• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

BJ8 - Removal of existing Key Washer behind castellated nut

Share this page

pkmh

pkmh

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
Hi Everyone,

Yes, as crazy as that sounds, I am having a heck of a time trying to remove a want-to-be washer from behind the castellated nut on the passenger side front hub. I say "want-a-be" because is it just a washer having no key incorporated on the inside diameter rim of the washer and the washer's inside rim diameter has virtually no tolerance around the threaded swivel axle, making that my biggest problem. The driver side was no problem in removal and has the specified key washer so somewhere at one time on the passenger side, the original washer was replaced with one having no key incorporated into the washer and a much smaller clear inside diameter rim. The picture shown is, by the way, the driver side which is showing the correct size washer used. The passenger side washer's outer diameter is slightly larger as well, but is in no way having any affected tolerances with the hubs' interior.

Now so far, I have had limited success in pulling the washer outward by as much distance as a screw thread or two along the swivel axle. I have done this by making a modified tool acting as a hook to grab behind the washer and pulling. For better results, I am about to try inserting two or three of those paint lid openers for the purposes of maintaining a more distributed and even load upon pulling the washer so as to avoid scarring any screw threads on the swivel axle. I also tried pulling and pushing the brake rotor (by hand only) to jar the washer loose. There is some play felt in motion but removal just hasn't happened...

Just curious, is there a simpler way or something I failed to try? I haven't removed the five nuts from the hub connected to the rotor, yet. Should that be the way to go? Never had this problem before and would really hate to have to cut the hub, then cut that washer out.

Thanks for any ideas offered.

Paul
 

Attachments

  • Austin Healey Front Hub Exposed.jpg
    Austin Healey Front Hub Exposed.jpg
    197.3 KB · Views: 161
Seems like a Dremel with a cut off wheel and a chisel should do it. Use the dremel to almost cut thru the washer then use a chisel behind it to cause it to separate along the cut.You may have to use the chisel in the opened cut to get the washer to expand enough to slideoff.
 
Because the inner diameter of the washer is small, it will probably catch on the threads of the stub axle unless it's precisely centered and the washer remains perpendicular to the stub. Any way you can get two hook type tools behind the washer to make an even pull? Failing that, I'd probably try a three-legged puller with the legs attaching underneath the slight rim of the hub in front of the brake rotor. Good luck, sounds pretty frustrating.
 
Have you tried a bent piece of strong wire with a hook on the end and sliding it through the keyway so you can pull from behind yet? You can find piano wire at a hobby shop. That's hardened and probably strong enough. You could use that if the paint can lid openers don't fit.

Removing the five nuts from the hub to disengage the rotor probably won't help, unless you need the smaller size to use a hub puller. If you go with a hub puller, a piece of wire or a key in the keyway to (just barely) lift the washer off the threads would be a good idea.

Good luck!
 
pkmh said:
... I also tried pulling and pushing the brake rotor (by hand only) to jar the washer loose. There is some play felt in motion but removal just hasn't happened...
Click to expand...

Pulling combined with turning the hub in the threaddirection could do the trick
Taking it off like it was a nut
 
Did you have any luck getting it apart yet? I wonder if you were to take a 1/2" drive short extension stick it in the hub up to the axle stub, then tighten up a wheel knockoff to draw the hub off , pulling the washer with it? The extension needs to be long enough to protrude past the end of the hub , but short enough you can still thread the knockoff on. Once you tighten the extension into the axle it will act like a puller, only you are pulling on the knock off threads and pushing on the axle.
Kevin
 
Another way might be:
Withdraw the castellated nut most of the way (to protect the threads) and insert a deep socket past the nut until it seats on the washer. Spray the washer area with Kroil or PBblaster.
Undo the caliper and tie it out of the way. Insert large flat screwdrivers between the dust shield and rotor at 180 degrees.
Have the dreaded assistant tap the socket lightly with a hammer while you pry the disc with the screwdrivers.
This should withdraw everything outward while keeping the washer centered on the threads.

Addition:
Should have read Brinkerhoff's post more carefully: Removing the caliper and using his method might work better than prying as I'm suggesting. A piece of EMT tubing or pipe could be cut to the exact length required if the right socket couldn't be found.
 
Austin Healey Passenger Key Washer Front.jpgThanks all. Finally got the culprit out after using rigorous back and forth motion of the rotor. The key portion of the washer apparently sheared off at one time and must of rotated around the swivel axle enough so that I could not tell it ever had a keyed portion, leading me the false belief it was just another washer (I also misled myself with the belief it's outside diameter was different than on the driver side). Say-La-Vee.
 
Say-La-Vee.-???

Please keep everything Brittish on BCF->BOB's Your Uncle would have been more appropriate.-LOL
 
pkmh said:
View attachment 32630Thanks all. Finally got the culprit out after using rigorous back and forth motion of the rotor. The key portion of the washer apparently sheared off at one time and must of rotated around the swivel axle enough so that I could not tell it ever had a keyed portion, leading me the false belief it was just another washer (I also misled myself with the belief it's outside diameter was different than on the driver side). Say-La-Vee.
Click to expand...

Say-La-Vee: https://youtu.be/KeKPkGflDB4
 
C'est La Vie, not Say La Vee....

Boy...you just, "Never can tell!" And all because of a washer (oh-vey, ya bloke)
 
I say! Well done, old chap!!
(British enough?)
 
Had the same thing happen on my BJ8 (broken tang on the washer). As the washer turned it made a loud scraping sound--I was sure I'd lost a wheel bearing. Was at start of long road trip, but I kept going and the noise stopped after a while--the washer had rotated as far as it was going to go--and we made it through the trip. I attribute the washer turning to improper (insufficient) torque on the castellated nut.
 
Bob_Spidell said:
Had the same thing happen on my BJ8 (broken tang on the washer). As the washer turned it made a loud scraping sound--I was sure I'd lost a wheel bearing. Was at start of long road trip, but I kept going and the noise stopped after a while--the washer had rotated as far as it was going to go--and we made it through the trip. I attribute the washer turning to improper (insufficient) torque on the castellated nut.
Click to expand...

Agreed! And thanks for the term, "tang." Always thought that was referred to as a key.
 
Spiffingly well done old bean !!!!
 
Back
Top