November '61 Radius Arms

[gs.davies]

Is there anything special about these that would mean they're better off being kept and repaired as opposed to being exchanged? Not even sure they're original to the car or if indeed they're dated, but is there anything I need to look out for?

[Daz1968]

Not sure if they are different but the kits are only about £10 a side at mini spares so easy to recondition as long as you have a reamer, I had bushes opened up on a lathe before fitting so very little to ream afterwards.

[Spitz]

As far as I know....but I'm often wrong....these would have a bushing at both ends rather than a bushing at one and bearing at the other. Also welded metal rather than cast.
I'm curious of other's response whether "better" or not. Obviously BMC thought adding a bearing was better.

[Daz1968]

My car is a 1962 and only difference was the tubes inside were steel rather than plastic, I retained the steel ones as was told they were better, not sure about changeover point from both being bushes, think press steel was only on very early 1959 and 1960 cars

[Andrew1967]

I'd say if they are the early welded type, then retain them and rebush/ream them at both ends for originality sake. My late '60 has the welded type.

If you've got access to a reamer it's much cheaper to buy a kit and recondition them yourself.

[rolesyboy]

Would somebody de-mystify the whole rebush/ream radius arms thing please? I have never seen it done not the tool for the job. Cheers. Mark

[Spider]

I don't know the change over dates, but I do know that the very early cars had fabricated (welded) arms, they also had bushes on both ends, no bearing. Then they went to the cast arms and again, I'm fairly sure the early ones of these also had bushes both ends, then they changed to the bearing on the inboard end.

I'm also pretty sure that from the factory right to the end, the tube inside was steel. It's only the after market replacements that have the plastic tube.

Rolesy, the Reaming of the bush is no mystery or big deal, it's only a case of having the right tool to do the job, which is a Reamer - which does the cutting - that's fitted with a Pilot. The Pilot is there basically as an extension to the Reamer to line it up spot on with the Bearing.

Here's an old post;-

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5984

[Chalkie]

Look where the shock bolts too

I got two at 1/2" and 2 at 5/8ths

[gs.davies]

Seems like quite a relatively simple job. The trick is keeping the cutting end of the reamer dead straight - what's so special about the Churchill tool? The fact it has a locating bush that goes on the inboard end? Can't the old roller bearing be used for the ourposes of locating the reamer?

[Spider]

Can't the old roller bearing be used for the ourposes of locating the reamer?

That's how my tool works.