[TR] TR3A REAR HUB REMOVAL

[Randall]

> Seeking advice on removal of rear hub. Made a tool from 
> splined wire wheel holder but still won't budge. Hate to try 
> Hub buster for fear of damage to axel. Hub is damaged now by 
> use of three pronged remover.

This homemade tool looks like it would work well, if you can find the
materials:
http://tinyurl.com/mu6mcpj

I tried several lesser setups (including a wire wheel adapter with added
reinforcements).  What finally worked for me was to machine some heavy
(approx 1" thick) press plates to fit snugly behind the hub, with reliefs
for the studs; pump up 15-20 tons of force in the press (until the frame
started to bend), and then start banging on the axle with a BFH.  They all
popped apart after 5 or 6 blows.  I put a flat washer and regular nut on the
end of the axle, to help protect the threads and also keep the nut from
mangling the hub when it slams into it.  Might be safer to machine a little
sleeve that would fit into the end of the hub, so some of the load goes
against the shoulder of the axle, but I didn't do that (yet).

The end of this article
http://tinyurl.com/k9h7bzm
Includes a drawing of the Churchill tool.  Although the article was written
for a TR6, the tool is the same as the TR3 except you may need to machine a
relief to fit over the flanges on the studs.

Lots easier to just ship the axles to Mark Macy (as Geo suggested), but I'm
stubborn that way.  Herman van den Akker once told me that he will do them
too, but that was a lot of years ago, I don't know if he still does it or
not.  He created his own hydraulic version of the factory tool (naturally).

-- Randall