Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Good afternoon all,

I, like many before me... have a stuck main shaft in my 12A (disassembling everything else went well enough, minus the cracked cast iron inner hub... grrr). Because of this I decided to take the main shaft out (continuing to use the 3-jaw puller would've finished the job and it stopped moving anyways) and press it out with the 100T. Here's the problem... now the bearing is stuck.

I do believe by biggest issue is that the little allen-key / hex combo on the underside of the snout broke clean off (bearing retainer, correct?). I swear I just looked at it and it fell off. Its hardened steel and drilling it out went nowhere.

I've given it a good soak in penetrating fluid, and used a small slide hammer - but she's not budging.

Thoughts?

Also, I could quite easily braze the hub crack, good idea or am I asking for trouble? For the most part, parts for 12A's seam to be available hey?

Thank you!

Cheers,

I got the set screw out (long story!). Still stuck, still need help!

There appears to be a split ring/race visible, and it is rotating. Good omen?

It means you are making progress .....

OK, you are right. That setscrew holds the bearing race from coming out. If you got it out, thats good news. I do know in a regular #12, in an 8 ft, the pinion gears will not pull through the inside of the snout, like 6 foot pinions do. You need to make sure the pinions are loose enough to be able to slide off the shaft. I believe it's like a regular #12 model, the shaft is preloaded with a heavy spring behind the snout bearing. Once you take off the end pinion, and take the nose plate loose, and the inner pinion will slide, then I usually hook the tailpin to one truck, and pull the mainshaft out with a chain, with another truck. The problem is, it is springy, so when you try to pull it, you are up against the heavy spring, and makes it hard, unless you can pull harder with something. Just need to make sure that everything is loose and clear for the shaft to come out the front, leaving the hardware behind. The oil spiral, the front bearing, the spring, and front race will come out, ( with the setscrew out) and the pinions, spacers, and inner bearing will remain in the case.

Yup , i agree with all of the above .