Dave Massey wrote:
> Peter writes:
>
> >Are you sure you want to heat an Aluminum trailing arm (or something
> >attached to it) "red" hot and then quench with water? I think I might go
> >easy with the heat in this application. JMO of course.
>
> The other problem is it is a small hole in a large casting. And aluminum
> at that. (Aluminium conducts heat much more effectively and spot heating
> is more problematic)
>
> Who knows? Perhaps it would be easier to cut the new rubber tip off of
> the threaded portion and "glue" it onto the old pedestal. You think?
> (Just a little Zen here)
>
> Dave
One important point for those unfamiliar with heating aluminum is that it does
not get
'red' hot. Unlike steel or iron, alum. stays a normal sliver color until it
suddenly
turns very shiny and dribbles on the floor in a puddle. Be careful about
putting too
much heat into an alum. piece as it starts to melt around 1700 degrees F.
A technique I use to remove stubborn stops from the tops of trailing arms is to
cut
the rubber away from the steel disk at the base of the stop, then arc weld a
small rod
onto the stop to act as a handle. The handle gives you enough leverage to spin
it out
and the short, concentrated heat from the weld breaks the galvanic corrosion of
dissimilar metals of the steel stud of the bump stop and alum thread in the
trailing
arm without damaging the trailing arm. Don't try it with a oxy-acetylene welder
though....
Good luck!
Regards,
Brian Schlorff '61 TR-4 '64 TR-4 '72 TR-6 '79 Spit
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