Spitfire Spitfire rear wheel pulling

[Dono]

Having trouble pulling the rear wheels off axle on my Spit proj. I've seen the factory puller, and home-made puller from a gear puller. It broke the side casted piece on my gear puller. Any idea of the force needed? Thanks Don

 

[hilsideser]

Don, you need a proper hub puller. Used in conjunction with an impact wrench, the hub pops right off. With out the proper hub puller, you risk damaging the hub.

 

[Bob Claffie]

A Churchill press is the correct tool but don't expect to find one for loan at Autozone. The combination of a tapered axle plus a keyed hub makes it very difficult to spring it loose. Bob

 

[billspit]

A The combination of a tapered axle plus a keyed hub makes it very difficult to spring it loose. Bob

And rust. You forgot the rust.

Also, when you get this super tool and tighten it down to where you swear something is going to explode, take a hammer and whack the axle. On mine the both hubs jumped off when I hit it.

 

[Mark Jones]

Best to find someone who will loan you a Churchill puller or make your own. There are instruction on the internet...somewhere.

 

[guzzul]

...Any idea of the force needed?

Lots. If you do a search on this forum for 'Spitfire' and 'hub' or 'puller' you will find a number of threads on this. Looks for frankenstag's thread on pulling his hubs for a pretty good-looking homemade puller.

Sounds like you have already seen the writeups on homemade pullers from the Spitfire and GT6 website.

A proper Churchill puller is best. Alternately, in the past I have just taken my axles in to a local LBC repair shop and had them pull the hubs for me - small fee, no hassle, no bent flange.

Fair warning if you are pulling them yourself, you will probably have to put some significant torque on the puller to get these hubs off - stand clear.

 

[hilsideser]

Well, Don, what course of action have you decided to take?