Uprated Hubs - Stub Axle Removal?

[Mike Molloy]

The ally hub kit comes with new stub axles, but how do I get the old ones out of the uprights? I have the upright (and lower wishbone) on the bench, but hitting the axle with a hammer doesn't seem to budge it. Do I need a press? Heat?

Advice welcome!

[Richard Price]

Mike,

I removed a couple of stub axles a few weeks ago I got them out with a VERY sharp tap on the end!

I fitted nuts flush with the end of the thread to protect it, loosely gripped the stub axle in a vice, with the face of the upright on the top of the jaws, and it took a couple of sharp taps.

[Nick Chan]

Thanks Richard 😬

 

Nick

 

Yellow HPC - A 2.0 VX - 😬

[Chelspeed]

I hit mine with everything I could think of. Didn't shift. Took it to a small back street garage and they put it in a press. They pumped the press up, and up , and up. Huge bang as it finally came loose. They can be well tight.

[Paul McKenzie]

Chel's right..there an interference fit...if they pop out with a hammer then they've not been interfering right

 

Paul

[Mike Molloy]

Of course the Caterham instructions don't list "50 ton press" under "tools required"...

 

One of the upper front wishbone bolts is seized into the bush as well. An entire can of penetrating oil and it still won't budge.

How easy is it to replace the bushes? More press action?

[Chelspeed]

Press makes it easy but you can do bushes without. You destroy the bush to get the inner sleeve and rubber out then hacksaw carefully thro the outer sleeve from inside the eye of the wishbone. Once you've cut thro the sleeve (but hopefully not the wishbone!) the sleeve can be easily collapsed and removed.

[pete east]

To get the stub axles out of the old uprights use the two hammer method where you strike the upright each side of the stub axle simultaneously with a pair of hammers, keep the back nut on a few turns though, because it will fly out of the upright so fast if its not restrained it could do severe damage to your G**lies not to mention the end threads when it hits the deck

[pete east]

P.s I learnt this method many years ago when working on a triumph spitfire (same uprights) Took it to one garage which used a press to remove the stub axle, all the press did was to collapse the end threads of the stub axle (they should have kept the hub nut on the end of the stub)As it was destroyed but the garage could not move it I definately had to get it out (or buy a complete new upright and stub axle) at the next garage a little old boy got out two small hammers, fixed the upright in a vice and gave the upright a small simultaneous tap with the hammers the stub axle shot out of the upright and across the workshop (This is why I said to keep the back not on to stop it coming out completely) this method is absolutely simple and allways works if you get the timing right.

[Mike Molloy]

The machine shop at work have a 60 ton press, so I'll get them to lean on it a bit.

Might try the hammers first though - but pardon me for being sceptical! Where exactly do you hit it?

 

Does anybody use poly bushes in the front suspension?

[pete east]

Mike - The idea is to hit the upright on each side at the point the stub axle passes through it. You may have to take a few whacks till you get the timing right,(both jammers hitting at EXACTLY the same time) but when you do it sends a shock wave through the component which releases the stub axle with some speed, hence the tip to keep the back nut on so that the stub axle does fire itself across the garage. Good luck wiyh it - Pete.

[Mike Molloy]

Hit the stub axle with everything I have got - one hammer, two hammers, half brick, etc. etc.

Put it in the press at work and it popped out easy as you like.

Just shows that you need the right tool for the job!

[pete east]

Mike - The trick is to hit the Suspension vertical link not the stub axle itself. I believe that like myself if you could see how it is done properly once ,you would do it that way from then on, With stub axles/track rod ends etc I never ever have to resort to a press any more. which considering the one and only time I did have it done in a press it destroyed my stub axle, I am not keen to go near one again.

[Rob Walker]

A word of warning, the upright is cast and I would not advise banging at it with hammers or your likely to cause a crack in the upright which may lead to a nasty failure. I would support the upright and use a press and a bit of gentle heat if it won`t move.

 

If you have been beating hell out of it I would throw the upright in the bin and buy a new one to be on the safe side.

 

Edited by - Rob Walker on 8 Apr 2005 20:18:05

[pete east]

I believe there is some confusion here as to what is required to release taper joints using the two hammer method. There is no question of `beating the hell out of the upright` Done properly all that is required is a tap with two small hammers. If the person doing it knows what they are doing they could probably do it with a pair of toffee hammers. Remember this is a technique used by engineers for separating these types of component for well over a hundred years on all types of metal including cast items. As posted before one first needs to see it done by someone who knows what they are doing. to see how easy it is. The problem with presses is that they can do substantial damage to a component before the items in question are separated, and as posted before it was going down this route that I had to bin the stub axle I neeeded separated from a triumph spitfire upright.

[Mike Molloy]

If the person doing it knows what they are doing...

 

Well, I obviously don't as it didn't work worth a damn for me!

I put my endorsement behind the 60 ton press. No magic required...

[Nigel Riches]

...yep, a correctly set up and applied press will save loads of banging with hammers, which were probably OK over 100 years ago, but things have moved on since then............

 

1982. 5 speed, clamshells. B.R.G / Ali. The True Colours.

[pete east]

Still cant see where loads of banging comes in? When the old boy who showed me how to do it performed the procedure he made it look so easy, it made going to the trouble of messing about with presses look distinctly OTT, But like I said to get it right one has to watch it done by someone like the old mechanic who got my stub axle out of the upright. I have used that technique ever since and it saves the bother of having to take the component off the car and to a garage to get it sorted in a press. At the end of the day each of us will use the method we are happiest with.