Show off your hub-puller

[ebinmaine 68,406]

I really do wish I had easier and less expensive access to hotter torches

[Racinbob 11,232]

41 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I really do wish I had easier and less expensive access to hotter torches

 

I was thinking about picking up a Map-pro torch but I just found out that they are only 130° (3730° vs 3600°) than propane. That just doesn't seem like enough to justify it.

[squonk 41,346]

A Horror Fright torch kit is $350 plus the gas. Small tanks are expensive to fill. I don't use mine often. Just filled both tanks again but after trying to fix a couple of items IT WAS WELL WORTH IT!!! 

 

I see torch sets on FBMP all the time with the bigger cheaper tanks for a couple of Franklins. If I could store the bigger tanks under my bench I would have bought them! 

 

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 68,406]

2 minutes ago, squonk said:

A Horror Fright torch kit is $350 plus the gas. Small tanks are expensive to fill. I don't use mine often. Just filled both tanks again but after trying to fix a couple of items IT WAS WELL WORTH IT!!! 

 

I see torch sets on FBMP all the time with the bigger cheaper tanks for a couple of Franklins. If I could store the bigger tanks under my bench I would have bought them! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The problem around here is that in order to have your tanks refilled or swapped out one must have a connection to a full-time business such as a garage or repair shop.

 

From what I understand it is possible to get a hold of your own tanks and product as a residential citizen but the cost is somewhere in the neighborhood of tree bajillion moolah.

[adsm08 2,182]

55 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

The problem around here is that in order to have your tanks refilled or swapped out one must have a connection to a full-time business such as a garage or repair shop.

 

From what I understand it is possible to get a hold of your own tanks and product as a residential citizen but the cost is somewhere in the neighborhood of tree bajillion moolah.

 

I don't know how things are in Maine, be it local/state laws, or just lack of distribution network, but for me it's not hard.

 

The initial investment of buying the tanks themselves is high. I had a mishap about two years ago and had to buy a new O2 tank, which was about $350.

 

I just filled my acetylene a few weeks ago. All I did was walk into AirGas, say I needed a swap, and handed the guy $75 for a full tank, a new bottle wrench, and some flints for the the striker.

 

 

Tractor Supply carries and fills/exchanges tanks, and their price on the gas is reasonable, but the catch is that you have to use THEIR tanks and the price is usually higher than average.

 

For large stuck things like a hub flames are the way to go, if you are OK with possibly cooking the seal. For smaller stuck things inductive heaters are the bee's knees. I allegedly have one of those too (coworker has it on extended loan for a large project), and it was pretty reasonably priced. Mine's a 110V, the 220s work faster, but get into more money.

[squonk 41,346]

AirGas is like $40 a piece to fill the little baby (HVAC ) tanks. When you buy the HF set you walk in with the brand new tanks and they give you some "well traveled " tanks that are full. 

 

 

 

 

[Handy Don 12,467]

7 minutes ago, squonk said:

AirGas is like $40 a piece to fill the little baby (HVAC ) tanks. When you buy the HF set you walk in with the brand new tanks and they give you some "well traveled " tanks that are full. 

Similar tank scheme at my closest welding supply--well travelled indeed.

No questions asked and no extra charge to refill my tank. 80cf MIG gas is $60 + tax but it has to be left overnight--the night shift workers do the filling!

 

26 minutes ago, adsm08 said:

had to buy a new O2 tank

I haunted CL for months and eventually scored an almost new 80cf MIG gas tank for $75. Owner bought it for a project that was finished. It still had almost 700psi of gas!

 

31 minutes ago, adsm08 said:

For large stuck things like a hub flames are the way to go

Thankfully, I have a local connection. I pay him a few bucks (plus fresh coffee) for his time and gas and he wields the torch and bearing puller. Last time two hubs off in 15 minutes--mostly spent setting up and putting stuff away. I’d been dosing them with penetrant for about a month beforehand.

[adsm08 2,182]

3 hours ago, Handy Don said:

 

I haunted CL for months and eventually scored an almost new 80cf MIG gas tank for $75. Owner bought it for a project that was finished. It still had almost 700psi of gas!

 

Thankfully, I have a local connection. I pay him a few bucks (plus fresh coffee) for his time and gas and he wields the torch and bearing puller. Last time two hubs off in 15 minutes--mostly spent setting up and putting stuff away. I’d been dosing them with penetrant for about a month beforehand.

 

Oh you lucky dog. I have the B-tanks, but I also don't have room for anything bigger.

 

I mostly use my torch to get things apart for other people these days, but this last fill up was because I needed to get the old exhaust out of the Explorer.

[Racinbob 11,232]

I decided to give the left side a shot since the right still won't budge. I thought I won the battle with the left side but it came to a halt after about 1/2". I attacked it again yesterday and gave it everything my impact wrench could give it. It very slowly started moving again so I kept the trigger pulled. It was extremely tough all the way but it finally came of. The parts off the 3 jaw puller I bought specifically for this task aren't the highest quality. Menards special. The threads took some abuse. 

 

 

Here's something that seems odd to me. A chunk of the hub broke off at the outer edge. You can see I didn't cause it since it's clear it's been that way a while. But the hub will definitely be fine. Here's the odd part.

 

 

 

There's a concave taper around the axle hole. I've never seen one like that and the right side doesn't have it. Ever seen hugs like this?

 

Now it back to working on the right side hub hoping the Menards puller parts hold up. I think the rest of the puller will be fine. 

[953 nut 55,826]

The only hub I couldn't get off at home required taking the transmission apart and removing the differential from the axle to pull the assembled axle and hub. I had to take it to a machine shop to have pressed off. Turns out it had a woodruff key that had shifted into the keyway of the hub and was wedging itself into the keyway. The harder you pulled (or pressed) the harder the woodruff dug in. The machine shop has a 100 ton press and when the hub finally overcame the key it sounded like a shotgun had been fired. They cut a new keyway and I used a square key, success.

[ebinmaine 68,406]

Going back to post #73 from Sunday..

Trina's been applying a little penetrating oil whenever she goes through the barn. 

Yesterday evening I did as well. 

 

I replaced the pictured 3/4" rod with a 24" breaker bar I've used in the past.  

 

With Trina standing on the transmission I was able to get 3 more "snaps" outta the 51" bar using much of my weight on the lever. 

 

 

 

Slow but sure.............

 

 

 

 

[Racinbob 11,232]

15 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

The only hub I couldn't get off at home required taking the transmission apart and removing the differential from the axle to pull the assembled axle and hub. I had to take it to a machine shop to have pressed off. Turns out it had a woodruff key that had shifted into the keyway of the hub and was wedging itself into the keyway. The harder you pulled (or pressed) the harder the woodruff dug in. The machine shop has a 100 ton press and when the hub finally overcame the key it sounded like a shotgun had been fired. They cut a new keyway and I used a square key, success.

 

That's an option made easier now that I have one hub off. I'm going to keep trying because I really don't want to open the transmission up. I'm kinda wondering the key thing. 

 

12 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Going back to post #73 from Sunday..

Trina's been applying a little penetrating oil whenever she goes through the barn. 

Yesterday evening I did as well. 

I replaced the pictured 3/4" rod with a 24" breaker bar I've used in the past.  

With Trina standing on the transmission I was able to get 3 more "snaps" outta the 51" bar using much of my weight on the lever. 

Slow but sure.............

 

I did pick up a 24" breaker bar yesterday. I wouldn't be concerned about adding pipe as needed to make it longer. 

[Racinbob 11,232]

The breaker bar didn't work. It was time for plan w.

I wanted to try moving the hub in the opposite direction just to see what happens. I bore a 1-1/4" hole partially through a 4"x6" so I could stand the axle up as well as protect the splines. I cut a short piece (about 2") of 1-1/2" galvanized pipe and threaded it into a pipe cap. I set it on the hub and had at it with a sledgehammer. It didn't even begin to budge. Hoping to find a press locally I went to a small shop in town that has a  sign. This was the 3rd attempt to go there and nobody was there all three times. Knowing that some NAPA's have a shop I went to a local one. Even if they didn't have a press I could get the headlight pigtails and some straight 40w oil and tap into some NAPA knowhow to see if they knew who had a press in town. They suggested trying a few places and one of them was The Pit Stop just down the road. They had a press, I handed them the axle/hub and a few minutes later he handed me this. 

Now I can finish the transmission and if the extended forecast holds true get a coat of paint on it sometime between Christmas and New Years.

 

Edited December 18 by Racinbob

[kpinnc 12,536]

13 hours ago, Racinbob said:

It was time for plan w.

Holee Cow that one was welded on! 

 

Glad you were able to remove it without breaking anything! 

Edited December 19 by kpinnc