29-01-2019, 05:14 PM
(This post was last modified: 29-01-2019, 05:17 PM by Steve Jones.)
(07-01-2019, 09:07 PM)Steve Jones Wrote: I have a 1931 long nose torque tube assembly complete with pinion, bearings etc. Someone in the past has fitted the LH thread ring with Loctite and the only way I can get it to move at all is to heat the the thing with the Oxy/Acetylene torch!! Even then, as soon as it starts to cool it seizes solid again. I've moved the thing about half a turn so far and now put it on one side for another day. I know Woodrow says this is the way but, perhaps, the odd dab, not a complete bottle full!
Steve
Update: Having put the torque tube away for 'another day', that day arrived yesterday. More heat, lots more heat, and the ring was persuaded to move. Turns out it's RH thread which, given that it's an early long nose torque tube, probably, fits. Still took an awful amount of heat and a lot of work to get the thing to move any distance. Eventually, it came up hard against the outer of the rearmost pinion bearing and wouldn't go any further. That's usual and to move the ring any further, normally requires a light tap with a soft faced hammer on the other end of the pinion such that the A/C bearings move out of their housing thus creating more clearance. Tried that, nothing happened. Gave up for the day!
Today, continued but the A/C bearings wouldn't move. Starting to suspect more Loctite
. In the end, the only way forward was to put two cuts 180 degrees apart in the bearing outer and split it off. Lever off the bearing cage and balls and the ring should now unscrew over the end of the pinion. Not so, but more heat and, eventually, the ring was off. One thing that is obvious with Loctite is that when you heat a component that's fixed with it it gives off a particular smell. Heating the A/C bearing housing produced that smell so my fears were confirmed. Not only has the idiot who put this thing together (not me!!) used Loctite of a very high grade to fasten the ring in place, he's also glued the A/C bearings into their housing with it. Probably glued the small bearing at the other end in as well
.Torque tube now put away for 'another day', again, whilst I come up with a plan to release the bearings from their housing. However, whatever it might say in Woodrow, the lesson here is never, ever, put Loctite anywhere near a torque tube assembly!
Steve