To thread, or not to thread. THAT is the question! Hub puller thoughts..

[ebinmaine 67,553]

In order to do the hub pulling that I've been accomplishing over the last several years, I've used 3/8 bolts that were put all the way through the hub that I was PULLING and an old spare I've been using as part of the PULL-ER. 

The rest of the puller was basically the rod and center section of a three jaw puller with the jaws removed.

 

That worked okay but required some serious patience.  

 

 

I got some 7/16 fine threaded rod thinking I would make a hub puller out of either some plate steel or an old junk hub.

 

My initial thought was...

screw the 7/16 threaded rod into each hole of the hub to be removed.

Insert small bottle jack between all those threaded rods.

Then attach the old hub to the outside.

Screw those threaded rods into the outer hub as well.

 

Nuts and washers on the outer sides of both hubs.

 

Is this okay or do I need to rethink it?

Should I be concerned about pulling on the threads even though everything will be bolted together by nuts and washers?

 

 

 

What say you, fine Red square folk?

 

 

 

 

 

[Handy Don 12,233]

I say “following”.  

[ri702bill 8,327]

Depends on the hub material. Machined steel - maybe. Cast iron - nope. Better to pull from the rear, not the flange. Did mine a few years back... HF bearing Seperator, old Snap on Puller screw, threaded rod.

[ri702bill 8,327]

Someone here on the Forun did exactly what you are describing - hope they chime in.

Not all bottle jacks work well (or at all) when placed on their sides.... if you already have one in mind - try it...

[SylvanLakeWH 25,594]

Here's a bunch...

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,553]

30 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Cast iron - nope

I know the general consensus says this but given patience and time I have to respectfully disagree.

 

I have no idea how many hubs I've removed. Got to be at least 15 or 20.

Pulling on the outer flange is the only way I've ever done it.

Ideal? No.

Requires patience and time and care? Definitely.

 

The only time I've ever tried to use a bearing separator as above is on the automatic I just restored and I ended up ruining an axle because someone at an earlier time had put the hub on too far.

 

When I installed the bearing separator I thought the hub was coming off but in reality I was pulling the axle right straight through the c-clip on the inside of the differential. 

 

Lessons learned there.

 

3-speed, four-speed, and some Hydro transmissions have the hub too close to the transmission housing to be able to use that type of splitter but I'll know that for future reference.

 

 

[squonk 41,136]

Thread screws into and thru the hub. Heavy washers and heavy nuts on the back side of the screws. Fine thread screw on the puller because:

 

More threads per inch = stronger

Goes slower = more pulling power

 

I do not prefer a hydraulic jack because:

 

If the jack works as intended it would be very easy to "overpower " the hub and break it. If you don't give a rats bee hind about the hub no biggie

By using the screw to push you will feel if it's moving or not. Even with an impact gun. If it binds up it tells you you need more penetrant heat ect. 

Edited March 6, 2023 by squonk

[953 nut 55,280]

I have one that is modeled after @meadowfield's with an 8 ton jack that works great.

As @squonk posted the greater number of threads will give added strength. However, if you screw the 7/16 rod into the hub to be removed and then thread it into the hub that is a part of your puller I think you will find that a bit tedious. Doing it five times will probably have to seek psychiatric help.   

4 hours ago, ri702bill said:

Someone here on the Forun did exactly what you are describing - hope they chime in.

Not all bottle jacks work well (or at all) when placed on their sides.... if you already have one in mind - try it...

The pump needs to be kept low relative to the jack body.

[squonk 41,136]

5 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

I have one that is modeled after @meadowfield's with an 8 ton jack that works great.

As @squonk posted the greater number of threads will give added strength. However, if you screw the 7/16 rod into the hub to be removed and then thread it into the hub that is a part of your puller I think you will find that a bit tedious. Doing it five times will probably have to seek psychiatric help.   

The pump needs to be kept low relative to the jack body.

You could use 7/16" fine studs so you put them on the hub first to make the job a little less cumbersome. 

[ebinmaine 67,553]

12 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

probably have to seek psychiatric help

Waaaaaay too late.   

 

 

5 minutes ago, squonk said:

You could use 7/16" fine studs so you put them on the hub first to make the job a little less cumbersome. 

 

Yessir that's what I bought.  

 

Screw the studs into the hub to be removed first.  

 

[Achto 27,594]

I've always had good luck with my home made puller. The bolts are just threaded into hub with no nuts behind them. As you can see in the first pic, it took A LOT of pressure to get this hub off. This hub fought me the entire way. Took some sweating & colorful language but I finally won with no damage to the hub, axle or the puller.  Center push bolt is 3/4-10

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,553]

7 minutes ago, Achto said:

 puller.

That's pretty AWESOME 

[kpinnc 12,066]

8 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

What say you, fine Red square folk?

 

I had one like you're describing. It worked well, until I happened onto a hub that was wallowed enough to misalign the key...

 

A small 8-ton jack makes a bunch of pressure. When it broke the all-thread, I became an unpaid and non-voluntary spokesperson for depend undergarments.  

 

Luckily all that was damaged was the all thread. No injuries! 

[peter lena 8,632]

@Achto nice job on that , when you use strength / against strength , like KROIL IN / ON THE AREA , days out ,also on any screw threading point , that first solid attempt on removal will tell how you are doing . been there , pete

[Achto 27,594]

6 minutes ago, peter lena said:

KROIL IN / ON THE AREA , days out ,also on any screw threading point

 

Soaked the hub with Sea Foam Deep Creep once a day for about a week. Always put a little 30wt on the threads of the pusher bolt for the puller.

[peter lena 8,632]

@Achto , like it when you have that lubrication helping thought , amazing to me to see frozen / rusted . dry areas , ant think nothing of it .btw , my trans drain / flush ,refill , with lucas , climbing gear oil , and road time , has really helped out a neglected gear box. all related linkage areas on this pick up were , bone/ rusty dry . today they are all drunk with lubricant . just going to every , intended movement point , and watching it come out of its frozen state . imagine , choke/ throttle cables , wet with , kroil / super lube , work like butter . probably the last horse , I  will do . enjoying it , pete

[ri702bill 8,327]

It kind of goes without mentioning, but, here goes....

 

Remove the square headed hub screw( both if there are 2 in the hub) and squirt your favorite penetrant in the hole to fill it in the 12 o'clock position. Check it a few minutes later - if the hole is empty, that means the looby-juice has migrated out and is doing its job. Repeat for the second screw if you have one. THEN try the puller...

[ebinmaine 67,553]

9 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

It kind of goes without mentioning, but, here goes....

 

Remove the square headed hub screw( both if there are 2 in the hub) and squirt your favorite penetrant in the hole to fill it in the 12 o'clock position. Check it a few minutes later - if the hole is empty, that means the looby-juice has migrated out and is doing its job. Repeat for the second screw if you have one. THEN try the puller...

 

 

I would even add to that.... a pile of repeated applications of penetrating fluids.

 

I've had a couple of hubs that didn't want to move for a week or two but after doing repeated  fill up and drain down multiple times as mentioned above and adding heat into the process I've gotten them to move with patience.  

[WHX?? 48,823]

Pretty much did the same thing as @Achto. He put this set together for xmas gor me. Fought all the way and did Bill's penetrant in the set screw which it did take it but axle was dry. 

This was the weaker style star hub. Torque all bolts to the same for even pressure.  

 

BTW EB other flavors did work better than PB Blaster. 

 

I don't have a big breaker bar put an air impact got it moving. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by WHX??

[Tonytoro416 1,034]

1 minute ago, WHX?? said:

Pretty much did the same thing as @Achto. He put this set together for xmas gor me. Fought all the way and did Bill's penetrant in the set screw which it did take it but axle was dry. 

This was the weaker style star hub. Torque all bolts to the same for even pressure.  

 

BTW EB other flavors did work better than PB Blaster. 

Can verify for a fact Dans puller works 

[WHX?? 48,823]

This one used bolts and nuts which didn't have even pressure on it. 

Much easier to do with thread in bolts. This one got cut off ... tranny split and other side went to the H press. 

 

Another fail. From here on out three holers get a bearing collar on the back side.

 

I'm sold on thread in. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by WHX??

[ri702bill 8,327]

5 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

This one used bolts and nuts which didn't have even pressure on it. 

Much easier to do with thread in bolts. This one got cut off ... tranny split and other side went to the H press. 

 

The infamous "Star" hub.... WH's version of the short fuse, the hair trigger and the "delete all" command.... 

[WHX?? 48,823]

9 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

 

The infamous "Star" hub.... WH's version of the short fuse, the hair trigger and the "delete all" command.... 

Unfortunately as a mid sixties fan the bulk of my tractors have them. 

[ebinmaine 67,553]

36 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Unfortunately as a mid sixties fan the bulk of my tractors have them. 

We got a couple extras if ya want em... 

[WHX?? 48,823]

Yah don't scrap them unless the bore is wallowed.  Heard tell they aren't made any more.