I read a post from a guy called Truck Shop. Said to use a concrete saw with a steel blade to cut them out. Set up on a 4 X 4 or 6 X 6 if I recall correctly. Had to face a giant again but this time I took a stone, or a saw for cutting them, instead of a fire wrench. The only one available for rent was a big Hilti saw. I used two blades cutting through all the inside bushings and most of the four outside bushings. Had to finish up with the blue wrench as I had no more blades. This saw rolled right on the floor. Had to remove the rear chambers for clearance. Started to remove the guard but found a screw could be removed when the outer belt cover was removed. That allows the guard to rotate farther back just keep it off the muffler. Thanks Truck Shop! That was the easiest ever!
I never thought of using a quickie saw. Last one I did I was able to get a porta band up in there and cut through with that. Torch would be a stinking smoky mess.....
Why cut them out? I changed I don't know how many center beam bushing assemblies from rubber ride to bronze greasable with the thicker sleeve end bushings. We had a puller that was custom made in 1961 for the end caps, drag the inner caps out and drive the outers. Took less time than gas axe or saws. Have not seen it done since 1989. This is what is still out there, looks amazingly similar to what we had as home made. Tapped the inner end cap, set up draw plate, pulled until bottomed, backed off and set shim until cap released. PITA but worked all too well. https://sostools.com.au/t-and-e-tools-2-1745-hendrickson-end-bushing-puller-set/
And yes those are pretty nice tool kits-but for that kind of money you can rent a cut-off saw several times over, if you don't already have one. Time to cut them out with gas powered saw-one hour.
Where have you been hanging out? Not quite the same around here lately.
Our old custom tool was made by a local machine shop, the boss stated cost him at the time $300, had to replace the draw bolts a few times but always clean, no sparks flying, no trucks set afire or bushings burning stinking up the place. Know of one shop long since gone always used gas axe, that building burnt to the ground with a trash truck in it having beam bushings changed. In my early days gas axe was the way to get them apart, never saved a bolt or cap or spacer just ignite and hack away. Never enjoyed swapping or re-leafing springs on those bastards either, the lead pivot pin was always hosed up, notched or seized in place and the saddle studs always beat to a pulp. Worse yet was torqueing Mack camel backs U-bolts with a 4/1 multiplier sitting on the row boat back and forth for what seemed like days!
2nd that DMillier! Many of the ones I used to do were in an acidic environment. Not sure they would pull. Others would come out with an air chisel. Wish I had known that years ago. Aftermarket has eccentric caps for alignment. Had to use some of them to correct a problem one time. Any thoughts or experience with putting them in to start with?
Should be square to truck with beams matched, unless something changed, beams got swapped or replaced they should all be same eye to eye length. Have seen the eccentric cap sets, had not ever had to install a set. If would should only be two sets needed to align front to frame and then rear to front drive on one side.