Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all,

Rusty (my trusty rusty 350 Superstar) had a sloppy distributor - ok I know it's not a real distributor, more of a points housing, but you know the part I mean...

I knocked out the two steel bushes (steel??!!) and confirmed they were cream crackered. Problem was that not only were the insides of the bushes worn, but the spindle where it bore on the bushes had worn a few thou undersize. I reasoned:

1. Steel on steel isn't a good idea

2. Putting new unworn bushes in wouldn't cure the 'slop'

So off to my mate Peter in the village. He has lathes, mills etc in his garage AND knows how to use 'em! He made up and installed new fozzy-bronze bushes, line-reamed them and skimmed a few though off the shaft where it hadn't worn (thus allowing the shaft to slide in).

What a great job! No play at all and will probably last better than the steel bushes too!

I know the newer ones have proper bearings, but I want to keep as many of Rusty's parts original and you can't fit ball-bearings in the old-style casting.

Has anyone else done a similar job?

Stephen

I had mine independently refurbished shortly after fitting a pair of 'new' bushes but to be honest was unaware at the time of doing so that the design found on the 500 had altered to include ball races.

Not a job I've had to do (yet) but steel on steel doesn't seem right. Fozzy Bronze will make a much better bearing.
Incidentally, the 350s had plain bushings right up to 2008. The later 500s had ball races.

Ric posted while I was typing

The Indian factory was fond of steel bushes, look at the the cams and idler gears on the pre-EFI models. Our hosts naturally sell bronze replacements! A.

Are you sure they are steel? Cast iron I can understand, but not steel. I often read some journalists in bike mgazines talk of steel cylinder liners when they are cast iron. It seems they consider them the same thing!

I would agree with cast iron, valve guides where mostly cast iron on the older bikes and they are still on sale, it is best not to use them though as exhaust valves are now made of stainless steel and will pick up and stick open in iron guides.