restoring air tools

[scott37300]

I bought a couple of used air tools off craigslist, an impact, ratchet and a hammer. I don't have a lot of money right now to buy new so I'm trying to find deals on used tools to start my collection instead of buying cheap import stuff. I would like to try and clean these up the best I can so I can be proud of the tools I do have. I have a small parts washer and have been using some WD-40 and steel wool to get some of the rust and grease off. Just wondering if anyone has some tricks or suggestions on removing surface rust and grease and dirt off these tools. I have the time to stick into cleaning them up, just don't have the money to buy new. I'm not looking to get them spotless, just would like to get them in the best shape I can and keep them like that.

 

[plinker]

I'd use simple green and scrub each part then rinse w/ soapy water. Only do this if you take apart the entire tool however.

 

[scott37300]

Thank you for the reply. I am taking the tools apart and doing a good cleaning, found some dry grease in one so plan on doing a good cleaning on all of them. Is it a good idea to let these soak in simple green over night? What is the best way to clean the bearings? When I was a kid my grandpa taught me to soak my bicycle bearings in kerosine to clean them and then repack them with new grease, is this a good way?

Also now that I am taking them apart can anyone tell me what kind of grease or oil to use in the bearings and other areas? Something like a wheel bearing grease?

Thanks for the help guys, really looking forward to having some decent used tools that I brought back to life!

 

[gc11090]

For the rust use evaporust, just soak rusty parts in it for half hour or so.

 

[IRMan]

Hi,

To clean the bearings just clean them up as best you can in the parts washer solvent and blow them out with air. if you still have crud left in them, hit them with a few sprays of some aerosol solvent and repeat with compressed air until the bearing is acceptably clean. Next pack in some grease and spin until the grease has been spread and evenly coated and wipe off any excess and re-install.

I use valvoline multi-purpose grease and it works great.. it is red in color but there are many types/brands that will work.. I think the grease I use is lithium but not too sure... its at work so I can't look at the tub for the info.

Other than that it is a good idea to sand the end plates and rotor nice and smooth.

What make/model are these tools? Maybe I have experience with these models and can give more help.

Chad

 

[TheGrooveking]

Don't spin the bearings using compressed air! Hold them so they don't start rotating while you are blowing them out, nothing worse for a bearing than being spun with no lube.

TheGrooveking

 

[SCscoutguy]

Don't spin the bearings using compressed air! Hold them so they don't start rotating while you are blowing them out, nothing worse for a bearing than being spun with no lube.

TheGrooveking

Beat me to it. NEVER EVER spray your bearing with compressed air. That is the absolute worst thing you could do to them.

 

[IRMan]

Good catch guys, I should have stated that in my post. I was stating to spray the water/solvent out, not spin the bearing at 100k rpms

But if you have a spare trash bearing laying around, dry it out of any lube then spin it fast as you can and drop it on its side and watch the ufo fly around Done that a few times

 

[scott37300]

Hi,


Other than that it is a good idea to sand the end plates and rotor nice and smooth.

What make/model are these tools? Maybe I have experience with these models and can give more help.

Chad

Thanks for all the advice guys! When you say end plates and rotor(remember I'm pretty new!) I assume the rotor is the part that the air vanes are in? And the end plates are the cylindrical discs that are at the front and rear of the rotor assembly? How do you recommend sanding these? With a fine grit sandpaper like 320 or higher?

I was doing some searching around this forum and was reading about evaporust. Wear would I find this locally or is it something I need to order?

Thanks again for all the help guys. I really appreciate your help

I will post the models tomorrow when I get back out to the garage.

 

[Underdog]

Beat me to it. NEVER EVER spray your bearing with compressed air. That is the absolute worst thing you could do to them.

Is this a old tool urban myth? I've heard the same thing for the past 40 years. I blow out all my bearings after a parts washer cleaning, I'll say i don't let them spin up to like 20K rpm but once in awhile they do spin never noticed any wear, there not under any load BTW.

 

[Packard V8]

NEVER EVER spray your bearing with compressed air. That is the absolute worst thing you could do to them.

Is this a old tool urban myth?

Yes, IMHO this an old tool urban myth. Careful drying of bearing with compressed air while holding both sides so it cannot spin is done every day with no damage.

No, I've never actually seen it accomplished, but if a completely dry bearing with no lubricant were free-spun by compressed air for an indefinite length of time at very high RPMS, it is easy to imagine damage could occur. The idiot who would do such a thing would deserve the result.

Maybe, we can agree compressed air can be used with caution.

thnx, jack vines

 

[Tornado]

Someone once told me to never use compressed air on bearings because it could force the ball bearings out? Seemed far fetched to me, but I will admit I don't have much experience with bearings.

 

[bgott]

The reason you don't want to spin bearings with compressed air is that if the rollers or balls unload at high RPM they become high speed projectiles.

 

[slip knot]

Tapered roller wheel bearings can and will come uncaged if you spin them up with compressed air. I broke the side window out of the customers truck when it came apart. It was a very unprofitable day. Needless to say it aint happened again. Be careful with air and bearings.

 

[scott37300]

Great advice guys, thanks.

Does someone know where evaporust is sold? I would like to pick up a jug to try out since everyone here likes it so much.


Also was I right about the rotor and end plates in my last post? And about how to sand them? What about the cylinder, should I lightly sand or even hone it so it's perfectly smooth?

The models are a matco MT1838 ratchet, an IR 231xp impact, and an older snap on air hammer.

With the impact it had grease by the impact parts and also at the very back of the tool, between the rotor end plate and tool housing. Is this the only spot that needs grease? And do they both get the same kind of grease?

What about grease and oil for the ratchet? I haven't had it fully apart yet but in my searching I read about others having problems with lubing the wrong parts and it not spinning right. Any thoughts on where and what kind of grease oil for the ratchet?

 

[IRMan]

On the IR 231, the grease in the back of the housing is from using the grease zerk on the back of the housing to feed the impact mechanism grease. It is pretty neat, the grease goes all the way through the rotor and into the hammer frame. When you are putting the tool back together just blob some grease down in there about half way up.

Just be careful putting the motor back in the housing. I have done over 100 231's in the past 3 years and they are easy as long as you understand what is going on. I always completely assemble the motor without the alignment pin and take a long T handle allen that is just small enough to loosely slide into the alignment holes in the motor. Have the front of the rotor facing up and slide the key through end plate/cylinder/end plate making sure you are in the correct hole on the cylinder. I then take a vice grip and lightly grasp the rotor * NOT TOO HARD ** but enough so you can lift the assembly without it falling. I then warm up the housing a little bit with a propane or map gas torch

Then all you have to do is stick the end of the allen key into the hole in the housing and evenly slide in the motor assembly. If it gets stuck or crooked. Just hit the taller side with a little heat and lightly tap with a soft hammer. but you usually won't have to do that.

Here are a couple things that might help

1. The 2 spring washers that go on next are supposed to go in with the cup up. As in, if they were solid with the bend, you would want them to hold water, meaning cup side up.. So the outside diameter of the springs are to meet with the next part.. the ring that compresses the springs to keep the motor tight and also holds the gasket.

2. Next is the washer between the rotor and the hammer frame, the side with the lip goes against the rotor bearing.

If you get stuck go here for the schematic.
http://www.irtechpubs.com/ir_pdfs/Tools/Vehicle Service Tools/Air Impact Tools/P7394eu1.PDF

scroll to the bottom of the document for the part breakdown.

Good luck and have fun with it!

If you need anymore help just ask..

 

[Marlin]

For the 231XP, the grease in the back and the front is the same, the grease in the back actually travels through the center of the rotor to the mechanism. Best grease for that tool is IR105 or IR170. Regarding the end plates, if they are scored, you can try lapping them on a glass plate, you need to keep them flat and do not want to take off much material, as it will start to lessen your motor clamp.

 

[jamesemery728]

Does someone know where evaporust is sold? I would like to pick up a jug to try out since everyone here likes it so much.


Evaporust is sold at Harbor Freight.

 

[scott37300]

That trick with the T-handle allen wrench is great!

IRMan or anyone else, is there anything I should look for or replace while I have the gun apart? I was just doing some searching and a rebuild kit doesn't look to cost to much. Originally was just going to clean it up but maybe a good idea to just rebuild it while everything is apart and clean?

I will have to run out to harbor freight when I get a chance and pick up some evaporust and try it out. Hopefully it works as good as everyone here says!

Thanks for all the great details guys!

 

[Marlin]

That trick with the T-handle allen wrench is great!

IRMan or anyone else, is there anything I should look for or replace while I have the gun apart? I was just doing some searching and a rebuild kit doesn't look to cost to much. Originally was just going to clean it up but maybe a good idea to just rebuild it while everything is apart and clean?

I will have to run out to harbor freight when I get a chance and pick up some evaporust and try it out. Hopefully it works as good as everyone here says!

Thanks for all the great details guys!

Look for extreme wear, deformation or cracks on the hammers and anvil, if they look good then grease them up well, don't skimp on the grease if there is too much, it will clear itself out after running a bit. Clean the motor components well, if the vanes are worn and/or you have trashed any gaskets or o-rings then the tune up kit is a good idea. Also, the reverse shuttle has o-ring in the bushing that make it snap in place and stay, if you are nto getting a good snap or the reverse valve shifts during use, then replace the o-rings.

 

[billymade]

I've gotten Evaporust @ Autozone as well...

 

[IRMan]

Like stated above, check for any major wear. If either or both end plates have grooves or gouges that are not too bad you can use a flat surface with 220 wet/dry sand paper and use WD40 or whatever you have for the lube while sanding. Do figure eights while sanding too. For the rotor I use a drill press to hold the rotor and then use a flat chisel and wrap some 220 around it and move it in and out to get a nice smooth finish, I also run the sandpaper on the edge to round it slightly.. not much at all but enough to get any sharp edges off the rotor.. Rule of thumb.. if the end plates are scored it is a good idea to sand the rotor the same time as plates so you don't destroy the plate again..

Hope this helps and feel free to keep asking questions

Chad

 

[scott37300]

IRMan and Marlin you guys are great, I'm learning so much. How do you tell if the vanes are worn? Will there be knicks or some other sign I should look for? I would think they would just wear down from spinning in the cylinder but I'm not sure how to tell if they are wore down to much or if there is some signs to look for that let you know they need to be replaced.

 

[IRMan]

check the vanes all around, Sometimes the middle of the vane on the side where the rotor wears against them they will get nice dips worn into them. Also the face that mates with the cylinder will get groves and nicks and have even seen pieces of metal stuck in them. if they look ok just clean them up good and oil them.

 

[scott37300]

Ok. Do I just use some air tool oil for these?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I would never think of tearing down a working air tool, clean up the exterior, add grease and MMO and use it.

Charles

 

[scott37300]

I would never think of tearing down a working air tool, clean up the exterior, add grease and MMO and use it.

Charles

I'm limited to what I can spend right now but have some time to "play" around with these tools. The outside was pretty rough, from my experience the tools all work ok but I wanted to clean everything up. I tore the tool apart in order to be able to get the rust off the outside better. Never intended to do a full clean but after I started and had it torn apart I figured might as well go threw everything.