yes Kiwi - we met in the 'naki - good rally that was.
and dutch I agree those spacers/rings look too puny for the job. That may explain the groove in the end of one bush (where the fibre washer was mangled)
actually the spindle has a step in it at the RH/threaded end, inside of the RH frame plate! So i guess that's what stops the plates getting bent in (when the locking plate isn't broken off at the left end). So maybe I don't need a distance tube through the bushes??? Just need some better end spacers rather than those tiny rings in the fibre washers? maybe some large washer-like spacers of the right thickness..?? tho not sure how to keep water out, other than grease.
if so this just got easier! comments?
Just my opinion but I don’t think the current design will work well at all, and worse has caused the frame hole to be enlarged, so it’s either fit blocs, or spend some money getting a “distance tube” made up. The easiest way of doing that would be to get a piece of thin wall tube with an internal diameter the same as the frame holes, and machine the o.d. to suit the bushes as required. The bushes will also need drilling/reaming out.
The “distance tube” needs to be slightly shorter than the distance between the frame plates such that the spindle bolt will clamp it tight. Bronze washers will also need to be made up to fit between the bronze bushes and frame, to remove endfloat. A grease nipple for maintenance would be good.
I think it would be easier to fit blocs.