how do I remove these bushings?

[pShenk]

I laid my bike down (slow, not too much damage), ironically on the way home from picking it up at the suspension shop (it wasn't their fault... I was testing out the new ride a little too vigorously, in a parking lot that turned out to be covered in a fine layer of rock dust). The most-injured appendage was my rear brake lever... totally snapped off. I hobbled home with a sputtering engine (the right spark plug was also cracked), and bodged together the brake lever while I considered my options. Thank you to my old friend, PC-7!

 

 

I found some nice billet replacement levers from Harper's, and I figured I might as well replace the shifter while I'm at it. Get a matching set and all. Make it nice and pretty.

 

So I get the levers, and the brake one goes on about as easily as anything I've done on this bike. Nice improvement... simple, clean, and a step up from the cheap-ish cast stock part.

 

 

Now move onto the shifter side. I get the lever off without too much trouble. But then I notice two bushings in the stock part, that will have to be transfered to the replacement. One sticks out a bit so I can grab it, the other is flush, and I have no idea how to get it. Worse... the hole through the lever gets narrower inside, so the bushings rest against solid aluminum. I can't stick something in to knock out the bushings from the inside.

 

Turns out they are in TIGHT. I worry the one with a needle-nosed pliers for a bit, but I'm just buggering it up, so I douse it in penetrating oil, and leave it for a few hours.... STILL no luck. At this point, I don't think I'm ever going to get them out. I've messed the one up pretty badly, although I can probably get it back on the bike, temporary-like. It's not like it's a spinning part or anything. The only thing I can think to do at this point is order replacement bushings, which I imagine will take weeks.

 

 

Anyone ever successfully remove these? And HOW?

[mike wilson]

Make sure that you have not burred over the hole it is in, so that it can fall out cleanly. Then apply heat. Given that there is oil on it, there will probably be a bit of smoke, so using the stove in the kitchen might not be the right thing to do.

 

Once it is good and warm, so you have to use the pliers to hold it, heat it some more and then whack it on something solid so that the bush can fall out. Repeat. Worst case scenario, you melt the alloy away from the steel.

[callison]

The older Daytona RS's/Sport 1100's don't have the bushing which would explain why the replacements don't have them either. You should contact Harpers and see if they have the correct version. If not, go to a hardward store and find a bushing that will fit. I've got to do the exact same thing to upgrade a set I had powder coated. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. If you want to persist with the bushing removal, I'd use an easy out after getting the assembly hot. Far less damage overall than pliers.

[gh67]

PShenk,

 

those are great looking levers, let us know how it works out. I'd like to get their shift lever to match the billet brake one I got from MPH a few years ago.

[pShenk]

Well, the heating trick worked well for the bushing that was sticking out... I could grab it with a pliers and twist it. The other one, no dice. I couldn't grab hold of it with anything. I tried hammering it loose with a long piece of metal from the inside, but it didn't budge.

 

I guess I'll go try to look for bushings that match. Could I find these at just any hardware store? Like a Home Depot?

[Garsdad]

Well, the heating trick worked well for the bushing that was sticking out... I could grab it with a pliers and twist it. The other one, no dice. I couldn't grab hold of it with anything. I tried hammering it loose with a long piece of metal from the inside, but it didn't budge.

 

I guess I'll go try to look for bushings that match. Could I find these at just any hardware store? Like a Home Depot?

 

 

Probalbly not home depot... you will need a real hardware or auto parts store. Try ACE.