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Hub removal & axle engineering .

To: "'Catpusher@aol.com'" <Catpusher@aol.com>
Subject: Hub removal & axle engineering .
From: Alexander Joseph H <AlexanderJosephH@Waterloo.deere.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 15:46:59 -0500
Hi Cat Pusher,

Hub Removal....Joe & Jack

We used this method again for two more hubs. The first one was my TR3a
and I dont believe it had ever been off. As mentioned this one came
easy.

The mating surfaces were very clear with no discoloration.

The next two hubs came off a TR4 car. This time we applied additional
heat and then went to a method of medium heat followed by a quench. We
reheated and then rapped the axle on the pad. When it they still didnt
come off we used the "factory tool" and an impact wrench in a vise. They
popped easily with this final step. No problem....we didnt struggle with
this whole process and it didnt take long.

These two axles were discolored and perhaps were a bit frozen on the
shaft. Perhaps they had a bit more initial torque on the nut from the
factory.

The pad is some kind of high tech material used on assembly benches for
high wear and to avoid damage to parts during assembly...other
applications, I'm sure. Any sense I have of this tells me that we are
not putting any real stress into the axle...but what do I know for sure.
It felt good thought.

Axle Engineering....Chip & Jack

Jack Drews and Chip bond are working diligently together while drawing
in our axle engineering resources here at John Deere. I also have an old
friend from 30 years ago who has become very successful in the heat
treat business and Jack is working with him too. I dont think Jack or
Chip has found a TR blueprint on the axle yet.

Later,

Joe
>From:  Catpusher@aol.com[SMTP:Catpusher@aol.com]
>Sent:  Friday, June 06, 1997 12:32 PM
>To:    Alexander Joseph H
>Subject:       Re:half shafts
>
>In a message dated 97-05-30 12:54:24 EDT, you write:
>
><< Axles: I am confident that we induced the failures of the first two HUBS
> due to a lousy removalmethod. As you mention, it seems like this could
> bleed over onto the axle SHAFTS as well.
> 
> Last night, coincidently, I backed off the castellated nut (flush to the
> end of the axle) of my 40 year old TR3 axle, applied moderate heat to
> the hub, and rapped the end down on the floor to a hard 1/2" pad ( a
> nylon-like material used in the machine tool industry)
> 
> The hub came loose after about (6) good raps. There was absolutely no
> distortion of the castellated nut and the nut spun freely upon
> reassembly. 
> 
> I also have the replication of the factory hub removal tool produced by
> a friend. The next step, if the above doesnt work again, (Jack & I have
> a couple spare axle assemblies that we would like to disassemble) will
> be to apply this hub removal tool, torque it up, and rap it in the same
> manner as above. This will save wear & tear on a very nice tool and may
> be more effective than banging it with a hammer.
> 
> Your thoughts or caveats, if you have a moment?
> 
>   Joe,
>     Having pondered this for a few days:  the above method seems
>to impart minimum stress/force on the half shaft.  What is the block
>actually made of?  It must be handy stuff to have around. 
>     The problem with hub removal increases greatly when the
>hub has been working on the taper (some TR6 rear hubs are really
>terrible because of the BHP/weight and small stub axle to hold1)
>     As I posted to the FOT previously:  should we pool some money
>to pay a specialist engineer to reviw past failures before making new
>axles (parts and money in reason from me too).  Can we get a copy of the
>factory production drawings?  TRF would be my only guess.
>    BTW the TR3 had a (broken) outter valve spring failure some time
>during the second SIR race (the inner springs are very weak) and
>kept on chasing the *&% miata without loosing a lash cap or valve!
>                                    TW (to work)   HP
> 
>
>

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