[DeTomaso] Help needed with lower a-arm shaft kit installation

[forestg at att.net]

I would suggest using a small brake cylinder hone nd hone the bushings until the sleeve is a slip fit.
Forest

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Charles McCall <charlesmccall at gmail.com>
>
> Hi all,
>  
> I've had off-line conversations with several people but am currently stumped
> and would like to know who else has done this task looking for other ideas. 
>  
> I'm told that one of the most overlooked maintenance tasks on the Pantera is
> the lubrication of the lower shaft of the rear suspension - the shaft that
> supports the hub carrier through the lower a-arms. 
>  
> So I decided to lubricate this part before it was too late and it rusted in
> place. 
>  
> It was too late. It was rusted in place. 
>  
> So I ordered a kit with all the parts - all the washers, spacers, sleeves,
> shims, o-rings, the works. And I began cutting stuff apart - cutting between
> the hub carrier and the a-arm to remove the old shaft in three parts. 
>  
> Long story, horrible task, but it's done. 
>  
> Turns out that it had only really frozen in one side of the a-arm, and
> moderate pounding removed the offending part. 
>  
> I am now in the stage of installing the replacements. 
> 
> The first step is to install two brass bearings in the hub carrier. (I think
> they are brass - they are brass colored and soft metal). 
>  
> That is done. 
>  
> The next step is to install the sleeve, through the bearings, and in the hub
> carrier. That's my problem. 
>  
> Before installing these parts, the clearance between the bearings and the
> sleeve is approximately 1 thousandth of a micron. Installing the bearing in
> the hub carrier compresses it ever so slightly, making it impossible to fit
> the sleeve in the bearing. 
>  
> I've chamfered the leading edge of the bearing just to insure that it didn't
> get a lip when I pressed it in. 
>  
> Does anyone else have first-hand experience with this installation? Did they
> have a similar problem? 
>  
> If you did NOT have a problem, who did you purchase your kit from? The parts
> are all machined to what appears to be a very high tolerance, but it allows
> very little room for error. 
>  
> If you DID have a problem, how did you solve it? If I just beat the hell out
> of it to get it in, then I've pretty much defeated the purpose of installing
> bearings and lubricating so that everything rotates smoothly. 
>  
> If you have NOT looked at your lower shaft recently, do so and grease it
> before it is too late. This task is NOT fun. 
>  
> Thanks!
>  
> Charles McCall
> 1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S #9375
> "Raising Pantera Awareness across Europe"
> http://members.aol.com/PanteraGT5S1985/
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