What NOT TO DO!

[ras101]

So my son and I have been parting out my 1977 446 and I wanted to save a lot of the parts for use on my 1987 444 rebuild. Parts I was really interested in were replacements that I have fitted over the years such as engine, etc. About 3 years ago I replaced the steering wheel and shaft after not being able to remove the steering wheel, well guess what - I wanted the new wheel and shaft for my new GT. My son was working on removing the role pin - I gave him a punch, etc. He managed to get the pin to move slightly and I thought great and went off to do other things. Well the pin would not come out, and he got the punch stuck and so he went to a smaller size and tried removing the punch from the reverse side through the spirol pin and enlarged it! He then went for the drill and well broke that too.. Now I am stuck with the mess!
I think my only course action ( I know that I could grind off the weld to remove the shaft and wheel from the GT but then I still have the same problem of removing the wheel from the shaft too.) is to destroy the wheel to save the shaft (I have another wheel but not shaft). What's really annoying is that I have a pneumatic hammer and roll pin punch and he did not use it!

Anyone have any bright ideas how to save both? I think that my only option now is to destroy the wheel to save the shaft. Pics below:

[Eugen]

Heat up the shaft with a propane torch. Then use a punch to drive out the drill bit from the other side. Then with a larger drill bit than the cotter pin drill the cotter pin end down to the shaft. Then with a punch drive the pin out.

[JSinMO]

I like @Eugen idea. I hope you get it apart and save the steering wheel. Let us know what works.

[Harry]

From the pic it looks like it’s a roll pin not a cotter pin. Roll pins are harden steel and will not drill out. They need to be driven out with a hardened punch. A big vise maybe to push the roll pin out using a punch on one side and a socket or small piece of pipe for the pin to go into. A hydraulic press could work the same way. Harry

[ras101]

Harry you are right it is a roll pin and my son had already tried drilling and broke a bit that stuck too. He then tried to remove the stuck bit by using a small diameter punch from the other side only to bell out the roll pin and destroying the punch too. Today I am going to try using a tapered grinding wheel in a dremal tool to grind the end back. If that's successful I will then use a roll pin punch and air hammer to drive the pin out.

[Harry]

If you can’t grind it out you might be able to drill it out with a carbide drill bit. Go slow with lots of cutting oil. Harry

[Toolslinger]

Another possibility is if you can get a nut the right size, you might be able to weld to the remains of the pin, and pull it rather than pushing it out.

You've got a mess... I don't envy you. Been down that road too many times.

[ras101]

I agree about the mess. The thing that annoys me most though is that I explained all of the "do not do's" before he started and he basically did them all!
So far I have managed to grind a little of the splayed end of the roll pin but the stock standard grind wheels for the Dremel are not up for the job and basically disintegrated very quickly. I sourced a carbide Dremel part on Amazon that arrived last night so I will try that. If, and it's a big if, I can grind the splayed end down to normal size I will use my air hammer and pin punch. Getting to the point of not throwing money at it though and just cutting it off. Keep you guys informed..

[thebuildist]

I'd bend/taper inward the end of the roll pin that's sticking out, just enough to eliminate the "splay-out".
Then put a punch on the sticking out end and drive it out from that direction. It's importanant that the punch is a near match to the od of the hole. If the punch is too small it'll slip inside the roll pin and wedge it outward. If it's too big, it of course won't fit inside the hole.

And it's very important to have "backing", something to drive against. Have someone hold a block of wood with a hole in it or similar firmly up against the backside of the steering wheel hub while you're pounding. If the shaft is just sticking up in the air, the flex/vibration of the shaft will absorb all the impact of the hammer blows, and you won't get meaningful pin movement.

Best of luck with it!

Bob

[Eugen]

Whatever you do don't do what Eugen does and hold the punch with your hand when you hit it with the hammer!