4 Rear Hubs Off In 40 Minutes............

[berni29]

Hi There

I pulled 4 rear hubs off of my uprights today without much difficulty at all. They had all been on the cars for a few years. One set were on a car that had stood outside for 6 years. The others had been on for at least that long, but the car had been driven in that time. I used a "puller" that I bought from Christopher Neils. Fits under the spinner. Works unbeliveably well. At least it did for me. If you would like to see a picture of the device go to:

<a href='http://www.searchsmart.co.uk/lotus/2005_may_jun.htm' target='_blank'>Its a hub puller, but not as we know it................</a> About half way down the page.

I have read about all of the heating and bashing etc........not with this baby! I have got another 4 to do. I hope that they are all that easy. One of the sets left to do are off a 26,000 mile car that has not been touched for many many years. Bet they are on fairly well. I just hope that they are straight. The others aren't. Does anyone know how to get them machined up? can a standard shop do that sort of thing?

Berni

[type26owner]

Hi Berni,
I'm hoping you didn't do what I think you did. That is smack the ears of the KO nut without supporting the hub from underneath with a stout block to resist the hammer blows. Underneath is not on the edge of the flange either. That's not strong enough. Hey, after looking at your pictures again there isn't any good place to support it! By having an adequate support in place it would not have allowed the axle to be stressed as a cantilever beam. If the force of the hammer blows is high enough the axle will bend or the strut aluminum housing will yield. BTW, the wheel and tire when it's in place does this for you.

Please don't shoot the messenger!

Just in general hammer blows tend to brinell damage bearings anyways. Folks really should stop using a hammer to tighten up and loosen KO nuts. Suspect the lifetime of the wheel bearing is shortened by the usage of the hammer.

[berni29]

Hi There

I always thought the same thing about hitting the spinners with a hammer, copper or otherwise. It must dent the bearings at some point. What is an altenative method of doing them up?

I had the strut on some wood under the bottom. The top of the strut was free to move. The stress was a twisting to the A frame as I whacked the spinner. It would be better to do the job with the wheel and some weight on the car.

All the best

Berni

[miked]

Guys,

I agree about the knocking. When I bought a plus two 6 year ago it had a spanner with it that the owner had made for going over 3 cornered spinners. It is 3 foot square bar with disc that has shaped inner and outer formed shape to allow it to fit over the spinner. It has rubber inside and ouside and also against the plate.

I have never hammered a spinner. It also come in handy for the hub removal with an old spinner using an insert. I have not looked at your picture but know that CN sell the one with the allen screw that pushesd on the shaft. I would rather use the other one from the Paul Robishaw/Chris Ross book that actually sits on the shaft shoulder (bigger area, more meat).

Berni, Some hubs are mothers. I just took two off some old uprights that I am refurbing from a plus two. These looked like they had never been off. I had all this in the vice and it took some heat, tapping and my 3 foot bar spanner effort. They did come in the end (I think the heat & cool helps a lot) but would no like to have tried this on the car they came off (were ever it is).


regards Mike.

[type26owner]

Berni,
That tool would work better if you do two modifications to it. Replace the allen head center screw with a longer hex head bolt. Then sacrifice a righthand and lefthand KO spinner and drill a hole through the end so the bolt sticks through. Snug the spinner up but then torque on the center bolt to generate the force to pull the gripping taper assembly apart. That's how the more expensive hardened heat-treated high-strenght correct tool works. Best to use an air impact wrench onto the head of the bolt. Like Mike says they can really be a mother to separate sometimes.

I contacted BaumTools.com here in the USA a few years ago and had them build a socket that accepts a 3/4" breakerbar which fits the 3-eared KO spinners. My socket has already broken but I was able to repair to so it won't happen again. Suppose I should post a picture of the modified tool here. No one was interested the last time I talked about though.