Dear Ferraristi, I just got Verell's Delrin silent bloc replacements. Man O Man, I just can't get the thing out. I've started at the shiftgate and have tried pulling it with a nut on a threaded rod but even snapped the rod. Granted, it was just steel rod...not to any high grade....but still....that's tight! Tighter than....opps, nasty thoughts again. I've been looking for a "proper" removal tool. Any suggestions? Everything I seem to find is some homemade something or other. The shifter bushing at the shift gate seems especially tight....should I just drill it out? or should I pull the whole shifter and have it done on a work press? I haven't tried the engine side yet...still gotta jack up the car. Would appreciate some experienced advice please. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
The best method I've found is to machine some appropriately sized tools and press them out (and new ones in) on my 20 ton press. You can improvise using sockets or heaven forbid a torch (don't go there!) but there is just no substitute for doing it right.
It's the bush in each end of the transmission shiftiung linkage. One at shifter end, another at engine end.
Got what? The purpose is? The cost for? Got from where? Thanks in advance for the explanation..............Kerry
SilentBloc is a descriptive name for the rubber mounted bushings that are used all over Italian cars for things like control arms, shocks, motor mounts and shift linkages. They are typically two pieces of steel with rubber bonded in between and are frequently a press-fit into the part they are designed to isolate from vibration or allow movement. When the rubber breaks eventually down, they can be a bit of a challenge to replace without some creative tooling. Here are some new bushings that were subsequently installed in some Koni shocks. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Gotcha 2NA, I know exactly what your talking about. Just a matter of vocabulary for me...........Like the shackle bushings on a leaf spring or motor mounts, etc.. Thanks for the explanation, very much appreciated. Kerry
Dear Ferraristi, Silent bloc....everyone already explained it. But the ones I'm using is machined out of Delrin bushing material...not the rubber stuff from Ferrari The Delrin should allow for more precise shifting or at least not let the shifting deteriorate due to the breakdown of the rubber in between the two metal sleeves of the bushing itself. Silent bloc $ 75.00 each from my local Fpimp Central Florida Ferrari Delrin $35.00 each Machined by long-time Fchat member Verell Boallen or Unobtanium Supply. He has made many unavailable parts for Ferrari. Kerry, Do a search on Silent bloc....a few good threads. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
For those small bushings you might be able to cobble together something using sockets and press it out with a good-sized vise. The delrin should be an easy fit back in.
Shamile, Yo've been looking in the wrong Forum, In the 308/328/Mondial Forum jimshadow has just done a great job illustrating how the Unobtainium Supply Shift Bushing(aka silentbloc) removal/installation tool works: Shift assembly R&R (with Shift linkage bushing R&R) http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238663&highlight=shift+bushing What's not shown is that the tool can be used with everything in the car by just removing the thru-bolt & separating the fork from the bushing. The parts of the tool look deceptively simple, however, they're not all off the shelf parts. The sleeve is machined to the correct ID & OD to just clear the silentbloc while centering on the boss around the bushing hole, and the washer that presses on the bushing is a special order OD so it puts pressure on the full end of the bushing, including the silentbloc sleeve. Last thing you want is to rip out the rubber leaving that sleeve stuck in the shaft. I would suggest thoroughly soaking that stuck bushing with PB Blaster or Kroil a couple of times/day for a couple of days if you can't break it loose.
Dear Ferraristi, Thanks for the thread link Verrel. I was hoping not to have to remove the center console in the TR....as big a pain as Jim Shadow's GT4. The tool shown is basically what I cobbled together at my facility. If Jim was able to remove it with just hand wrenches, my problem is seizure. I'll start spraying some PB Blaster ( Which F / L car owner doesn't have it on their shelf ) on the bushing. I may still be able to remove it without touching the console. Luckily, the TR silent bloc is on the vertical axis...easy access as opposed to Jim's....horizontal plane. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
I've changed quite a few of them, even when obviously rusted they usually break loose with a good pull on the wrench, then you can use a ratchet to back them out without much trouble. I prefer a butterfly air wrench for speed as it can both break it loose & back it out quickly. Either your silentbloc is siezed, or else you're fighting yourself by: 1) The washer isn't quite small enough & is pressing on the shaft instead of the silentbloc(been there). 2) your tool's sleeve isn't quite clearing the silentbloc's outer sleeve(been there 2). Something to look out for: I've had a couple of people report that the delrin bushing was a tight fit in the shaft, and compressed the thru-hole's ID so that they had to wrap sandpaper around something & open the hole up enough to press the thru-bolt in. An alternative would be to run an 8MM (Wire size O) drill thru the hole. You have to be extremely careful with the drill. If it doesn't go straight thru the center, you'll create an oval hole.
