Back in action!

[Corsair613]

I've been off the project for a bit due to unavoidable outside distractions, but I'm back on it now and moving in the right direction.

Unfortunately, I'm still struggling to find a solution to one of my errors:

I think I mentioned this awhile ago, but never resolved the problem: I inserted the loose section of the front gear rod into the rear section and rapped it home with a mallet. Now I can't get it out and, of course, there's no way to get the rod in place with the front section in there. I've tried gently heating it, spraying WD40 on the joint, gripping the front section in a vise and tapping the rear section off it, etc. No luck. Any other ideas short of replacing the whole assembly? All of the universal joints have been drilled (and the gearshift handle pinned on), so I really don't want to replace the entire rod.

The good news is that my center section is nearly ready to go on the car, less only dealing with the rear bulkhead carpet and the front wheel well closure panels. Those panels look as though they'll need a LOT of fitting.

Ken

[Storer]

OK. A bit off the wall but have you could try putting the whole lot in the freezer overnight, and then (with everything ready) using a gas welding torch to heat the outer part quickly.

You could create a slide hammer with a bit of solid. Bore a hole the size of the rod, then cut longitudinally to give you a rod 'sandwich'. Fit over rod and clamp with hose clips. You will be using one of your hardy spicer joints to hit against so replace the roll pin afterwards (just in case).

Other than that I am running out of ideas.

Paul

[Corsair613]

Ooh, I like the slide hammer idea. I'll give that a shot.

Unfortunately, I haven't got a freezer nearly wide enough to take the whole rod. I did try to cool the area with a few bags of frozen veggies before heating the outer rod with a torch, but no luck there.

Ken

[Graham-P]

What about using a can of pipe freezing spray that plumbers use to repair live pipes.

[Corsair613]

Graham-P said:

What about using a can of pipe freezing spray that plumbers use to repair live pipes.

Interesting. I'd never heard of this stuff (and my wife's father was a plumber!), but it looks as though it might do the trick. I'll check the local DIY store (Home Depot for anyone playing along on this side of the pond) and see if I can find any.

Thanks!

Ken

[macgtech]

Graham-P said:

What about using a can of pipe freezing spray that plumbers use to repair live pipes.

This works wonders, done it a few times - especially good when combined with heating the area with a heat gun prior to spraying.

It is likely to be in the plumbing section.

[Corsair613]

Great! It's a job for this weekend. If worse comes to absolute worst, I'll just cut off the front section, drill out the remnant, and replace that one short rod segment. I'm hoping it won't come to that.

Meanwhile, if I can finish trimming the two front wheel well closure panels, I should be ready to mount the center section tomorrow…

Ken

[Corsair613]

Success!

I wound up using a penetrating oil product called Liquid Wrench, then securing the long rod vertically in my vise's soft jaws, tightly gripping the short rod with a Vise-Grip, and rapping up on the Vise-Grip with the flat side of a hammer head. Maybe two dozen moderate knocks with the hammer and then I was able to begin twisting the rod out. Done and done.

I'll need to polish the short rod a bit to remove the Vise-Grip's jaw marks, but I'll be able to move on now.

If only those wheel well closure panels would magically fit themselves…

Ken

[Storer]

Well done Ken.

It may pay to 'polish' the male parts with either a wire wheel or a polishing mop and add some lubricant/rust preserver....in case it needs to be removed again!!!


Paul