Stupid little "project"

[Runs With Scissors]

So, there I am working on my daughters Jeep the other day as it needed rear wheel bearings.

Obviously I have to take off the rear wheels and while I was putting them back on, it hits me.

Now is the perfect time to make some "Wheel Keepers".

BTW, a big to the person at Diamler/Chrysler/Fiat/Stellantis/ (whomever owns them this week) that is responsible for going to the "European/(German?)" style "Lug Nuts"...

Anywho, I have some spare "lug nuts" because I replaced them when the chrome caps started to swell up, making it difficult/impossible to find the correct size socket to use.

[ For those unfamiler with the "EU/German style" way of attaching wheels, they don't have studs. It's a flat face rotor and the "lug nuts" are actually "bolts"......So there is nothing to hang the wheel on while you grab the other "bolts". So it's a Cluster&*(^k trying to get the wheel on.]

Heres a pic of my "donor lug"




Well I tried to just wrap some tape around the threads and chuck it up in the lathe, but it was not very "centered" and kept spinning, so I decide to try and grab the "head" of it and drill a hole so I can use my "Live Center" when I make the cuts.



Next up, I moved the "head" of the bolt so that I am gripping just enough of the end of it and use the Live Center to support it.

I was concerned that if I did not use the Live Center, I would have pushed the bolt out of place when cutting it.

 

[lynnmor]

Why would you use a center drill as large as the bolt?

I guess that you are going to turn the head down to the diameter of the threads?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Had trouble uploading pic, but here it is.



After a few passes, the "chrome cap" pops free and the whole thing gets a little "kadi-whompus".




So I have to 're-chuck it up".



Then I go up and measure one of the wheel holes, and continue "trimming' it down.




Now for my "nemesis" .........Parting it Off!!!!!


Well that turns into a "Sh!t Show" right quick; and because it's so close to hitting the chuck, I decide to find another way.





Hmmmmm.....now how the hell am I going to hold this without screwing up the threads.....

Eureka!!!!!!

If I clamp a similar diameter pipe into the band saw, all I have to do is hold it from spinning.....

ATTENTION: All OSHA personnel and "Safety Nazi's", please skip the next 3 pics altogether.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I was going to just cut a "Slit" in the end so I can "un-screw" it when I need to; But where is the fun in that?

I decide to 'face it off' and weld a nut to it, using my new "welding positioner"...hahahahahah







Damn I love this little "positioner".

Ironically, I have to put the "chuck" back on after having gone through so much effort to remove it......





Not some of my "Proudest Welds', but "good-nuf" for this project.









I decided to make 3, but after using them, 1 is plenty.




And here they are. (actually here it is, in action.)






LOOK MA,...NO HANDS!!!!!!!!!!






The End!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Why would you use a center drill as large as the bolt?

I guess that you are going to turn the head down to the diameter of the threads?

Since I have 5 or 6 chucks, and I see no real advantage to swapping it out for a smaller center drill, I just keep that one chucked up at all times in that chuck. Makes for quick tool changes.

and Yep, I turned it down to "about" the OD thread size. I didn't actually take the time to measure it, I just "eyeballed" it.

 

[GeoHorn]

You might consider installing studs into the wheels permanently….and using regular lugnuts.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I'd have slid 2 lengths of 3/8" bar into 2 'holes', rotate hub so one hole at 6 o'clock, slide tire/rim on, zap lower 3 studs, remove the bars, zap top 2 studs....
..but then, they'd be ZERO lathe time.....

then again, last JEEPS (well all actually ) that I owned and maintained were Made in USA.

 

[Shadetree605]

You might consider installing studs into the wheels permanently….and using regular lugnuts.

i was thinking the very same thing, why not just install permanent studs ?. hard to tell from the back side of the hub if there is enough clearance to install the studs from the back side ?, but it sure would have saved a lot of time. by installing permanent studs, he could have just converted them all to standard size with the correct lug nuts. oh well..i guess he likes his lathe.

 

[GeoHorn]

An almost equally and curiously frustrating situation is my ‘14 Kubota RTV-X900…. it has Two Studs…and Two Bolts for each wheel. Why they did the Mix…??

 

[#40Fan]

Not sure what you're working on, but that isn't a Jeep.

 

[lynnmor]

Since I have 5 or 6 chucks, and I see no real advantage to swapping it out for a smaller center drill, I just keep that one chucked up at all times in that chuck. Makes for quick tool changes.

and Yep, I turned it down to "about" the OD thread size. I didn't actually take the time to measure it, I just "eyeballed" it.

The reason that I brought it up is that you don't have a good grip on the bolt AND the 60 degree taper on the center drill is the locating surface for your 60 degree live center.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

The reason that I brought it up is that you don't have a good grip on the bolt AND the 60 degree taper on the center drill is the locating surface for your 60 degree live center.

Really?

So the "fat part" of the centering drill is 60 degrees, and so is my Live Center?

If thats true, then you're saying that I should be using a smaller centering drill and drilling deep enough for the "fat part" to make that 60 degree chamfer to properly accept the live center?

 

[ken erickson]

So the "fat part" of the centering drill is 60 degrees, and so is my Live Center?

If thats true, then you're saying that I should be using a smaller centering drill and drilling deep enough for the "fat part" to make that 60 degree chamfer to properly accept the live center?

This is my understanding of the proper use of centering drills when using a dead or live center also.


Don't misunderstand me, I always enjoy your projects and willingness to share the good , bad and ugly, but.............

From your pictures of the hub and the wheel on the hub , does the wheel center not fit the "collar" very closely to enable the "European/(German?)" style "Lug Nuts"... to be aligned and get started?

 

[ken erickson]

Sometimes it is true that a picture is worth a thousand words!

Having the 60 degree taper in your work is especially important when using a dead center versus a live center, but still important either way.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

The reason that I brought it up is that you don't have a good grip on the bolt AND the 60 degree taper on the center drill is the locating surface for your 60 degree live center.

Thank you sir, for pointing that out.

I had no idea, but it makes sense now that you point it out.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Sometimes it is true that a picture is worth a thousand words!

Having the 60 degree taper in your work is especially important when using a dead center versus a live center, but still important either way.

View attachment 131221
View attachment 131222

Thanks for confirming what @lynnmor pointed out.

The pictures are awesome and definitely help.

I am officially one step closer to being smart!!!!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

This is my understanding of the proper use of centering drills when using a dead or live center also.


Don't misunderstand me, I always enjoy your projects and willingness to share the good , bad and ugly, but.............

From your pictures of the hub and the wheel on the hub , does the wheel center not fit the "collar" very closely to enable the "European/(German?)" style "Lug Nuts"... to be aligned and get started?

View attachment 131220

Correct.

That little lip you point to is useless.

Every time I take both hands off the wheel, it falls off, and you have to "jockey" the wheel around trying to fine the hole.

Big PITA.

 

[Lil Foot]

I prefer properly sized collets, but the threaded split bushing works well also.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: mix of studs and bolts
Probably the main reason .....It's FASTER on the assembly line....

 

[lynnmor]

Really?

So the "fat part" of the centering drill is 60 degrees, and so is my Live Center?

If thats true, then you're saying that I should be using a smaller centering drill and drilling deep enough for the "fat part" to make that 60 degree chamfer to properly accept the live center?

Yep, now you got it. I can still remember that drawing on the high school shop wall showing the proper use of a center drill. Just so you know, I have been doing machining for the past 62 years and have owned and operated my tool & die shop for the past 39 years. When you need a hand, please reach out, I always liked to help anyone that actually wants to learn.