If the shaft has wear on it it (probably does) won’t be as snug with new bushings.
Then you have to buy a new shaft anyway. I did not price out an original shaft from Harley to compare the cost, I liked the idea of not drilling and tapping my primary case.

 

I bought mine from HD... I also bought the Jim's tool (#5518) and it makes it a 15 minute job.... The Jim's tool is expensive, but I like tools and it made it quite a bit faster & easier than when I helped a friend replace his with a bushing driver to remove the bearings and some threaded rod, washers, and nuts to install the new ones..


When I bought them at the dealer, I bought a couple extra sets (I have three bikes). The parts guy asked, "You have more than one bike or did you figure out that these are a frequent problem?"

 

For those who don't want to shell out for a one time use tool, the female end of a 3/8" socket extension will work great. Anything that's a little smaller than the shaft. Knock both bushings out at the same time toward the engine.

Edit to add- Install the same way, tap the first bushing in from the outside until it's flush and drive it through into position flush with the back side with the socket or extension, then tap the second one in flush.

 

Whats the big deal with drilling and tapping? Early twin cams had a grease fitting there from the factory.

The shaft is $20.00, the bushings are like $2.50 each from harley

 

Quite true, just another cost savings by the MOCO. If the drill is properly sized, and the grease zerk of good quality, there is really no need to tap the hole as the boss is aluminum. I worked in a machine shop where a grease fitting was inserted in an aluminum part regularly and it was just screwed in to the drilled hole. That's what I did on my bike and it's perfectly fine.

I'm sure you'll get internet experts disagreeing, but the steel zerk is much harder than the aluminum.

 

Shaft that is attached to shifter arm.

 

No big deal drilling and tapping.
Drilling and tapping puts the grease into a cavity between the bushings then works its way out to the bushings.
Pingel shaft has different sized holes to put the grease right onto the bushing surface.
Not right or wrong just different, you sir are free to drill and tap as many holes as you like in your bike.
You can even use metric fittings if you want.
Isn't it nice to have choices.

 

This…

If you want to get really wild regularly…..you could take the shaft out and lube it and stick it back in…..

 

Me too

 

I just got the metal ones inside of the inner primary cover from Harley. Rubber ones I think are just a spacer.