- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
- Location
- Stanley, NC
I got another set of H2 takeoffs (35" BFG on 17" 8 lug wheels) for cheap, and the tires still had good tread on em. With these wheels, the centers have to be machined out to fit a 1ton hub. Last time, I had taken them to my dad's friends machine shop chucked the entire wheel/tire in a vertical lathe, and turned em. Worked great, didn't take long, he let me do it, and didn't charge me a penny. Called him last week and he said they were just too busy, I said no problem, and though, crap, now what am I going to do.
Since the last time I did this, dad and I had acquired a lathe with a 16" swing, and a small bridgeport. The swing on the lathe was too small even for just the wheel, but the bridgeport would work with just the wheel. However, I would have to make a tool. Well, the last thing I wanted to do was dismount the tire, and then have to remount it.
I got to work on the tool. I had a dana 35 axleshaft with the spline end separated. I turned it down to 4.920" (worked great last time for the bore) and then turned the leading diameter to 4.600" (diameter of the existing bore on the wheels) about 1/4" deep. Flipped the shaft around, set up the steady-rest and turned the end down to 1/2" so it would fit in the drill chuck. Keep in mind this was a hardened part, so it was slow going.
Roughed out some teeth with the grinder, set it in the wheel, pulled the trigger, and off she went. I had to sharpen the teeth a few times, but generally worked great. Busted the handle off/cracked the case on my harbor freight drill, but that's ok because I needed a better one for the shop anyway.
Heres a few pics of the wheel after boring and the finished product on the tool. Ive got more of the before and after kind stuff, but no need to eat more bandwidth. If you want em, let me know, and Ill email em to ya.
Enjoy:
Since the last time I did this, dad and I had acquired a lathe with a 16" swing, and a small bridgeport. The swing on the lathe was too small even for just the wheel, but the bridgeport would work with just the wheel. However, I would have to make a tool. Well, the last thing I wanted to do was dismount the tire, and then have to remount it.
I got to work on the tool. I had a dana 35 axleshaft with the spline end separated. I turned it down to 4.920" (worked great last time for the bore) and then turned the leading diameter to 4.600" (diameter of the existing bore on the wheels) about 1/4" deep. Flipped the shaft around, set up the steady-rest and turned the end down to 1/2" so it would fit in the drill chuck. Keep in mind this was a hardened part, so it was slow going.
Roughed out some teeth with the grinder, set it in the wheel, pulled the trigger, and off she went. I had to sharpen the teeth a few times, but generally worked great. Busted the handle off/cracked the case on my harbor freight drill, but that's ok because I needed a better one for the shop anyway.
Heres a few pics of the wheel after boring and the finished product on the tool. Ive got more of the before and after kind stuff, but no need to eat more bandwidth. If you want em, let me know, and Ill email em to ya.
Enjoy:
