Before starting to work on it I would like to know if a special tool is needed to remove the KO rear hub. This is what mentions the workshop manual but when looking at the figure in the manual I do not understand why it can not be gently hammered from the back side in order to remove it.
Any advice?
Mmmmmm- you might be lucky with the hammer- I wasn’t. My late old man made me a 2 legged puller of 7/8 inch thick steel. this got the thing off eventually but with quite a cracking noise as it freed off- and I wouldn’t have liked my hand to have been in the way when it did!
The main problem seems to be rust between the mounting faces and the little problem of the keyway.
There is a “special” tool for this job but all it is is a thick round piece of metal with the centre threaded to screw on to the hub- the puller then fits behind this and away you go.
I’d try an ordinary 3 legged puller first- if no joy try using a blowlamp to expand the metals.
I have the proper tool which I bought here on this site from Peter. It works a treat
If you search the forum you may be able to see what it looks like.
If you cannot get one of these then you can use an old spinner with a thread tapped through it. Wind a bolt through the centre and you have a puller. You will however need one for each side.
I WOULDN’T try a 3-legged puller as it could easily distort the hub - your wheels will never run true again…
It seems best to pull using the knock-on threads with either a special tool or one made from an old spinner as previously suggested. Not sure if the latter will do the job as they are only brass? It probably depends how stuck it is.
I undid the nyloc nut a couple of turns to stop things flying off. I then machined up a piece of bar to fit inside the knock on nut (large as possible to spread the load) and the other end to bear on the spindle. You have to get the length just right as it is important to have as many threads as possible of the KO nut engaged, leaving about 3 or 4 to take up the pressure. You then use your hide hammer to tighten the nut. giving things time…suddenly it will release. You can try some heat on the cast iron hub, but CI doesn’t expand much, but it may unsettle things a bit.
Best of luck.
I bought a rear hub puller from SJ Sportscars sjsportscars.co.uk/. Simply fit the puller under the spinner and with a couple of knocks on the spinner off comes the hub. Not cheap but works a treat>
Ive just done this job last week, its now all boxed up and have done 500km since.
All I did was place a suitably thick spacer between the spinner and the shaft after the nylock nut was removed, then tightening the spinner and using a couple of hammer blows the hub came off…have done both sides without expensive tools and no resulting damage.
I think the real answer depends on how long the hubs have been on for and just how stuck they are…
I tried the screw thread through the spinner (pulled the thread out of the spinner (as was mentioned it is only brass!)
tried the spacer under the spinner, did the spinner up soo tight I could hardly uindo it!
Left the spinner under tension for a couple of days while I thought what to do… Still nothing…
Eventually gave up and took the hub to paul mattys. They ended up applying a fair amount of heat and ended up bending the stub somehow, but eventually they got it out!!
cheers
Tim
I think that the people who have them pop off easily don’t know how lucky they are.
I machined up proper threaded pullers of the type that Peter has posted pictures of. Even with a 1.5 metre piece of pipe helping the spanner they wouldn’t budge and I got to the point that I was sure the hubs were going to shatter.
I then decided that there was nothing to loose and just kept pouring heat into them with a large propane torch. Eventually, when they were really hot, they came apart with a helluva bang.
Suspect that if I had tried this with a 2 or 3 legged puller they would have broken, as all the force would be concentrated on the outer edge of the hub.
Peter, I assume the ones you have posted have an extra piece to prevent the bolt turning against and flattening/distorting the threads on the stub axle? Or do you leave the Nyloc on there but loosened a few turns?
I have a closed end tube that bears on the shoulder beneath the threads which ensures that they’re kept safe.
Thanks to all of you for your answers. I think Tim summarizes it perfectely. It depends on how long the hubs have been on for and just how stuck they are.
Olivier.