Need some help getting unstuck

[mzing]

Not entirely sure how I managed this. This is an IR 231A. I tore it apart to clean, lube and replace all the gaskets. I've got the gasket kit, so I started reassembly. I warmed the body up with propane torch similar to the way I did when removing the piece . It didn't drop all the way in, so I warmed it a bit more and it managed to wedge itself in crooked instead of just dropping the rest of the way in.

I removed everything from the body again and tried to heat it up to straighten out this piece, but I just cant get it to budge. I got the body very hot, but I think the piece is warming up at a similar rate. I'd like to get something under the low side and push up from there after heating, but I'm not sure what I can get under there that would help without destroying something.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RoninB4]

-After viewing the photo I'd be most inclined to entirely remove the rotor/rear end plate sub-assembly from the housing. If the rear end plate has contacted the bore wall with any force there's a good chance a small ridge of metal has been displaced in the bore that will need to be addressed. Since I have no idea of your skill level or what you have on hand I can only suggest:

1) Straighten up the rotor so the axis of the rotor matches the axis of the bore to extract the rotor. The exposed face of the housing should offer a surface that's perpendicular (90°) to the bore of the housing. Use anything that's a right angle on both sides of the rotor to ensure both axis are aligned parallel. Carefully extract the sub-assembly so you're not dragging it against the wall of the bore.

2) Any ridge of metal that's been raised needs to be completely removed while trying not to further disturb the surrounding metal in the bore or it will happen again.

3) If the barrel can be removed from the rest of the gun that should be done before further action. I've no idea what the clearance is between bore and rear end plate, or how/where the rear bearing is captured but if heat was needed to disassemble things then assembly alignment procedure is crucial. If there's a rear bearing it's critical how it's installed or it will be short lived. I've seen "professionals" install a bearing incorrectly, putting pressure on the wrong race, which guaranteed the bearing lived a shorter life than it should have.

-There's not enough photos or an exploded diagram of this model to offer advice for reassembly other than your previous methods should change or it will happen again. More info gets better replies.

 

[mzing]

Sorry about that. I attached a part break down and circled the part that is stuck in the gun. Its the end plate that holds the bearing that is stuck halfway down to where it is supposed to sit at the bottom of the gun. I made an approximate little red mark on the body in the photo. The spot it's stuck is covered by a non moving cylinder when fully assembled, so I'm sure the gun will function as intended as long as I can remove it again and smooth out that area if there are any burs.

Also, this is a great youtube video of full disassembly and reassembly. At approximately the 11min mark, he installs the bore into the gun with exactly the same method I attempted. However, instead of that piece sliding back down into place it just slightly misaligned itself and now I can't get it back out to install it correctly.

Any ideas on how to get it back out of the gun, so that I can hopefully install it without any drama this time?

 

[seber]

Stick the shaft in a bowl of ice and salt water while heating the shell. If that doesn't work, I think you are screwed.

 

[Old tool guy]

Heat it all up as hot as you feel comfortable, hit the shaft with a blast of compressed air from a dust off spray can held upside down.

 

[The Cobbler]

maybe some heat on the shell , prop the rotor & shell and tap it to see if it will straighten out?

 

[mzing]

I was thinking maybe something to pull up the low side after the heating/cooling, rather than hit the high side down??

 

[RoninB4]

Any ideas on how to get it back out of the gun, so that I can hopefully install it without any drama this time?

-I watched the video. He/she seemed to get the sub-assembly further into the bore before using the heat that allowed it to fully seat all the way in. If that works then ok. Your problem is that you have not gotten the sub-assembly properly aligned (bore axis to sub-assembly axis) and it cocked a bit upon thermal expansion. Now that it has cooled and thermal contraction to room temperature has occurred it has gripped the rear end plate.

-You haven't mentioned what you have to work with. Lathe or milling machine? Vise? Solid work bench? Type of heat gun or torch? Small right angle blocks for axis alignment?

 

[RoninB4]

I was thinking maybe something to pull up the low side after the heating/cooling,

-There's nothing to attach to the low side that I can see

rather than hit the high side down??

-Driving the high side down can very well make matters worse as you drag the potential displaced metal down into the bore. The smallest diameter of the rear end plate may very well be when the axis are aligned, shortest distance between two points sort of thing.

-You can possibly try attaching something to the end of the shaft that won't mar the surface, no metal to metal. Then suspending the whole thing about 3" off a solid work bench, applying a bit of heat, and gently tapping the housing face with a hardwood or plastic drift right above the low side. Go with gentle taps for small movements, mark the bore wall with a Sharpie to monitor progress. You want small, gradual movements to extract the sub-assembly rather than brute force. Avoid using ANY type of metal on the housing face or it will leave dents on the gasket surface. Suspending it all 3" above a solid work bench means when it drops free of the sub-assembly it will drop a minimum distance to avoid damage.

-If you don't do this correctly you can possibly damage things even more. If you had machinery I could describe making an extractor to pull the sub-assembly out. First time doing this sort of thing? It's ok if it is, we all started somewhere.

 

[PCustoms]

Not entirely sure how I managed this. This is an IR 231A. I tore it apart to clean, lube and replace all the gaskets. I've got the gasket kit, so I started reassembly. I warmed the body up with propane torch similar to the way I did when removing the piece . It didn't drop all the way in, so I warmed it a bit more and it managed to wedge itself in crooked instead of just dropping the rest of the way in.

I removed everything from the body again and tried to heat it up to straighten out this piece, but I just cant get it to budge. I got the body very hot, but I think the piece is warming up at a similar rate. I'd like to get something under the low side and push up from there after heating, but I'm not sure what I can get under there that would help without destroying something.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Isn't there normally a fair bit of clearance here, and the games "fly" out and make contact?

Not sure why a torch was involved for removal, but I would try to re-heat in the same way and tap the shaft sideways/straight to the bore

 

[RoninB4]

Isn't there normally a fair bit of clearance here, and the games "fly" out and make contact?

-Yes but if I'm correct it's the rear end plate that locates and is captured in the bore at the bottom of it.

Not sure why a torch was involved for removal,

-Close fitment (light press fit) of rear end plate could/would explain why. Look at the diagram and/or video.

 

[mzing]

got it. put it in the freezer overnight and heated the body up. I couldn't get anything behind it to pull up the low side without leveraging off the body. There really wasn't any easy way to grab and extract it either. The only way I could think to get it free without damaging an important surface was to tap down the high side. That worked, but it definitely took a sliver of aluminum off the side of the body. Tapped around and got it straight, heated the body a bit more and got it out. Steel wool to make it smooth and brake cleaner to get the steel wool and aluminum out. Then reassemble.
As mentioned, the surface I marred is covered by the cylinder in the far right of the second row in the break down. That cylinder is aligned with the alignment rod and doesn't interact with the inside of the body (loose fit...slides in without heat).
Works great with the new seals and greased bearings.
Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[The Cobbler]

good work!

 

[country83]

For future reference, usually when doing that job on one of these guns or others similar, I clamp the rotor splines into a vise with aluminum jaw inserts to prevent damage, then heat the housing up and slide it onto the rotor/end plate assembly. I've also sanded down around the outside diameter of the end plate to take just enough off that it will slide in without heat. The paper gasket between the end plate and housing seals it up, so there's no need to worry about it fitting "perfect".