Yeah Tom right,
I have one of the first "15" (5 3/16 version)even though mine was the last
10 of the first 54 (haven't figured that out yet). You cannot convert to a
hydraulic unit, let alone easily, there are no 4 or 6 ton jacks made, there
aren't even 1 1/2 ton jacks made that will fit no matter how much you grind.
Forget "little money" there are none made that will fit. Perhaps a porta
puller but thats close to $300 , and defeats the "have it with you when you
travel concept".It's not the 10 ton breaking power or the strength of your
rings, it's how much force is required to remove the bearings, that is what
we bought the puller for. The Thoma unit has been reported by all to work
without the help of a whole GMC club. I think your choice of the OTC 927 was
the mistake not your split ring design.
I have removed bearings in the past, but the bearings were destroyed in the
process. The idea of removing and greasing the bearings as per GM manuals
was impossible. In the original discussions back in '98 your Puller as
represented was the inexpensive , quality answer, thats why I participated I
guess quite a few of us will be back to the Thoma tool it works as
represented, or spring for your "New Improved Hydraulic Version" (5 3/4 post
15 model).
Mark '77 Palm Beach LINY
From: tom warner
Subject: Re: GMC: Puller Frills, Exhaust Manifold Gasket
Since you made the remark about someone using the Thomas puller where one
like mine will not pull a bearing off I just have to respond.
The thoma puller is not as strong as the puller that I offer on the net,
being made up of welded up parts. The OTC927 puller is a 10 ton puller, you
are not going to break it, and it can be used for many other things other
than what it is supplied for. The split rings that i make are the strongest
you can buy being made out of 4140 prehard steel. Compare the cross section
of the Thoma split rings(or for that matter any other one) with mine
especially the concentricity of the hole and the thickness of the flanges
and the machining of the two surfaces that bolt together. On my pullers you
can barely see where they bolt together, and the hole fits the bearing
perfectly. Thats because they are surface ground before starting to spin
them.
For very little money you can make my puller into a fully hydraulic unit. In
addition it can be fitted with a plate similar to the Thoma plate and the
hubs can than be pushed out and reinstalled in the knuckle. I did not supply
that since the repair manual originally written for the GMC detailed the use
of a slide hammer to remove the hubs.
I have a feeling if people are having a problem removing bearings with my
puller it is due to several things:
1. Not securing it to a inverted rim
2. Not a large enough wrench to turn the screw and hold the nut
3. Not greasing the screw and end of the pusher
>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.
I have one of the first "15" (5 3/16 version)even though mine was the last
10 of the first 54 (haven't figured that out yet). You cannot convert to a
hydraulic unit, let alone easily, there are no 4 or 6 ton jacks made, there
aren't even 1 1/2 ton jacks made that will fit no matter how much you grind.
Forget "little money" there are none made that will fit. Perhaps a porta
puller but thats close to $300 , and defeats the "have it with you when you
travel concept".It's not the 10 ton breaking power or the strength of your
rings, it's how much force is required to remove the bearings, that is what
we bought the puller for. The Thoma unit has been reported by all to work
without the help of a whole GMC club. I think your choice of the OTC 927 was
the mistake not your split ring design.
I have removed bearings in the past, but the bearings were destroyed in the
process. The idea of removing and greasing the bearings as per GM manuals
was impossible. In the original discussions back in '98 your Puller as
represented was the inexpensive , quality answer, thats why I participated I
guess quite a few of us will be back to the Thoma tool it works as
represented, or spring for your "New Improved Hydraulic Version" (5 3/4 post
15 model).
Mark '77 Palm Beach LINY
From: tom warner
Subject: Re: GMC: Puller Frills, Exhaust Manifold Gasket
Since you made the remark about someone using the Thomas puller where one
like mine will not pull a bearing off I just have to respond.
The thoma puller is not as strong as the puller that I offer on the net,
being made up of welded up parts. The OTC927 puller is a 10 ton puller, you
are not going to break it, and it can be used for many other things other
than what it is supplied for. The split rings that i make are the strongest
you can buy being made out of 4140 prehard steel. Compare the cross section
of the Thoma split rings(or for that matter any other one) with mine
especially the concentricity of the hole and the thickness of the flanges
and the machining of the two surfaces that bolt together. On my pullers you
can barely see where they bolt together, and the hole fits the bearing
perfectly. Thats because they are surface ground before starting to spin
them.
For very little money you can make my puller into a fully hydraulic unit. In
addition it can be fitted with a plate similar to the Thoma plate and the
hubs can than be pushed out and reinstalled in the knuckle. I did not supply
that since the repair manual originally written for the GMC detailed the use
of a slide hammer to remove the hubs.
I have a feeling if people are having a problem removing bearings with my
puller it is due to several things:
1. Not securing it to a inverted rim
2. Not a large enough wrench to turn the screw and hold the nut
3. Not greasing the screw and end of the pusher
>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.
