Tom, in spite of your admonition that we really don't need a
lugnut with a slip-washer to be able to put a bit more
muscle into the bearing removal process, I spent about 3
hours today looking for one! Seems as how there are no
bonafide Alcoa dealers/distributors in the Tulsa area, and
absolutely no one in town has a lug nut with a built-in
washer that could be used. Apparently, some late model Fords
are using a slip-washer lug nut, but they are quite small.
I have the drill bit and tap that I bought specifically to
make up the "strap" for my slide hammer. Quite fortuitously,
the end of the slide hammer is threaded 5/8X18. If I can
find an Alcoa lug nut just like the ones on my wheels, 9/16
x 11, I will drill it out and tap it 5/8 x 18. That's the
size of the small thread on the tip of the puller screw.
I appreciate the fact that I probably won't need the extra
"puller power", but I've seen several descriptions of need
for porta-power jacks or the need to fall back to a Thoma
puller that you could use an impact wrench on to get a
bearing off.
More than likely, it will be like my fears of having a bolt
break off while replacing the exhaust manifold. Far from
breaking off a bolt, I removed several of them with my
fingers!
By the way, I finished installing my brand-new exhaust
manifold today. Cranked it up and the loudest noise heard
was the fan. After the engine warmed up and the fan clutch
disengaged, it got so quiet that I thought the engine had
stopped. I could still hear muffled exhaust sounds from the
rear, but none up front!
While everything was still easily accessible, I tightened up
the valve covers and all the bolts that I could reach on the
oil pan. Things were really pretty loose. Might take care of
some of the oily look down under.
lugnut with a slip-washer to be able to put a bit more
muscle into the bearing removal process, I spent about 3
hours today looking for one! Seems as how there are no
bonafide Alcoa dealers/distributors in the Tulsa area, and
absolutely no one in town has a lug nut with a built-in
washer that could be used. Apparently, some late model Fords
are using a slip-washer lug nut, but they are quite small.
I have the drill bit and tap that I bought specifically to
make up the "strap" for my slide hammer. Quite fortuitously,
the end of the slide hammer is threaded 5/8X18. If I can
find an Alcoa lug nut just like the ones on my wheels, 9/16
x 11, I will drill it out and tap it 5/8 x 18. That's the
size of the small thread on the tip of the puller screw.
I appreciate the fact that I probably won't need the extra
"puller power", but I've seen several descriptions of need
for porta-power jacks or the need to fall back to a Thoma
puller that you could use an impact wrench on to get a
bearing off.
More than likely, it will be like my fears of having a bolt
break off while replacing the exhaust manifold. Far from
breaking off a bolt, I removed several of them with my
fingers!
By the way, I finished installing my brand-new exhaust
manifold today. Cranked it up and the loudest noise heard
was the fan. After the engine warmed up and the fan clutch
disengaged, it got so quiet that I thought the engine had
stopped. I could still hear muffled exhaust sounds from the
rear, but none up front!
While everything was still easily accessible, I tightened up
the valve covers and all the bolts that I could reach on the
oil pan. Things were really pretty loose. Might take care of
some of the oily look down under.
