As some of you know I have been trying to get my inner ball joints apart on
my 60 bugeye. Today I got it. I feel a little like the "first man on the
moon" here as everyone I talked to has never done this so Im leaving a flag!
How to seperate inner ball joint housings once removed from rack
Tools Needed
3 1/8 inch large curved jaw locking Vise grips
Solid bench vise
3 foot 1inch ID thick wall pipe
2 gas torches propane or mapp
Go ahead and try and clean up all the grease off the ball joints as its
highly flammable and will burn away as you go. Clamp lower "thin" plate in
bench vise, be sure to leave enough rise above the bench vise jaws so the
upper housing can spin. Apply heat to the lower plate, oil will drip out and
catch fire, keep the faith. I heated mine for about 10-15 minutes, until the
tip of the tie rod was hot to my touch. You cant overheat this thing. The
walls are very thick unlike i was thinking. After 10-15 minutes with both
torches on either side working between the jaws of the vise, work the heat
around to the other "sides" to get them warm. The outer housing should glow
orange under direct heat. Once you feel youve heated it long enough, work the
torches under the lower plate heating up through the holes, keep at it about
4-5 minutes. Take the heat away and let cool 7-10 minutes. Cool enough that
its just warm with your hands cupped around a few inches away. Apply the
vise grips with the non-movable jaw arm in the direction of your loosening.
Clamp down until its tight.. loosen and turn about 1/4 twist of the
tightening screw tighter. Clamp down and slip the pipe over the non movable
jaw end. Take and tighten your bench vise jaws once more as much as theyll go
here and your bench vise hold downs. Grasp the pipe and turn not slowly but
quick turn forward to "break" the hold. If it doesnt work you may not have it
hot enough, may not have it cool enough, if your vise slips try tightening
the hold downs again, check that the female housing isnt hitting the jaw
teeth as it spins. Should unscrew easily.
It worked for me 2 out of 2 times! please feel free to post this on any
message boards of if you have a how to website as I dont have a website but
feel its pretty helpful information.-Josh Hauger
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive/spridgets
|