Frozen Shafts

[deadwood_dup1]

Hey guys, sitting here wondering what yall do when you have a frozen shaft. I was working on a ball lift saturday night and originally got the upper saddle shaft out then had 10 calls before went to put the belt on. Put the shaft in, got called again to go up front, came back and tried to get the shaft out and wouldnt come out. Sprayed about 1/2 a can of Pen, Half a can of this Buffalo Brand stuff and about 1/4 a can of Zep45. Checked for burs and even grinded down an odd end of the shaft. Seemed to be getting stuck just inside of the upper saddle bushing. Then i could get it to be flush with that weldment and it wouldnt budge. I whaled on it for about 30 min and still nothing. Then Got desprate and took a blow tourch to it. Thinking it would cook up any grease or burn any burs away. No luck.

What techniques do you guys have in getting frozen and stubborn shafts out?

P.S. Yes I took out the set screw.

deadwood

[Mr. 800-R]

Re: Frozen Shafts

1. Take ball lift out of machine.

2. Dissamble ball lift.

3. Loosen all set screws.

4. Put one side of ball lift yoke in a vise.

5. WD 40 soak.

6. Propane torch for a couple minutes both sides of stubborn units.

7. Take entire ball lift assy to solvent tank for bath.

8. Reassemble with new style lift shafts.

9. Throw old lift shafts with retaining rings out back door as far as you can see.

Guru

[Mike Stalker]

Re: Frozen Shafts

If you know it is frozen, clean and emery the side you are going to punch through. Put penetrating lubricant or solvent on it and let it sit for a few minutes.

Do not heat the shaft. Heat everything around it.
You must do this as quickly as possible so the heat doesn't transfer to the shaft.

Propane torch will work but if you have acess to oxy/acy bottles, use them to get things hotter quicker.

Patience is always a plus.

[TheGMan143]

Re: Frozen Shafts

I might also add that you should use a rubber or brass-faced deadblow (shot-loaded) hammer to beat the shaft out... If you use a steel hammer, you will mushroom the end of the shaft, and it won't fit out through the bore or bushing without some major filing or grinding. In a pinch, you can drill a 1/4" centering hole about 1/8" deep in the end of the shaft, and then use a regular hammer and punch to drive it out without deforming the tip of the shaft.

[knuckles]

Re: Frozen Shafts

You guys did not tell Woody what to do if the torch doesn't work.

Get the sawzzaw out.... [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] LOL

nuckles :p

[Jimmy Jam]

Re: Frozen Shafts

I've always used the BIG sledge hammer, but you guys got me thinking. I wonder if you could use alot of spacers and just draw the shaft out by tightening the nut onto the spacers?

[deadwood_dup1]

Re: Frozen Shafts

Knuckles: No prob, I have my lighter.

Intresting posts. I still havent gotten the shaft out yet but im still hopeing. It seems even if i take a small punch to it with a ball pean hammer it will still not go through. Its makin me quite mad really but i will just soak it some more. Havent tried the emory cloth yet, dont think I have any.

deadwood

[knuckles]

Re: Frozen Shafts

Deadwood, I guess if you bang on that shaft long enough that yoke is going to snap. Just for curiosty, take a measurement of the opening of the yoke where the pulley is and see if there is any noticeably difference between where the shaft goes through and where the forks of the yoke begin. Maybe the forks are too spread out, therefore pinching the shaft between them. Just a thought.

knuckles [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

[pat]

Re: Frozen Shafts

I have found that using liquid wrench is the best!! I used a can of WD-40 on a shaft one time that would not budge. Then I tried a little Liquid Wrench got a punch hit it one time and the shaft hit the floor! This stuff smells bad but it really works.

I do not use heat!

If all else fails I work at breaking the bearings and taking the shaft out with the bearing collar on it.

[8270king]

Re: Frozen Shafts

Pat,

I agree....Liquid Wrench is good stuff.

When did you start in the bowling business.

Your gig on SNL had to pay better. LOL

Jerry

[pat]

Re: Frozen Shafts

Yea King,

[img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] I guess that SNL gigg would have paid double! LOL [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img]

[deadwood_dup1]

Re: Frozen Shafts

knuckles: I am not tryin to get a upper "D' shaft out. Its the shaft that sits on the kickbacks that goes throught the upper saddle which had the offset shaft on the lower part of the saddle Im gonna to steal one of those jack hammers from those street repair guys and see if that will bang it out.

deadwood

[Dutch]

Re: Frozen Shafts

DW,

The set screw caused a divot in the shaft. Unless you have access to a press, the only way you're going to get that sucker out of there is to beat it out. Be sure to support the back side of the bracket with something or you'll destroy the bracket. Been there – Done that – Bought the new bracket. [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/mad.gif[/img]

[img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/usflag.jpg[/img]

[TheGMan143]

Re: Frozen Shafts

Tech tip: To extract steel shafts placed between aluminum/brass "arms" without bending or destroying the softer part, measure the thickness of the shaft (Let's say just shy of 1" thick for example), and the width of the gap in the soft metal part (Again, for example, 4")...

The pipe you would need for the shaft above would be 1" or 1-1/4" ID, cut 3-31/32" long.

Get a piece of steel pipe with an ID just a bit larger than the shaft, cut it just shy of the gap width you need... split it down the middle with a saw or cutoff wheel. Put the two halves together around the shaft and between the soft metal parts, rest the lower end of the part on your vise jaws, with the jaws open far enough to let the shaft pass through, and then hit the top of the shaft with a soft-faced hammer... the cut pipe will act as a bridge between the two arms and keep them from bending or snapping off. I use two of those little Velcro wire ties to hold the halves together without having to keep my hand around them, but electrical tape will work OK, too.

I've saved quite a few ball lift mounting yokes with this little number...

[knuckles]

Re: Frozen Shafts

I got ya deadwood. I read your post to fast and assumed the worst. [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img]

knuckles