To tap or not to tap, that is the question ...

[ri702bill 8,492]

All:

This is a follow up to my thread about removing a broken hub set screw on the C81. I did not have a suitable Bearing Separator style puller, so I decided to make my own. I did have a good quality 3/4 inch fine thread Puller screw with a removable tapered nose to start with. Bought a HF Large Bearing Separator ($30), a 3 ft length of 1/2-13 threaded rod (#6), and 1 foot each or 1x2 and 1/2 x 2-1/2 Hot Rolled Steel ($40). The problem I ran into was I planned to tap the 1x2 for the Puller Screw, but the cost of a new tap approached my weekly food bill. Since I needed to buy the 5/8-18 Grade 8 bolts to attach the Extension Plates to the Separator, I bought a 5 pack of Grade 8 Hex nuts and machined a pair of symmetrical thru pockets in the bar, either side of the clearance hole. Made a new flat faced nose and brass washer for the screw - it worked perfectly to remove the hub. Note the Sharpie lines - needed to phase the pair of nuts so as not to bind on the screw.

Bill

[squonk 41,320]

Excellent puller. You may find if you pull more hubs you will tweak those thru bolts across the separator but that's a simple fix with bolts. . Threading the hole would give more pulling power but now I'm assuming the hole is too big to tap.

 

I welded my 2 nuts together ( ) on my puller to keep them from binding.

 

Edited May 3, 2021 by squonk

[ri702bill 8,492]

Squonk:

Thanks for the comments. The bolts to attach the extension plates to the separator halves are 5/8 diameter and have 1 inch engagement and are in tension - the plates are tapped 1/2-13 thru, backed up with hex nuts to give the same engagement. I did not want to pull on the flange - seen too many stories with unhappy results. Yours works and weighs less than half of mine.

I figured if the inner screw hex nut wears since that is the one doing the work, I can just replace it - the outer is just to guide the screw. Yes, the hole is too big to tap but could be Helicoiled - a very expensive fix.

Bill

Edited May 3, 2021 by ri702bill

[squonk 41,320]

My pic is just for show. In reality I add washers where the bare area of the bolts are and run the bolts in so the washers are flat against the hub and puller plate. bolts are threaded into the hub and washers and nuts are against the beck side of the hub flange. Everything is snugged down tight. extreme pressure grease is used on the force screw threads.

[ri702bill 8,492]

Yup, snug is good. No play to allow the axis of the puller to shift - that is where you start to break things. I use our resident Grease & Lubrication guru Pete's favorite - Lucas Red & Tacky on the threads.

Thanks again - Bill