M105 lunette removal

The Air Hammer attachment is the way. Squirt Truck, A friend of his and I did this to one of the lunette eyes on a trailer that had sat in the weather for at least 10 years near Marietta. 'Gentle' whacks with a hammer and the air hammer on the casting around the shaft and it came right out.

LMFAO... Oh can I say that here??? Gotta leave all the posts I can to get back to my "OFFICIAL MILITARY RANK".

rmgill said:

The Air Hammer attachment is the way. Squirt Truck, A friend of his and I did this to one of the lunette eyes on a trailer that had sat in the weather for at least 10 years near Marietta. 'Gentle' whacks with a hammer and the air hammer on the casting around the shaft and it came right out.

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I didnt have the air hammer available just an air chisle... Woul;d have been like hunting duck with a fly swatter. I used the backing the nut off against heavy stock method, along with heat, candel wax, penetrating oil, 3 lb sledge, cursing and spitting nails method... Really wasnt all that bad but I think my neighbors might have been a bit mad. Luckily I out gun SWAT...

Successful Lunette Ring Flip

Thanks for all the help on how to free a frozen lunette ring. Got my first one flipped this morning with a combination of heat from an oxy/acetylene torch, forcing the nut into a steel wedge, and some help from a 3 pound sledge. Had been thinking/working on this problem for three weeks. I created a youtube video that I hope may help someone out. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4dSKhme4MY[/media]

All this stuff is not really necessary. This is how you do it. Worked for me and several others every time.

Agree with Frodo. All you needed was a bigger hammer.

I was taught that a 3 to 4 pound hammer was a SINGLE JACK A 6 to 8 pound hammer was a DOUBLE JACK A 10 pound + was a SLEDGE HAMMER

wiggall said:

I was taught that a 3 to 4 pound hammer was a SINGLE JACK A 6 to 8 pound hammer was a DOUBLE JACK A 10 pound + was a SLEDGE HAMMER

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So what is a 5 pound and 9 pound hammer ?

Made in china

*rimshot*

If you are in the middle of nowhere with no heat, no time to wait for a penetrant (WD-40, PB, etc) you might use the technique I used:

First, make sure that the threads on the lunette are clean. File out any burrs that might damage the nut because the nut is impossible to replace.

1. Find something, like a 3# hammer head, that will just fit between the end of the lunette shaft and the frame.
2. Screw the nut off so that it will start applying pressure to push the ring out.
3. Seriously whack the frame above the lunette using something like a 7# hammer.
4. Tighten the nut against the block.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the lunette pops; it is tapered so when it pops it will just slide out.

This has worked for me on several seriously rusted lunettes. When you get it off, clean it and put axle grease on it so that you don’t have to fight it again.

Arlyn

PS If you do damage the nut, threads on the lunette are 1 1/8 by 16 TPI. The large lug nut on a 16 wheeler is the same thread pitch and diameter. Make sure they don’t give you a left handed one and buy 2, they are thin.

Thanks to all in this old thread. It deserves a bump. After having a pre-Super Bowl wailing party on it for 2+ fruitless hours last weekend, the couple of tips and the video will make a difference in my attack. Now I actually look forward to this coming Saturday when I will take the ideas and a week's worth of work frustration out on a [soon to be] flipped lunette - 'er drawbar.

Steve

Update: Mine was bad. It finally flipped yesterday after heating and beating on it a couple of hours every weekend and soaking it a few times through the week in between. It outlasted 2 lesser torches, 2 hammer handles and a full can of PBBlaster and portions of several other concoctions. None of that worked until I got help from a friend to whomp it REALLY REALLY REALLY HARD with a 10 lb hammer while I held the cutting head on top of the sleeve from underneath. With that, it popped in about 6 shots.

When it came out, I found that all the penetrant flowed or wicked back into the lower side of the shaft as it should have. However, it was top-rusted in solid all the way from 9 o'clock -> 3 o'clock, in a couple of places more than 3/8" back. At best the penetrant did less than 50% of the job by working on the bottom where the rust should have limited itself.

If it's really stuck, focus on the top semi circle of the shaft. It helps if you can get the torch up in, to the the front 1" - 2 ", on the top of the tube that guides the shaft. Heating from the face side didn't phase mine. Heat 'n beat simultaneously. Hope that saves somebody some time.

Steve

1-1/2" is the size of the nut on the 105. Same as the M35 lugs.

If you pull the nut and then start beating on the lunet with a sledge, it will come loose. Don't try to beat it out of the taper. Hit the top of the ring on the drivers side a few times and then the passenger side a few times. Once it rocks or rolls just a little, it will pop on out. Don't be afraid to really hit it and it won't take very long.

Once you do get it loose, smother it in grease and put it like you want it. Then, everytime you walk by the trailer at home, give the lunette a twist. You won't have trouble with it again that way.

So I am at a loss here. I have been torching, backing the nut against a metal bar until it stripped out and beat this thing like it owed me money. NOTHING! Any other tricks as I can not use the nut for pressure anymore. Hopefully this old thread can help a newbie out!

Tried hitting the top of the lunnette on each side like your trying to twist it also use pb blaster

Thanks Stryker. I soaked it in PB. It started twisting (barely) but I mean that was with smashing it with a 10pound sledge. Still not moving enough to pop it out. Im going to let it soak overnight, hopefully that helps.

It only twists so far because it has a flat spot on it keep hitting back and forth on top of the ring

I saw that, its just really stubborn turning. I can tirn it until it hits the stop, but that takes 4-5 heavy hits. I'm going to soak it again now and then give it a shot tomorrow. I'll let you kbow how it goes.

I have removed three of them and they can be a bear. I put a wedge at the back, some PB blaster, a little heat and a big hammer.
Hit it from sides and from top and bottom, repeat if needed.