. The kit was supplied by our friend Mark, and it includes 5 tools, T1-T5, shown from L to R in the pic below.

Step 1: Use a 1.5in hold saw to punch a hole through the base of the press and through your work bench. Yeah, pretty rude. But its either this or getting a press with about a 30 in opening.

Step 2: Press out the axle mounting studs. Easy with a press, but no way were mine coming out with a hammer. Use included tool T1.



Step 3: Pressing out Axel(A) : front knuckle through front bushing, Start out using their tool T2


When you run out of T2, use a M12 bolt to press the rear knuckle all the way through the rear bushing.


Step 4: Pressing out Axel(B) : With the rear knuckle through the rear bushing the axle can drop down out of the front bushing. Press out front bushing. Install the table around the axle, and use T3 and T4 to press the front bushing out.


Step 5: Pressing out Axel(C) : Pressing the rear knuckle through the front bushing. Disassemble the press, and thread the ram through the empty hoop of the rear bushing. Improvise a support structure using here their T4 and T5 to hold the front hoop at the right height.



Step 6: Pressing out the front bushing. With the axle out and the ram still threaded through the rear hoop use T3 and T4 to push the front bushing out.


Yay! Disassembly is complete!

Re-assembly is a lot easier.

karl ruiter

reassembly is easier

Step 1: Disassemble press and reassemble with ram through front hoop


Step 2: Use T5 to press is rear bushing


Step 3: Set axle in place with middle washer. Maybe not on your new 3di sails?


Step 4: Thread the axle through the shelf of the press and use T4 and T5 to press in the front bushing. Caution: Unlike everything else in the process once you start this press is is pretty much not reversible. So if you want to prep the inner surface of the hoop, or lube the outer surface of the bushing or anything else like that you have to do it before you start this step. The slot in T4 should line up with the front arm.


That's about it. Just press the axle studs back in and install the end washers and nuts. I'm leaning towards adding some lube between to front washer and the front bushing as there seems to be a lot of wear on the washer.

gbgastowers

Could you please take a pic of that accessory kit with info so I can try and find one. I already have a press like yours. Thanks