Gib Key Removal

Trying to remove the Gib keys from my New Way (H) flywheels. They do have to come off, at least the Gov side.

I'm using the weld on key method because the keys are headless, but there is plenty of key showing and to weld to.

I'm using a 3" x 1 1/2" piece of 1/8" thick steel strip with a notch in one end to snugly fit around the key then welding the steel to the key top on 2 sides and end of the protruding key.

Started using a slide hammer (busted it) now made up a puller that has a top-plate and 2 legs that sit on flywheel hub and welded a 1/2" thread on other end of the 3" steel strip so that screwing a nut pulls the key. Man these keys are tight! so far busting the weld in all 3 attempts. It looks like the weld takes OK to the key and the 3" strip, but busts in between.

Do I need more welding practice? Using a Mig with standard nickel wire. Don't wanna think about drilling the key at this stage. Even tried warming the hub gently with Oxy. I'd rather not do that any hotter.
Thanks mates
Graham in Oz

Here's what I did with my Stover (bolth keys were chopped off flush) I heated the flywheel, and added a lot of WD-40 and i hit the flywheel down on the shaft, like towards the crank throw, then enough of the key was visible, so i took an angle grinder, and cut a deep slit on the side of the key, and used the claw of a claw hammer to pull the key out, and the rest of the flywheel came easily! Jay B.

Pulling a flywheel without drilling a gib key is taking a chance. If the key remains stuck to the crank it will wedge tighter and could break the flywheel. Pressing the flywheel on loosens the key. J.B. Castagnos Belle Rose, La.

I find the thought of doing that a bit scary! I have removed the shaft from engines that I cannot move the key and, with the shaft supported in the webs, have jarred the flywheel further onto the shaft. This freed the key in all but one case. (Ask Patrick about that!)
Reg & Marg Ingold.
Holmesville. N.S.W.
Australia.
randmingold@fastlink.com.au
http://www.oldengine.org/members/randmingold

From: HAAKE, TIMOTHY P [Non-Monsanto/1000] Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 5:25 PM To: stationary-engine@indiana.edu Subject: GIBB KEY Success

This is the post I made sometime back....

It's out!...

My 3 hp IHC Model M had one of the two keys in permanently it seemed. Two of my machinist friends suggested drilling it out. One of the two said they routinely did it that way on some large compressors that they had responsibility to maintain. On occasion they would have to replace a bearing requiring the flywheel removal. When they put the new gibb key in they froze the key, heated the wheel (I think that's correct) and hammared it in. Seemed they did not ever want the wheel to come off on its own. This method of installation required the drilling for removal.

Anyway I took a 3" piece of 7/16" key stock and drilled the center to 1/4". I placed the drilled key stock in the key groove and clamped it down. Then with a 12" long 1/4" drill bit I used the clamped down drilled key as a guide for the long drill bit. After about 3 inches of drilling I found the backside of the key.

Next, remove the drilled guide and chuck a 12" long 3/8" drill bit. Being careful and assuming you did a good job of centering the 1/4" drill hole you made in the key stock guide you can drill the hole out to 3/8". This leaves the 7/16" key with paper thin flat sides in the groove. My drilled key stock was dead on and when the 3/8" drill went through it stayed centered. I did not have a single drill mark on the shaft or the inside of the wheel.

Finally take a puller and pull the wheel off. I did not have a large enough puller so I made one with 2"x1/2" flat stock and some 1/2" all thread. It took more time turning each nut back and forth to pull the wheel off than anything. Maybe about 1 hour from start to finish including drilling but if I had had a real puller the job would have been quick.

Interesting to see the old gibb key. It had decided to stay in place but it had totally "collapsed" inside the groove.

Well it was easy and the drilled guide I made is none for the worse so I can use it again on the next project that uses a 7/16" key. This same procedure should work on other sizes of keys also.

Later,

Tim Haake St. Peters, MO Timothy.P.Haake@Monsanto.com