HELP!! Can't get rear hubs to budge!!

I know the thrust block in the '57 and later open-differntial axles is very stout. The sure-grip differentials used a weaker thrust button that was two halves held together with a flimsy brittle roll-pin. Not sure what is in your '55 axle. I would be more concerned about damaging the axle threads or wheel bearings.

I would use as little heat as absolutely possible as temperatures of 350-400degF start tempering the heat treatment out of parts.

I would focus on rigid tooling and a good solid whack to separate the parts. The more rigid the tooling, the higher the resulting force is from your impact. Force is what separates the parts - its the Laws of Physics.

I have had much experience with keyed tapers as well as newer keyless taper designs used in transmissions having capacities up to 3,000 HP (diesel).

 

Me and a friend had the exact same problem on his 63 8&3/4 I ended up talking to an old timer and he told us to back the nut off and drive around the block a few times. crazy and dangerous? maybe, but it worked.

 

I finally had a special tool built, late with three Rods and feet that let me bot onto the hub flange with my wheel bolts. Placed a 2-ton bottle jack between the plate and the axle, pumped it up, and reached the limit of the jack.... no sudden pop of the axle coming off the taper. Applied heat, nothing. I've had it with this process. I just bought two new cutting wheels for my angle grinder. Looks like I'm spending the dough and getting the disc brake conversion kit that comes with all new hubs and bearings!

 

Hopefully your tooling is rigid. You do not want it flexing and absorbing impact energy.

I would max out that jack and then whack the end with a 4lb or larger hammer. Don't play around with it either, hit it like you mean it.

Just be careful that you are out of harms way when it pops off.

If you were close by, I'd do it for ya I have never been stopped by one of those hubs yet.

 

I re-read your original post that said you have the drums off. You should be able to remove the axle flange nuts and pull the axle hub and shaft out together. Then take it to a machine shop with a good sized press (at least 20 tons or bigger) and have them push the axle shaft out of the hub. Just another option...

 

take your air chisel and vibrate the hub/ drum it sometimes will break the seal

 

The only advice i have is use a hotter tourch not propane. use oxy ace tourch and get it real hot then sweat a crayola crayon in the joint and use a slide hammer like a crazy man. 99 % of the time this works it is and old fart trick it works on stuck bolts too

 

Two tons isn't anywhere near enough pressure. We used to use a puller made by Owatonna Tool Corporation [OTC] number 7394. We had two. They came with 3 arms to bolt to wheel studs. We would put an extra two arms on stubborn hubs to use all 5 wheel studs. The screw on the puller had a hex and a wrench that you used a hammer on to turn the screw tight then use the hammer to hit the end of the screw. Never had one that didn't come off. OTC no longer has it in their catalog but they are for sale on the web.

http://www.bizrate.com/automotive-repair-tools/otc-tools-7394/

 

If your near a boat repair yard they sometimes have hyd. pullers for removing very large props. that would probably work along with soaking in the 50/50 acetone mixture and some mapp gas to heat it up. Be patient but safe.

 

leave the nut on the end of the axel to catch it ,so that it does not fly off. I built this for pulling hubs off my 1955 International .I had to rebuild it after each hub. this is 3 inch channel iron and an old wheel of the same bolt pattern the stud is 1and 1/2 or 2 inch I forget bolt on the wheel and go to town with heat and a B.F.H. when it does come off clean it and put never sieze on it.good luck the 2 pics show how much the channel bends thus replace after each.

 

i'm surprised no one brings this up-when you have all the tension you can put on the puller you need to hit the tapered side of the hub[90 degrees to the axle]hard.As with any tapered fit the idea is to momentarily deform the female taper to break it loose from the male taper.It's the same as a tie rod end or ball joint.its the impact doing the work not the steady pressure.

 

That's the one big sledge - De Soto s are the same
Lift weights for a week first - hydrate
Swear bring yer hate face

 

I come back and read this once in a while for a giggle. Swearing is a key step.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I agree, to a welding or cutting torch. If you take to long to heat it the heat also expands the axle. My best luck on anything like this is to heat only a line. not all around. This quickly expands the hub on one side and not the axle, Just my experience.