Looking for a strange tool

Not sure if anyone has seen something like this, I'm thinking I might have to make something.  So, if there's something I can adapt, that would be cool as well.

The blue highlighted section is pretty much the only access hole available.  The round hole above and to the left of it is where a mount goes (check the second picture for what the mount looks like)

Grey is aluminum, black is rubber, yellow is frame, 1"-8 bolt goes through the whole thing with a nut and washer on the bottom.

This is it from the outside:

Problem is that putting the inside rubber and aluminum pieces are a pain in the ass.  Holding them in place is a pain in the ass.  Everything about it is a pain in the ass.

I'm wondering if there's some sort of reverse-vice grip that I can use to hold the bottom parts in until the bolt can be started from the top end.
Anyone seen something like that? 

without the pictures "strange tool" can have numerous interpretations. 

I've got a few strange tools in the garage that I can ship you.

Someone was looking for me?

Sounds like body bushings. Put bolt through and start nut on?

Mr. Asa, got rough dimensions of application?

Damnit.

Here are pics.

Dimensions, the bushing is 3.5" OD, the hole that it mounts in is roughly 2.5"

Is body bushing, yes.  Problem is holding the bottom in place, getting everything held, dropping the body, etc etc etc is a pain and semi-dangerous.  Which is why a tool like a reverse vice grip would help. Something to hold it all in place while it's started then remove it in order to get a wrench on it.

The one thing I can think of is an internal deburring tool, or reversible countersink - it's designed so you can stick it through a drilled hole and deburr the backside,  Of course that isn't what you need to do, but maybe how it functions will give you an idea of how to hold something on the backside of a hole.  This is a 30 second video showing how one works, there are a number of companies that make them.

Mr_Asa said:

Dimensions, the bushing is 3.5" OD, the hole that it mounts in is roughly 2.5"

Is body bushing, yes.  Problem is holding the bottom in place, getting everything held, dropping the body, etc etc etc is a pain and semi-dangerous.  Which is why a tool like a reverse vice grip would help. Something to hold it all in place while it's started then remove it in order to get a wrench on it.

All you have to do is replace the upper half, drop the body down, put bolt through, and install the lower half. Tighten only enough to allow all the bushings to be replaced then measure to ensure it's the same or equal all the way around then tighten to spec(ish).

In reply to stuart in mn :

Problem is the only hole that a tool like that would work on, the bolt needs to go through. 

I'm wondering if I can hack up and modify some panel clamp or welding vice grips

Maybe vise grip or somehow rig a toggle clamp to a nearby spot on the frame?

In reply to Ranger50 :

The way the frame is designed, that's not really an option.  All the bottom stuff has to go in first, then the cab gets dropped down on top.

This is on a new machine, not something existing.  Installing new, not replacing worn 

Mr_Asa said:

Damnit.

Here are pics.

 

Why does that remind me of a print by M.C. Escher?

Mr_Asa said:

In reply to Ranger50 :

The way the frame is designed, that's not really an option.  All the bottom stuff has to go in first, then the cab gets dropped down on top.

This is on a new machine, not something existing.  Installing new, not replacing worn 

Does it not have a metal sleeve for the bolt to pass through the bushing? If it does and fits sloppily, coat with wheel bearing grease and assemble. The sleeve should hold your half's together. 
Based on the drawing, it looks like you can open end wrench the limited space opening to keep that in place while putting the other half in especially if the opposite open space is blocked by other things.

Double sided adhesive tape perhaps?  Stick the bottom pieces in place, now mount the upper and drop the bolt through.

foxtrapper said:

Double sided adhesive tape perhaps?  Stick the bottom pieces in place, now mount the upper and drop the bolt through.

I've used Cyanoacrylate adhesive (aka super glue) in applications like this.  If you're building enough volume to justify keeping the gun hot all the time then a hot glue might be a good solution.

I've modified the blue bar clamps from the box store to make custom clamps. 

I used a tube over the moving rod in the clamp the set the distance between the blue body of the clamp and where I wanted to apply force, then machined a simple wedge action mechanism to push out when activating the clamp. I used o-rings to keep the wedges in place as force was applied, and while not necessarily the most elegant method, it was simple and effective.

Probably easier to explain in a call. Let me know if you want to talk about more and I can give you my number.

What shape is the bottom aluminum piece?  Round, hex, square?  And is it threaded or is there a nut on the bottom?  Either way I would probably first see if I could make it out of sheet metal with the corners folded up so they will hold the aluminum piece/bushing.  Picture a yardstick with a square on the end nearly as wide as the access hole.  Now bend the corners up to hold the plate/bushing.  Do you foresee any problems with that?  It's certainly a lot quicker/easier/cheaper than modifying some clamp or other tool.  

any chance you could make a tool access path for the bolt to drop down from above?

Buy enough if these.

Glue it in place with this.

 No worries about steel against aluminum problems.

MyMiatas said:

 

Buy enough if these.

Glue it in place with this.

 

 No worries about steel against aluminum problems.

My first thought, but just the glue really.

No Time said:

I've modified the blue bar clamps from the box store to make custom clamps. 

I used a tube over the moving rod in the clamp the set the distance between the blue body of the clamp and where I wanted to apply force, then machined a simple wedge action mechanism to push out when activating the clamp. I used o-rings to keep the wedges in place as force was applied, and while not necessarily the most elegant method, it was simple and effective.

Probably easier to explain in a call. Let me know if you want to talk about more and I can give you my number.

You can pull the pin on that clamp, remove slide, then reverse it so that it expands outward instead of clamping inward. 

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

I was using it to press out against the ID of a hollow shaft (approx 8" deep in a 1.5" shaft ID) while adhesive cured, so I needed to make a custom mechanism to use with it. I agree with you that there are definitely a lot of different ways to use those clamps to squeeze or push apart as needed.