I think 92U 3046 in post #5 on Page 1 touched on something ........... JLG's horniness for half a bottle of Loctite on those specific threads......What I don't understand is why a torch is used to remove tie-rod ends and drag links.
EXACTLY! I haven't done one yet that wasn't a total bitch. LOLI think 92U 3046 in post #5 on Page 1 touched on something ........... JLG's horniness for half a bottle of Loctite on those specific threads......
I haven't checked but apparently the Service Manual instructs to heat the rods attaching to both ends of the knuckle to break the threads loose. I'll have to read the procedure in detail
Actually I was referring to steering components as in large tie rod ends and drag links stated in some of the posts above.
Truck Shop
I wonder if someone( dumbass) pumped some substance ( an epoxy or similar)inside of the worn joint trying to get some more time out of it before replacing it??? and that hardened and made a seal that kept in heated gases to cause what the pictures show....I have replaced ball joints like that on the front of a john deere tractor, but wrenches got them off and no heat needed, but this brings new cautions to heating a grease filled ball joint..Cut one apart. I don't think the wearing surface in the female end of the joint is Viton judging by the colour. However whether or not the combination of fumes from hot plastic and grease can make a more explosive combination than just grease alone is I think still a valid one.
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Wish I could find the actual report but a couple years before I retired some guys at a different part of the company had a incident related to heating to remove an impeller on a water pump.
As I recall this water pump had an impeller that screwed on to the shaft and the threaded hole was a blind hole! After not having any luck breaking the impeller free they decided to grab the gas-axe. Not sure if there was water, oil or something else inside the threaded hole but while heating the center of the impeller exploded out. I can imagine that it is possible someone had installed the impeller with grease or ani-sieze and that is what caused the explosion. Do not recall if there were any injuries or worse.
Don't think that was the same accident as I'm pretty sure the one I was referring to was a water pump that one refers to a propeller, I'm thinking that means a boat, not an impeller on a pump. But still same idea.Not post #15 on Page 1 that you're referring to is it..?
Learned this morning of a fatal accident at one of our sister quarries in the South East US.
Guy was doing repairs on a water pump. Impeller screwed on the shaft with a blind hole in the impeller and the back side of impeller is sealed with an oring. Apparently guy was having problem breaking the impeller loose so he tried heating the center with a torch. Problem was when impeller was installed the cavity in the impeller had been filled with grease to keep it from rusting. When heated with torch the grease expaned and blew the center out of the impeller. In the picture I saw it looke to be about a 2 to 3 inch disk maybe a 1/4 inch thick. No details on where it hit the guy who was killed or if it was the guy running the torch.
I know we all have used heat to loosen something rusted or just palin tight but need to think about what else could happen. It was suggested that a hole could have been drilled in the center of the impeller to relieve pressure. Guess if impeller was to be reused a simple 1/4 inch pipe plug could be installed to seal it back up. One other idea would be if the hole was taped and a grease fitting installed one could possibly use a grease gun to hydralically pop the impeller off.
Be careful out there, and think of what could happen if something goes wrong.