OK guys.....I have been a motorhead for a long time, but every once in a while I run into a problem that defies solution. I have removed countless hubs from tapered axles with a standard hub puller, never had a problem, but this time I am stumped. I am attempting to remove the RH rear drum/hub from my newly acquired '48 wagon. I have tightened the puller until it has actually BENT the hub at the edges from pulling so hard on the studs. Rapping the drum with a BFH with the puller tightened does no good, I have been applying PB Blaster to the axle stub for 3 days, still no luck. I am reluctant to try heat, but I am running out of options. Does anyone have any ideas?
Need Help!
- Thread starter wally72
- Start date
64 Traveler
Sharpest Tool
Try heat and using a brass hammer hit the end of the axle, then try to pull the hub. Watch for fire when you first heat the drum (I don't know if PB Blaster is flamable). Since PB blaster isn't working you might try Kroil if you don't want to use heat.
I have sprayed the axle threads with PB, Kroil, Liquid Wrench and Deep Creep and have rapped the end of the axle several time with a drift to no avail. The fire issue is why I don't want to use the torch inside the garage. The weather is clearing up here, tomorrow I'll roll the wagon outside away from the garage and fire up the torch and see what happens.
64 Traveler
Sharpest Tool
wally72 said:
I assume since you aren't using a puller that you don't have one or can't borrow one.
Put the nut on the axle a turn or so and smack it with a brass or bronze hammer, not a drift. That may help you get it loose.
dozerjim
Sharpest Tool
- Nov 11, 2009
- 326
- First Name
- Jim
- Willys Model
- Pickup
- Willys Year:
Bill,sometimes those hubs can be a bugger,looks like you have the right puller.Put some heat on the hub,besure the axle nut is still on because when it lets go there is a lot of energy stored up, I would not be to concerned about fire from PBB,but do not stand in front of the hub while pulling,good luck,I have even left a strain on over night and it finally gave up,let us know if you learn any new tricks.....Jim
papas34
Bigger Hammer
wally72 said:
Reminds me of an old 1957 Chevy 1 ton I was replacing king pins on years ago :evil: :evil: :evil:
I ended up pulling the axle off and took it to a shop with a 50 ton press.....they used all 50 tons...sent everyone outside of the shop...small shop....when it finally broke loose the whole building shook and the axle was to hot to touch.....
Good luck
It's been so long since I looked at a hub like the one your working on.....can you hit from the side with a heavy hammer on the other side.......i've had luck doing this on tie rods ect.
aquawilly54
Well Oiled
- Sep 21, 2009
- 1,257
- Willys Model
- Willys Year:
Bill, The only suggestion I have for you (if you decide the heat treatment isn't working for you) is to remove the whole package as a unit. ie...drum, hub, backing plate and axle. Then you can take it to a machine shop and have them secure it into a press and take care of business.
I did this years ago with a 49 pick up.
I was lucky because the backing plate bolts were installed backwards, so I was able to get them loose. You may have to grind the heads off in order to remove the whole set up.
Prepare yourself. When the axle finally let loose, it sounded like a cannon going off and scared the crap out of all of us.
Steve
I did this years ago with a 49 pick up.
I was lucky because the backing plate bolts were installed backwards, so I was able to get them loose. You may have to grind the heads off in order to remove the whole set up.
Prepare yourself. When the axle finally let loose, it sounded like a cannon going off and scared the crap out of all of us.
Steve
Update.......applied heat to the hub today with the acetylene torch, heated for 15 minutes, going around the area where the hub meets the axle shaft, it got pretty darned hot. Already had the puller bolted on, alternately tightened the puller with a 2# hammer and thumped the drum with a sledge. I spent 2 hours doing this, d****d hub is still on the axle. I guess I'll get serious tomorrow and cut the backing plate bolts off and remove the whole thing. That was the bad :cry: ......now the good. Over the weekend, rebuilt the master cylinder, bled the brakes, brakes actually work pretty good! Adjusted the steering box, replaced the worn out RH tie rod end, now it actually steers pretty good! Disassembled the wiper motor, cleaned it up, put it back on, it works! Was having a fuel delivery problem, engine would run for 5-10 minutes, run out of gas. Disassembled the carb, cleaned it good (lotta crap in the float bowl), adjusted the float level, replaced the rubber portion of the fuel line, replaced the fuel filter, drained the gas tank, flushed it, put in some fresh gas. I'm not sure which particular fix(es) did the trick, but it runs like a champ now. Changed the oil & filter, greased everything up.
55 willys
Gear Grinder
i pulled the drum/hubs off my 55 wagon with the same puller as you have wally and had my son watch in hopes of a show. nothing happened. the rear hubs/drums came off with a small pop, the front pass. came off and I pulled the hub and drum apart by hand.with the front hub/drums the wheel bolts are welded to the drum and still have to press the driver side apart. the rear hub/drums, I pressed off on a hyd. press and still no big bang. it must be the cold weather for some of you guys that have these issues with seperating the hub/drums.I asked about anti-sieze on the tapers in a another post and got a different idea about anti-sieze.I aked an old mechanic and thought he was going to hit me. the driver side rear hub was galled up on the tapers, and the drum was ground down inside the drum on the inside face from the shoes. does this have to do with the shims? the axel had an exrta hole drilled for the cotter pin also.
Eric B
Precision Fit
Does the axle turn?
Does your outter bearing on the axle side of the flange has a grease zerk fitting?
If so have you tried removing the zerk and shooting the inside of the bearing/hub/axle area with pb blaster or anything??
Could free up something inside there to help come loose.
Last ditch effort grind off the backing plate bolts....
Does your outter bearing on the axle side of the flange has a grease zerk fitting?
If so have you tried removing the zerk and shooting the inside of the bearing/hub/axle area with pb blaster or anything??
Could free up something inside there to help come loose.
Last ditch effort grind off the backing plate bolts....
Yeah, the axle turns just fine, I have been driving the wagon around the farm with the retaining nut just a little loose in hopes the the hub will pop off, no luck. I have located a used hub/drum, when I receive it, I'll cut the hub off with the torch and go from there.
Eric B
Precision Fit
Make sure to get some pics when you get it torn down, so the rest of us can see the failure you had going on......
papas34
Bigger Hammer
Have 3 on me :beer: :beer: :beer:
Eric B
Precision Fit
Yes I agree it's time for a cold :beer: after all the crap you went thru on that hub.......