Gear pullers get me cussin'!

[ScottyM]

I have several gear pullers from little bitty ones to some pretty good size ones. They all have one thing in common. They have more moving parts than I have hands. I hate to have to ask some one in the shop to come help, but I have never found a good way to hold 3 or 4 legs on a gear or pulley with one hand while trying to tighten the screw. It gets even worse if I'm using a end protecter under the screw. What are some of the tricks you've found useful?

Scotty

[ikdor]

Use the spring loaded ones, even I can use those ;)
http://img-asia.electrocomponents.com/largeimages/RD367416-51.jpg

Igor

[vpt]

That spring one looks nice!

Some of my puller have a nut on the top that hold the fingers tight against the gear while you turn the screw down. Rubber bands around the fingers work great. Tape sometimes works. Some of my screws have a soft aluminum insert end that snaps onto the screw so I don't have to try and hold it while turning the screw.

[DougA]

I just bought a large one by Gray Tools. Arms lock on even when the part pulls off the puller stays on. Saves from having to catch the puller and the 60 lb wheel at the same time.

[Deja Vu]

I have several gear pullers from little bitty ones to some pretty good size ones. They all have one thing in common. They have more moving parts than I have hands. I hate to have to ask some one in the shop to come help, but I have never found a good way to hold 3 or 4 legs on a gear or pulley with one hand while trying to tighten the screw. It gets even worse if I'm using a end protecter under the screw. What are some of the tricks you've found useful?

Scotty

If you're like me and have, shall we say, the economical sets, I use rubber bands to accumulate the arms....that is I did before I snapped the linkages of a couple attempting to pull a stubborn item. :mad: #$^@ cuss.

[lazlo]

What are some of the tricks you've found useful?

I hook one of the top legs onto the gear/sheave and tighten-up the screw enough to hold it on, then squeeze the other legs on while tightening the screw the rest of the way by hand (i.e., until all three or four legs stay on from tension).

Never had a problem doing that, but the spring-loaded version looks nice :)

[John Stevenson]

Change religion then you have no more problems :D

http://www.mantraonnet.com/shopping/cards/Durga4.jpg

[ScottyM]

That spring loaded one looks nice, but I would hate to have to replace all of my sizes with those. I could see that getting pretty pricey real quick. I'll give the rubber bands a try next time. But if anyone has more ideas I'd sure like to hear them.

Scotty

[ScottyM]

Change religion then you have no more problems :D

http://www.mantraonnet.com/shopping/cards/Durga4.jpg

Good idea John, but do I have to wear that outfit too. Man the guys in my shop would never let me hear the end of it.

Scotty

[jack3140]

Change religion then you have no more problems :D

http://www.mantraonnet.com/shopping/cards/Durga4.jpg
honestly would you want a woman with that many hands?

[jnissen]

Second vote for rubber bands. Used them a couple times and it helped. I used a big one I cut from an old inner tube.

[John Stevenson]

honestly would you want a woman with that many hands?

Handy for shop lifting in Harbor Freight :D

[jack3140]

that john has an answer to everything hihihihi lol

[Spin Doctor]

These are the nicest 2 jaw pullers I've ever used. But like any two jaw puller they must be set-up so that both jaws are equadistant from the centerline

http://www.reliabilitydirectstore.com/SKF-TMMR-F-series-Reversible-jaw-pullers-p/skf-tmmr-jaw%20pullers.htm

These are nice and they also come in a hydraulic version we use at work.

http://www.reliabilitydirectstore.com/SKF-TMMA-pullers-series-mechanical-EasyPull-p/skf-tmma%20mechanical%20easypull.htm


http://www.reliabilitydirectstore.com/SKF-TMMA-pullers-series-hydraulic-EasyPull-p/skf-tmma%20hydraulic%20easypull.htm

The hydraulic on has a set of extensions that slip together one of which has a center point. For our use I make up face plates that fit the socket/post to fit bores and under size to the shaft diameter. That way you don't need three hands to use them. Really any repetitive pulling set-up benifits from things that make things easy.

Now the bad news They're SKF so they ain't cheap.

[Andrew_D]

I've used rubber bands...usually you need pretty beefy ones though so they don't stretch under the weight of the legs...rubber sealer rings from jars work great!

Andrew

[Spin Doctor]

If the arms are slipping off of the gear/pulley/bearing when put under pressure than the gripping area of the arm most likely has worn surfaces

[rohart]

I've had to make up new arms for my pullers - to get a better angle for the tip when there isn't enough clearance for the arms as supplied.

I never thought about replaceable claws, like in ikdor's photo of the spring loaded ones. I may convert one end of my homemade arms to take replaceable claws.

I agree that if they're slipping off before they're tight, then they may let go with a bang. Better to address the issue of claw shape before they bite you.

[ligito]

Good idea John, but do I have to wear that outfit too. Man the guys in my shop would never let me hear the end of it.

Scotty

Be sure to take the Lion with you, that'll shut them up.

[ligito]

Would it help to have a soft face on the jaws, Maybe rubber?

[lazlo]

Handy for shop lifting in Harbor Freight :D

Shoplifting at Harbor Freight is like dating at Weight Watchers. :)

[J Tiers]

For general use, I don't like the rubber bands, it's just another part to keep track of and when it DOES slip, you get a nice rap on the knuckle from the rubber-band-powered jaw!

I do pretty much what lazlo does, except that I often hook two over the top, with the screw a little too far in, let down with the screw until the bottom one snaps into place, then tighten.

[RobbieKnobbie]

Change religion then you have no more problems :D

http://www.mantraonnet.com/shopping/cards/Durga4.jpg

Behold, the destroyer of worlds, and holder of gear pullers!

[Willy]

Shoplifting at Harbor Freight is like dating at Weight Watchers. :)

Or riding a moped....it's a lot of fun until one of your friends catches you.:eek:

For manipulating a puller I usually try to preload the jaws/arms just enough with one hand in order to keep them in place while I tighten the center screw with the other.

[J Tiers]

Behold, the destroyer of worlds, and holder of gear pullers!

Sorry, Durga is not Shiva.;)

But Shiva might be a more appropriate deity for some shop tasks.... if you are into that sort of thing.

[John Stevenson]

Got a two legged one here that has a left hand / right hand turn buckle thread sideways on the arms near the top to adjust how far in or out the legs go, once set they can't spring out.

Not sure of the maker, ?

[RobbieKnobbie]

Sorry, Durga is not Shiva.;)



I knew someone would bust me on that one. Just having a little fun!

[RussZHC]

Glad this thread was started, puller(s) are on my list.

Came across this style at Princess Auto.

http://www.princessauto.com/workshop/hand-tools/automotive-tools/auto-repair/8329591-2-ton-ratcheting-gear-puller


Doesn't look all that different but there is a spring steel plate (?) across the top and the upper ends have slight "teeth" so there is a bit of a ratcheting effect to hold the arms in maybe 6 to 8 positions; the arms can also be removed and turned so "interior" pulling is possible.
Two ton are $25 and I think the largest was 7 ton and $60.

[John Stevenson]

Sorry for the delay, left my camera on a job and had to go fetch it.

http://www.stevenson-engineers.co.uk/files/puller.jpg

This is the one I was talking about three posts up.
Thought it had RH and LH threads on but it doesn't just a RH thread and a captive nut.

Once this has been set it nigh impossible for the legs to spread, no makers name on it but I'm sure it's not an import, had this 30 odd years or so.