What type of small gear puller is available for n scale flywheels?
I assume you could install (press on) a flywheel with a vice as long as you keep the loads on the shaft so that you do not harm the motor or bearings.
Paul D
N scale Washita and Santa Fe RailroadSouthern Oklahoma circa late 70's
Are you putting the flywheel on or taking it off? Your post is not clear.
Lee
Take one off. Actually, I have an new Atlas motor that is a tiny bit short to fit into the loco I want to put it in. Flywheel on one end fits position just fine but the flywheel on other end of motor is about 1/8" short of the position I would like it in. As a result, the drive shaft on that end will not engage. I want to pull the flywheel out just enough to make it engage the drive shaft.
Well, unless I'm misunderstanding the set-up, this shouldn't require much in the way of specialty tools. You'll need a piece of not-to-flexible sheet material (steel or even plywood) and some space between the motor and the flywheel which will accommodate that thickness. Cut a slot, a bit wider than the diameter of the motor shaft, from one edge of such a piece to its centre, then place the motor on-end with the flywheel to be moved on the bottom and slip the "pusher" into place between motor and flywheel. Grasp the exposed edges of the "pusher" with both hands and use it to adjust the position of the motor so that it's as close as possible to 90° to your work surface. Press down firmly on the "pusher", which should move the flywheel fairly easily.
Wayne
Hello all,
How about one of these...
https://www.micromark.com/search?keywords=gear%20puller
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
doctorwayne Well, unless I'm misunderstanding the set-up, this shouldn't require much in the way of specialty tools. You'll need a piece of not-to-flexible sheet material (steel or even plywood) and some space between the motor and the flywheel which will accommodate that thickness. Cut a slot, a bit wider than the diameter of the motor shaft, from one edge of such a piece to its centre, then place the motor on-end with the flywheel to be moved on the bottom and slip the "pusher" into place between motor and flywheel. Grasp the exposed edges of the "pusher" with both hands and use it to adjust the position of the motor so that it's as close as possible to 90° to your work surface. Press down firmly on the "pusher", which should move the flywheel fairly easily. Wayne
If I understand your solution, that would put a lot of stress on the motor bearings and likely destry them.
I loked at the Micro Mart unit but I don't think it will work for me. I checked with my local shop and he suggested that I consider "The Puller" from NorthWest Short Line. It looks like what I am looking for but it comes in about 5 versions. Need to determine which one is right for what I need.
PEDIf I understand your solution, that would put a lot of stress on the motor bearings and likely destry them.....
No stress at all on the motor or its bearings, as all of the force is applied to the flywheel which needs to be moved. The free end of the motor shaft, along which the flywheel is to be moved, is supporting the whole works.I've set-up an illustration on my work bench, then rotated the photos to simulate the motor standing on the end of the shaft to which the flywheel is to be moved
The first photo shows the motor with a flywheel "mounted" on its shaft, and alongside that, a plate from the NWSL "Puller" representing the material with the slot cut into it. I have the NWSL Puller, but offered this suggestion to save you the cost of purchasing one....
....the plate is inserted between the motor and flywheel, and you could then use your fingers to apply downward pressure on the plate, moving the flywheel down the motor shaft...
The Puller is meant for wheels and gears, and acts upon the end of the shaft or axle, with the slotted plate providing resistance against the wheel or gear. Depending on the thickness of the flywheel and length of the motor shaft, it may not fit within the working opening of the Puller, which is about 1".
As long as the end of the shaft is against something solid and the shaft at an angle of 90° to that surface, the slot in the plate should be sufficient to keep it that way while you apply pressure to the plate.
OK. I see what your are doing. Unfortunately, that will not work for me. In my case the motor has a flywheel on each end and the shaft does not protrude beyond the flywheel.
However, looking at your pictures, it made me think of a way that I may be able to do something similar. If I used a drill bit a bit smaller than the shaft and used it to drill a hole in something very solid (metal?) then let the end of the bit stick up a small amount, it would form a base that could align with the shaft and use to push against so that the drill bit would push the shaft out of the flywheel. Aligning it may be the problem since I could not see it very well.
Northwest Shortline has pullers.
PED...Aligning it may be the problem since I could not see it very well.
If you were to cut a disc the same diameter as the flywheel, and mount it on the sunken drill bit, you'd then need only align the flywheel with the disc - no need to see the drill bit at all. Sheet styrene would be my choice for the disc... cheap and easy to cut.
Good point. I have several ideas on how to patch together a home brew setup along the lines of the concept you offered earlier. I don't expect to do this task too often so I would like to avoid a purchase.
PED...I don't expect to do this task too often so I would like to avoid a purchase.
That's pretty-much what I thought, and why I offered the home-built solution. I have a NWSL Puller (and several other tools from them) but I've done dozens of re-motoring and re-gearing jobs, and driver quartering for others, and those tools did make it a bit easier.