cone washers

[spot]

didn't i read somewhere '' beware that the cone washers don't fly off round the workshop ....'' when checking the front wheel bearings . yeah right , mine seem rusted in place x5 . any advice on how to free them up ? have sprayed liberally with WD40 and used a long socket to shock them with a hammer but only one moves and can be removed . will try again tomorrow but is there a technique ? after all , i can't tackle tightening the bearings if i can't remove the end cover . thanks .

[Mike66]

Shocking them to get them loose is the only tried and tested method. You just need to be patient They will come loose eventually.


Mike

[BUSHWHACKER]

Tie a rag over the hub so that it covers all the washers, then tap with a hammer all around the circumfrence of the edge of the hub and eventually it will come away and all your washers will be held in the rag.

[Koi]

Yep keep hitting the hub all round, they will move eventually. When I first did mine seemed like an age and I thought they ain't never coming off. Then bingo they all started to move, well flew off actually, so was more careful with the others.

[JimL]

As the above, hit with hammer and keep hitting

[laser_jock@work]

The best (and much more subtle way than bashsing at the hub with a hammer....) is to make a cone washer removal tool.

1) Take a small screwdriver and grind the end into a fine tapering square/ long tapering pyramid point. The square taper must be fine enough to go well into the slot of the cone washer. The metal must be a good, hard metal so it lasts more than cone washer! Ideally the screwdriver should be the through-the-handle type so you can tap it lightly with a hammer.

2) Insert the point into the slot of the cone washer (previously soaked in WD40). Tap the tool lightly with a hammer and the cone washer will pop with no fuss.

How it works- forcing the cone appart from within makes them jump out of the hole. Beware of flying cone washers!

Edit- Oh, and when replacing the cone washers at the end of the job- make sure the slot faces outwards to make the easier for the next guy- it might might be YOU again!

[jet1749]

Leave the dome nuts loosely on the studs, that takes care of the cones flying off. Get a couple of cap head screws (8mm I think) and screw them into the jacking holes on the flange, tighten them up to apply a load to remove the flange and push against the cones (dont go daft) Then get your 4lb club hammer and a nice hefty drift (3/4" steel bar about 10" long should do it) Clout the flange on its face (not the edge) next to each cone. A couple of good belts near each cone should shock them all loose.