For the folks out there that are thinking about replacing their
ring gear bolts, I can't agree enough on the frequency that I've
seen this problem happen. One variation to Jarrid's fine posting is
that the axles CAN be removed from the housing without pulling off
the hubs. It's been a few years since I've done it last, but I recall
only that the brake shoes and hardware needed to be removed to get
access to the backing plate bolts. This not only makes it easier
to pull the axles out, but also makes it easier when it comes time to
install the axles back in - gives you something to hold on to. "Shoot,
gonna have to set my beer down for a minute and put the axle back in..."
If you find that you need to replace the bearing once it's apart, just
throw it back together and start looking for the puller then! I've also
found that if you need a little help getting the axle started out of the
housing, just install the brake drum on backwards, then thread on the
lug nuts leaving them about a half an inch from contacting the drum.
Now you can use the drum as a slide hammer - just pull it rapidly
towards the lugs nuts a couple of times and the axle should start to
pull from the housing. As the SV was getting a little noisy when I put
it up for the winter, I'll probably get to try this again in a couple of
weeks...
BTW - In the process of looking through the garage for parts to sell, I
came across a old, broken in two, Rotoflex coupling from my old IMP - it
had Metalastik written on the side. I think this is one Sunbeam part
that it'll be o.k. to throw out.
Jeff Antosiak
(Still cleaning out years of parts too good to throw away...)
Guinness Rules!
Jarrid wrote:
>
> Next there is the problem of removing the hubs from the axles.
>
> Ramon put out a post e few days past, on a tool that was built by a
> SoCal sunbeam expert named Dan Walters. Dan has constructed a tool that
> works well with Tiger and Alpine hubs.
>
> Personally I have had good luck with renting quality hub pullers, but
> wimpy ones,
> or ones not specifically set up for 4 on 4 1/4 inch hubs should not be
> used.
> Universal hub pullers seldom work, and are easily broken by the amount
> of force required to unseat the hub from the axles.
>
> After the hubs are off, the brake line fittings must be removed from the
> wheel cyls.
>
> Remove the e-brake hardware from backing plate as well.
>
> 5 bolts and nuts are removed from the (seal) covers. These bolts go
> through the seal covers as well as the backing plates, and bolt all the
> above to the
> axle flanges.
>
> The backing plates are removed, and the axle can now be extracted.
> If the axle is not easily pulled by hand, the hub can be installed with
> a loosely
> tightened axle nut, and pulled with a slide hammer, or whatever works.
> Keep trying, you are pulling the axle splines from the differential
> gears, and sliding
> the bearing out of the case, that is all.
>
> There are no clever clips or anything to keep the axles from coming out,
> only the backing plate keeps the axle in the case via the bearing.
>
> This whole ordeal takes me about 2 hours 6 beers for removal, and 3
> hours 8 beers for Installation.
>
> Jarrid
>
>
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