I procrastinated this job for only 31 years

[Ledslinger]

About 1980 when my 1961 4WD GMC Suburban was my daily driver, I was trying to repack the front wheel bearings. On the right side the Warn hub was screwed up and I made a new cross pin for it out of a Craftsman screwdriver blade. The screwdriver was a no. 0 Phillips, and since I was short of cash, I got a warranty replacement cause the blade broke off. Probably saved at least a dollar in 1980.

I go to repack the left side and the nut won't come off. One of the parts of the lockout didn't have a thrust washer and rode on the end of the spindle. This swaged the end of the spindle so the nut wouldn't come off. So I put it back together and hoped the bearings had enough grease while I tried to figure out a way to file or machine off the flared end of the spindle. I bought an electric die grinder for a later attempt at getting the nut off. Then I bought a new Celica in 1982, and parked the Sub.

Yesterday I'm taking the front axle apart to reseal and redo the brakes. I look through my tools to try to figure out where I've stored my spindle nut socket for the last 30 years. I can't find it but I remember I saw one in a buddies toolbox when I helped him work on something. I go over to borrow it, but decide to see if he'll sell it since he no longer has his K5 Blazer that climbed many mountains around Harrison Arkansas.

I offer him $15, and for a joke he says he noticed I have change in my pocket and counters $15.50. Deal! Could have bought a Chinese one for the same money, but glad to have the vintage Mac with history from my friend. I don't want anything chinese near my truck anyway.

So I got to pull the hubs and my memory is hazy if I ever got the nut off or not. Nope. So I get out my dremel and a US made set of 1/8" carbide burrs. I used a cylindrical with a flat end and was able to reach into the hub and clean off enough material to remove the nut.

Clearance is tight and it is hard to hold the tool precisely and sometimes it runs and jumps, subjecting the burr to lots of abuse. I've used Indian and chinese burrs that would have shattered the first time they had forces like that put on them.

Still have to pull the yoke, carrier, and inner seals, but everything else is apart for the first time ever. The kingpin bearings are tight, so I won't have to take them apart except for a new gasket on the lower cap.

Many things have change in 30 years, a massively improved tool kit including electric impacts, improved mechanical skills, and an internet full of info.

Feeling pretty good about knocking out a job I put on the back burner too long.

[nbrfd007]

It's great you are getting the Burb back on the road. Just got mine back going, it was great to drive.
Tim

[Ledslinger]

Originally Posted by nbrfd007

It's great you are getting the Burb back on the road. Just got mine back going, it was great to drive.
Tim

Two fans of burbs named Tim.

[rideblue00]

Thats great. And i thought dragging my feet for 17 years was a long time! Put up some pics!