PB blaster smells nice when it's torched too!! I think it is a wise idea to
have the machine shop take care of the tap removal. If all else fails, you
can try to drill a hole down the middle of the tap with a cobalt bit
(drilling through HSS sucks but can be done, hopefully you used a cheap
steel tap!). I would then freeze the entire unit, and then heat the caliper
bracket. Between the contraction of the tap due to the cold and the
expansion of the caliper bracket due to the heat, you'd stand a pretty good
chance of getting the tap out. I think the D44 spindle/knuckle design
should be somewhat the same as the D60 I have under my Dakota. Can you snap
me a digi pic of the parts in question? If I remember correctly, mine were
stubborn as well, but once you know where to hit it comes right off.
Russ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Maskalans" <dml@tepidcola.com>
To: <dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net>
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 2:11 AM
Subject: Re: DML: Re: daily SAS update
>
>
> On Aug 14, 2004, at 18:07, Russell Yee wrote:
>
> > I haven't been following your build too closely, but what front axle
> > are you
> > using?
>
> it's a '78 Ford D44 low pinion, and it's the axle from hell. I'm
> *never* buying another large part sight unseen.
>
> > You should be able to separate the knuckle from the spindle with a
> > long drift or cold chisel.
>
> that would be in theory. in practice, it seems to be rusted and seized
> on like nothing I've ever seen. I also don't know the internal shapes
> of the mating surfaces I'm dealing with, so I'm at a disadvantage when
> trying to figure out what's best to heat pound and pry.
>
> > As for the broken tap, I'd use a combo of
> > heating the caliper bracket and a ez-out. Go easy on the heat (don't
> > cherry
> > it), and don't try to torch the tap out or you'll warp the bracket
> > (ask me
> > how I know).. Hopefully you'll be able to break the tap free and use
> > the
> > EZ-Out to do the rest. If you mung up the hole you can either weld it
> > and
> > re tap or use a heli-coil (recommend the latter - it sucks drilling &
> > tapping through weldment).
>
> I've got a heli-coil kit for the hole already. Haven't found a tap
> easy out yet though, since I started looking after 5pm friday =)
>
> Depending on what the machine $hop tell$ me, I might ju$t let them take
> care of it for me. If I don't like what they have to $ay about the
> project, I'll give it a try and my$elf.
>
> it's good to know that those castings can warp. I'll make sure
> everything is still true before I put it together. Thankfully I didn't
> get anything other than the ball joints to cherry while I was torching
> today. but that grease and teflon sure sooted everything up nicely!
> --
> Michael Maskalans <http://mike.tepidcola.com/dak/>
> '98 Dakota CC 4x4 318 '84 RamCharger 4x4 360
> mobile.612.618.4652 campus.585.274.2246 fax.954.697.0487
>
>
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