Bringing the 4lb Caged lower back from the Dead?

[cj428mach]

Hey guys I figured I would post my lessons learned even though I really don't want to admit, I already f'd up.

Well long story short i bent the rubber seal pressing on the pulley with a socket too big. All the socket was contacting with was the rubber.
So I didn't want to proceed with installing knowing the seal was jacked.

I ordered a new bearing off amazon. ACDelco 15-2802 also crosses to 6559469. It was $19 on prime(can be found cheaper but cant beat 2 day shipping).

Now how to get the pulley back off the cage.
I found using three sockets on the bottom to stand up the assembly.
And one socket down the middle worked like a charm.

Here is what the bottom would look like.
View attachment 70120

And what it looked like on the press with the 3 sockets under it (rags to protect the pulley).
View attachment 70121

It came off pretty easily.

Now to get the bearing out of the pulley.
I built a little cube out of 2x4's.
Just flip the pulley over on the cube and the bearing pressed right out.
View attachment 70122

I ordered some Loctite 39150 to mount the bearing in the pulley.
All came apart well and back in with no problem, definitely a quality item.


Now I just want to compare how deep everyone else's pulleys are mounted.
View attachment 70123


Hope this helps somebody maybe not today but even down the road.

We all have stuff have like this happen so don't be embarrased.

My suggestion is to take the old bearing and cut the outer race off and then open up the inner race so its not a press fit anymore. Then use the inner race as something to press against in order to install the pulley. Thats what I did.

Here is my pulley assembled.

 

[Skitzerman]

My portable 6 ton press and a 1.5" 12 point socket made easy work of getting the pulley seated.

 

[Skitzerman]

Finally got some time to assemble everything after I painted and polished everything.

 

[cj428mach]

Finally got some time to assemble everything after I painted and polished everything.

Very, very nice! :coolman:

 

[Skitzerman]

Very, very nice! :coolman:

Thanks Mike, now I need to find the time to get it back on the car. This setup is so nice, it's a shame no one will ever see it. Thanks again for putting this together, the parts and the tech advice were excellent.

 

[cj428mach]

Thanks Mike, now I need to find the time to get it back on the car. This setup is so nice, it's a shame no one will ever see it. Thanks again for putting this together, the parts and the tech advice were excellent.

You bet!

I get a ton of enjoyment out of seeing people like you happy with the end product.

I also appreciate everyones patience during the course of the whole project. That made everything go so much smoother and I can't thank people enough for that.

 

[Donny24]

Hey guys if anyone needs shims . Ar15 barrel shims work out perfect .

 

[cj428mach]

Hey guys if anyone needs shims . Ar15 barrel shims work out perfect .

I'd like to thank Donny24 for pointing out that Ar15 barrel shims can be used to shim the tribar while clocking if you'd like, or if you removed to much material from the tribar as I know at least a few guys have told me they have done.

Donny told me he went to his local gun shop and was able to source shims so each brand maybe a little different but you'd think the basic dimensions have to be the same since they're a shim all used for the same purpose on an Ar15.

Here is what Donny is referring to
http://bisonarmory.com/ar-15-barrel-nut-shim-set/

 

[dblj32774]

Here is the pics that Donny24 took of the AR15 shims used for the lower.

 

[dblj32774]

Here is the pics that Donny24 took of the AR15 shims used for the lower.

View attachment 70506

View attachment 70507

View attachment 70508

View attachment 70509

 

[cj428mach]

Here is the pics that Donny24 took of the AR15 shims used for the lower.

View attachment 70506

View attachment 70507

View attachment 70508

View attachment 70509

Thank you sir for the pictures.

I also wanted to suggest to everyone using the 1 piece locking hub that you thread a 1/4" coarse thread bolt into the center hole of the locking hub and tighten it. This should help reinforce the hub.

 

[dam2v]

I purchased a caged lower off of the classifieds and got after it about a week ago. When we were trying to get the shaft to break loose it ended up slipping out of the vice (crappy one at work) and hitting the back of the shaft which resulted in the shaft bending. You can spin the pulley and watch it wobble now and I have no way to get it straight again. So, I'm out a hundred bucks so far. Good news is my car isn't down. I'm going to have to send it to someone to do, I just don't have the correct stuff to do it.

 

[Skitzerman]

I don't think you bent the shaft. The pulley is just askew on the rubber bushings. Put it in a good vice that is bolted down. Heat the tribar and turn the shaft counter clockwise with an impact wrench.

 

[cj428mach]

I don't think you bent the shaft. The pulley is just askew on the rubber bushings. Put it in a good vice that is bolted down. Heat the tribar and turn the shaft counter clockwise with an impact wrench.

He's right.

Everyone thinks they've bent the shaft but its just not in the bushings evenly. It would be VERY hard to bend one of these shafts, sorry guys but I'd bet a lot of money that most of you don't have it.

 

[MalcolmV8]

I had a seized up unit with over tightened and destroyed threads from my Whipple. I heated it near glowing red and had to use a 6 foot cheater bar on my breaker bar and it took two of us beating it with huge hammers to get it apart. Even that shaft didn't bend. You'd need a press to bend that shaft. It's really thick.

 

[rymax101]

Hey guys,

Got an update with my 4lb lower.
I had noticed my tribar wasnt sitting in the middle of the bushing material anymore.
I removed the lower to look at it better and noticed the bushing material is actually being torn apart.

I looked up the part number that we have and the specs are below.

I think the 700 psi rating may be too low for the pressure it gets from the rotating of the engine.

I looked up other material tubing and found a polyurethane tubing that comes in 40A(2000psi) 60A(4400psi) 75d(7500psi).
Part number is 87235K12 on mcmaster carr.
I ordered 6 inches of each to see what might be best.
The only thing you give up is the original material is rated to 450 degrees F where this material is rated to 200 degrees F.

 

[rymax101]

Here what I found after disassembly.

All 3 bushings were split.

The damage inside the bushing housing.

Ill post up results when the new bushing material comes in.

My tri bar was locked up and stripped so I had to cut it off, resulting in some damage to the custom lower. Make me cry.

If anyone has a tribar let me know.
Thanks,

 

[rymax101]

delete

 

[WaffleMan]

Here what I found after disassembly.

All 3 bushings were split.

The damage inside the bushing housing.

Ill post up results when the new bushing material comes in.

My tri bar was locked up and stripped so I had to cut it off, resulting in some damage to the custom lower. Make me cry.

If anyone has a tribar let me know.
Thanks,

What kind of mileage have you put on your lower? Just an eaton? Have you been launching at the track, running a 2-step, or power shifting a bunch?

Just looked at mine, my tribar is a just a tad off-center from the middle of the bushings. The bushings themselves aren't split at all, they have been cut a tiny bit from the edge of the lower where the bushing sticks out the front but nothing like yours. (EDIT: upon further inspection I don't even think they are cut, just a little deformed from being smushed up against the one side) Here is the back of one of mine:



A little bunched up but no signs of splitting like yours. I'm probably close to around 1000 miles, haven't really been paying attention to mileage though. 60-70 gallons of e85 since the lower and tons of boost every time I take it out. Just street driving on MT drag radials, no power shifting.

 

[cj428mach]

I have approx. 2000 miles on mine and the bushings are holding up fine. I was just under the car a few weeks ago working on it and checked them. If the belt is off the car a person should be able to grab just the pulley and try wiggling it, if the bushings are showing signs of wear you should get some clockwise/counterclockwise rotation out of the lower.