Taper Shaft Hub Question

[M Towsley]

Anyone know the trick to getting the c-clip/c-ring out of the hub? I want to refinish the hubs I have. Also, anyone have a parts source for those c-rings? Thanks!

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

I made a tool to remove the nut a while back. Why do you need to replace the c-clip?

Mike

[M Towsley]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

I want to remove the c-clip so I can have all the parts cleaned and refinished. Two of the hubs I have are loaded with dirt/lubricant and removing the threaded end piece would be the easy way to do so.

[Robert Lees]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

The clip should be reusable.

If I remember correctly, the clip will come out as the hub is drawn off.

The main problem is that you need a large torqu wrench to re-torque the taper.

I have some photos of the tool I made to undo & re-fit the taper here (about 2/3 of the way down the page).

Rob

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

The clip should be reusable.

If I remember correctly, the clip will come out as the hub is drawn off.

The main problem is that you need a large torqu wrench to re-torque the taper.

I have some photos of the tool I made to undo & re-fit the taper here (about 2/3 of the way down the page).

Rob

The clip does not come out that way. It stays in place so as you unscrew the nut, it will draw the hub off the taper which sometimes can be an SOB. There is 4 holes around where the clip goes. You have to simultaneously compress the clip in all 4 holes in order to remove it.

For several hundred dollars, you can send it to Aircraft Specialties and they can inspect it, plate it, and yellow tag for you if it good.

Mike

[M Towsley]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

Rob,

These hubs are off, no prop mounted yet. Trying to get them refinished as visually they could use a little help. Thanks.

Mike,

In the latest TOC newsletter there is a reprint from the Cub Club newsletter on how to properly remove and install the hub. They do note if you don't make a small tool to retain the C-Ring, it will come off as you unscrew the retainer. Again, a moot point as I don't have it mounted to a prop. And I don't think I need to send the hubs off just to have a c-ring removed "For several hundred dollars".

Just hoping someone else had already jumped this small hurdle. Thanks.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

They are not meant to come off that way. When you apply that much pressure to the hub trying to unscrew the nut from the crankshaft, you can easily damage the retaining groove. You need to carefully work the hub off by working the nut back and forth and sometimes with a few good rasps with a non marring hammer in the right place for the hub to come free of the crankshaft. They can be a real SOB when they don't want to come off.

Mike

[M Towsley]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

Hey Mike,

I should have been more descriptive. They, Cub Club, don't recommend taking a hub off that way as it can remove the c-ring, as you advised. That is what the tool is for, Forrest showed a picture of one on this website. They warned the c-ring can come off if you don't retain it in some way. The Cub CLub newsletter showed three specific home-made tools for removing and installing the hub. Thanks.

Marty

[M Towsley]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

Ok, here is how you remove the c-ring from the hub if you need to take it apart for refinishing, etc.

I found this technique on my own and it worked very well.

Get two 1/4" ball bearings from your friendly hardware store. Grease the round holes where you can see the c-ring through. This helps to hold the ball bearing in place and also lubricates the ball. Place one ball bearing into the hole closest to the end of the c-ring. Utilizing a c-clamp, tighten the clamp forcing the ball into the hole. (Prior to doing this you can observe that the c-ring sits in a groove toward the top of that hole.) As the ball bearing is forced into the hole, the c-ring pops out of the groove and moves up. At that time I removed the c-clamp and left the ball bearing in that hole and moved to the next hole. Place the second ball bearing into the second hole and again force that ball bearing into that hole. That will walk the c-ring out of the groove even more. At that time, if it hasn't already moved up farther, you can gently move the c-ring a little more out of the hub by gentle prying. Take out the first ball bearing with a magnet and go to the third hole and repeat. Once that one is out take the ball bearing from the second hole and place it into the fourth hole. The c-ring practically fell out at that time, except there was old grease holding it in slightly. Now I can clean and refinish my hubs.

[rdwater]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

The March 2005 edition of Vintage Airplane had a great article on the taper shaft. It helped me understand what to do to get it off and back on. I'll make copies for anyone who sends a SASE to

Bob Waters
816 Valverde Dr SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Bob

[M Towsley]

Re: Taper Shaft Hub Question

Bob,

I agree, it was a good article and I think it was posted in the Taylorcraft newsletter last time around, but it was small print so I had Bruce send me a copy. The only problem for me would be making the specialized tools. Though I now have a friend at a machine shop I am going to hit up for help.