Hi folks - learning alot here, but just can't find the right search terms to see if there's prior art on what I'm asking... thanks for any guidance on my confusion below I picked up a 2016 JCB 3CX with 2200hrs... runs good, did some snow plowing with it after an oil change and checkout. Did hydraulic filter and both fuel filters today - hydraulic fluid is a bit cloudy so that'll get changed next week.. but looking at larger items. Both the excavator and the bucket have a bit of play in them . I'm just looking at the bucket stuff up front for now, though. In some of the linkages, there's 1/8" or more play. Some only slide side to side, some seem to yaw (ie, I can twist them) - seems the bushing is shot in all? Few questions before the details.... Is this something to urgently fix before I keep using it? Or are the pins + bushings already destroyed? Will continued use wear into the link arms/rams? Are the pins destroyed? Should I assume everything (1-10) in this diagram needs replacement? Some looks alot easier to get to than others. Is it ok to do them in chunks - the bucket/forward ones now, then when I can get an engine hoist up here to help with lifting, do the rear/frame ones? The youtubes seem like this is somewhat DIY - I'm pretty solid with a wrench, but also working outside in mountain land.. I've found some videos for non-JCB backhoes and looks like folks are freezing and tapping in the bush, others say it needs a press. Here's a pic of one of the bushes - while others are spring bushings. Removing seems difficult - but also if they're shot, could I just tap with a screwdriver and bend them in? Or do I need to look at removing the arms and using a shop press? Here is the "shovel ram eye" pivot (I think thats what its called, from the manuals). You can see the gap on the sides, and then there is also a little vertical play.
Keep them greased every ten hours or week and run it a few years. If you want to, the old ones will come out by heating and shrinking with a torch, or welding a bead, if they come out difficult then you know the bore is fine. If they come out easy without a press or shrinking, then the bore might not hold the bushing as well, but probably fine for what it is. Need to take it apart to see where the wear is. If a particular bushing is brass/bronze like the one pictured, I'd assume the pin is fine and replace just the bushings. They will wear though the bushings eventually, or the bushing will move in the bore and wear the bore, so you do want to avoid that.
Thanks @Delmer - I think I'll pull one for experience when the weather gets nicer and see what I'm in for. Lots of learning going on here...