Philip,
If the Midget is like the "A", settle back for a while but before you
do, soak the thing in a good penetrating oil. WD40 is not one of these.
Wait a day, Soak, wait a day, soak, etc. Heat with a propane torch,
quench, heat, press, pound, adinfinitum.It took me 2 weeks to get mine
out. Then prepare for the replacement parts. From the inside to the
outside, there should be the bolt, a steel sleeve, a bronze faced
bushing and the casting.
The bronze bushing is press fit into the casting (swivel link). It
requires reaming to size after fitting. The steel sleeve should be a
fairly tight, but loose, fit inside the bushing. the bolt fits through
the steel sleeve. the steel sleeve is to be a few thousandths of an inch
longer than the bushing/casting. The theory is that when all put
together, the bolt tightens the lower wishbone arms against the large
washers against the steel sleeve. This leaves the bronze bushing/casting
free to move on the assembly allowing up and down motion of the king
pin. Grease these fittings well and often.
All can be done by the shade tree mechanic, and I have done it twice.
But the reaming should be done at a machine shop.
As stated earlier the normal problem is that the bolt, rusts to the
steel sleeve. All parts should be replaced. It is not uncommon to find
that the A-arms are worn and also need replacing.
All of this is an education, and if you are successfull, a great self
rewarding task.
Or you can have your favorite LBC mechanic do it all. Probably a whole
lot quicker, but not as much fun.
Chuck Schaefer
Philip Hubbard wrote:
>
> Aha! Success at last. The fulcrum pin nut is off! I got it split with
> the nut splitter and then used hammer and screwdriver to open it up and
> slid it off.
>
> The fulcrum pin itself is being beastly to get out. I can't seem to be
> able to get a pry device behind it to pry it out. I do have the washer out
> of the side with the split nut. Problem is that earlier I messed up the
> threads just enough that I can't get the nut from the other side screwed on
> so that I could pound on it with a hammer.
>
> Is it worth trying not to mess the fulcrum pin up anymore. The threads
> look pretty good for the most part and I was hoping that if I don't mess it
> up any further that I could take it to get rethreaded once I got it off the
> car. If that is just a vain hope, I could bang on it all day not worrying
> if I caused further damage. That ought to help get it off. :) Another
> thought. Do they make small hand held rethreaders? If so, I could
> rethread the beginning of the bolt while still on the car, thread an old
> (non-split) nut on enough to protect the bolt and then bang on it with the
> hammer. The bummer is that if I don't get it out without ruining it, I'll
> have to put the whole job off until I get a new fulcrum pin as I doubt
> very, very much that I can find one locally. I'd rather not do that
> because the car is out in the driveway and I'd much rather be leaving it in
> the garage at night.
>
> BTW, this is the side with no bushings so I don't think it's a problem with
> the bushings being frozen in the a-arm. The bolt could be rusted in there
> though. I've been using Liquid Wrench liberally. :)
>
> Thanks,
> Philip
> 1974 Maroon Midget
>
> PS I am learning a lot through this process so it's not for nothing.
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