flaring tool?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 799
Likes: 26
From: Lexington Park Maryland
I just finished with my trailing arm bushing, to make is easy to flare the guide tube. I took my torch and heated the section to be flared (about 1/8" pass the washer), I used a your stand ball pin hammer.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 161
Likes: 17
From: Georgia
I did mine with a press and a center point from a puller set I had. The "squeeze" clamp I fabricated from scrap.
GET QUALITY BUSHINGS, the ones I got from a local Corvette supplier turned out to be foreign made crap. The center part of the bushing was the same length as the outer shell, therefore the rubber could not be compressed enough to make the supplied center tube exposed enough to flare. Had to trim out the inner part of the bushing .2 " with a Dremel to make it work. Also had to use my original beveled washers to get a good fit . Be sure to ream the end of the tube to be flared a bit. Will help prevent splitting.
Jim
GET QUALITY BUSHINGS, the ones I got from a local Corvette supplier turned out to be foreign made crap. The center part of the bushing was the same length as the outer shell, therefore the rubber could not be compressed enough to make the supplied center tube exposed enough to flare. Had to trim out the inner part of the bushing .2 " with a Dremel to make it work. Also had to use my original beveled washers to get a good fit . Be sure to ream the end of the tube to be flared a bit. Will help prevent splitting.
Jim
Last edited by vette_jim; Jan 19, 2016 at 09:45 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Any bearing supply house would stock individual ball bearings but you can also use the ball end of a ball peen hammer or the pointed end of a gear puller. After I got mine pressed I MIG welded it then ground it flat.
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Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
This is the tool we use in our shop.. works great.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...on-tool-63-100
Willcox
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...on-tool-63-100
Willcox
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 799
Likes: 26
From: Lexington Park Maryland
This is the tool we use in our shop.. works great.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...on-tool-63-100
Willcox
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...on-tool-63-100
Willcox
For the welding idea: Thanks I will try that.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,170
From: Hermosa
This is the tool we use in our shop.. works great.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...on-tool-63-100
Willcox
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...on-tool-63-100
Willcox
To get the right ones I went to the Chevy dealer and they were able to get them. Completely different metal and did not crack when flared.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Yes this is the tool to use. The bushings you get from the corvette vendors are of a poor quality and the wrong kind of metal. When you flare it it will crack all around the perimeter of the flare.
To get the right ones I went to the Chevy dealer and they were able to get them. Completely different metal and did not crack when flared.
To get the right ones I went to the Chevy dealer and they were able to get them. Completely different metal and did not crack when flared.
Willcox
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 361
From: Monson MA
Whatever tool is purchased and from whom.... make sure the bottom side has a guide pin. I've seen this same tool without the guide pin. This pin holds the bushing and the sleeve centered while you flare over the end and without the guide it can slip and screw up the flare and/or the bushing.
Willcox
Willcox
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The kits we carry are the oem bushings with washers and the sleeve being made in the USA... I've not had any issues with them splitting in the shop.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...required-63-82
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...required-63-82
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH...
Regardless on how you can compress the bushings and CORRECTLY stake the sleeve....JUST MAKE SURE that BEFORE you go to put it back in the car...that you have filed on or ground down the inner sleeve so that it is FLUSH with the large washer.....SO...you trailing arm SHIMS sit FLAT against the bushing as designed.
It is a BIG MISTAKE if you don't file the inner sleeve flat to the washer.
I will write this....ALWAYS MAKE SURE that your trailing arm bolt will slide into your inner sleeve of the trailing arm bushing BEFORE you stake it. I have been BURNT by this before and it is now common practice to make sure they are correct...and YES....I have original GM parts that will NOT allow the trialing arm bolt to slide through and I have to ream it out to make it work. When customers come to pick up their trailing arms ..I have the trailing arm bolt IN the trailing arm bushing so there is NO dispute that it fits or not.
DUB
Regardless on how you can compress the bushings and CORRECTLY stake the sleeve....JUST MAKE SURE that BEFORE you go to put it back in the car...that you have filed on or ground down the inner sleeve so that it is FLUSH with the large washer.....SO...you trailing arm SHIMS sit FLAT against the bushing as designed.
It is a BIG MISTAKE if you don't file the inner sleeve flat to the washer.
I will write this....ALWAYS MAKE SURE that your trailing arm bolt will slide into your inner sleeve of the trailing arm bushing BEFORE you stake it. I have been BURNT by this before and it is now common practice to make sure they are correct...and YES....I have original GM parts that will NOT allow the trialing arm bolt to slide through and I have to ream it out to make it work. When customers come to pick up their trailing arms ..I have the trailing arm bolt IN the trailing arm bushing so there is NO dispute that it fits or not.
DUB
Last edited by DUB; Jan 22, 2016 at 05:14 PM.