Rubber Bush - How to reduce size.. teeeheehe.

[Cunning Plan]

..... Quiet, this is a serious question



This is a bush from the rear suspension on my bus. The spring plates I am putting on are a slightly larger diameter, which means the rubber stretches more and increases in size, which then in turn makes it difficult to get in the hole..

ALRIGHT, YES, rubber, hole, can't get it in.......

... Anyway, Any suggestions of how to trim back this bush, about 1.5mm all the way around, evenly?

I'm assuming I need to get friendly with a local machine shop or something?

[art b]

you need your ring reaming out ....

i'd doubt rubber can be machined ..

[Roadkill]

That won't take to machining.  

I can't think of a way of doing it without destroying it.

Can you switch to polyeurathane ?

[Andy]

It can be, but its bloody difficult.

Having done some a couple of years ago. Get the rubber bush put up on a mandrel or bit of bar thats the right diameter for how much it is getting stretched. Then lob it in the freezer over night. Get a lathe and grind up a sharp point tool with a lot of relief off the underside. Then in a quick move, bung the mandrel in the lathe, high speed, low feed, turn down.

The only thing I've not had success at doing this with is silicone rubber, which is fooking hard work get get a decent finish with.

Other options do included grinding, or heating up a knife or chisel to really hot/melting temperature and turning it off with that.

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Andy

It can be, but its bloody difficult.

Quoting: Roadkill

That won't take to machining.
I can't think of a way of doing it without destroying it.

Quoting: art b

i'd doubt rubber can be machined ..

Dang. I was hoping I could put it in a drill, make it spin and put a flap-disc on it or something.

Glad I didn't now!

Quoting: Roadkill

Can you switch to polyeurathane ?

Urm, yes, I can't think of a reason not to

Any suggestions of where to look? I presume they have a selection of sizes?

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Any suggestions of where to look? I presume they have a selection of sizes?

http://prothane.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://prothane.com/

http://energysuspension.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://energysuspension.com/

. . . .

It's just a case of finding the right O.D and I.D . . . or something close.

[Cunning Plan]

Thanks buddy, I will get the caliper out and measure it next time I am with the bus.