Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

I looked at the old mainshaft from mine. No hub threads, just the nut threads on the end. The entire length of the shaft (for the hub) is tapered for the hub. And then the key. I would imagine a very tight fit. I would also imagine heating the hub before the big pull.

windybob wrote: Fri Oct 04, 2024 3:03 pm I looked at the old mainshaft from mine. No hub threads, just the nut threads on the end. The entire length of the shaft (for the hub) is tapered for the hub. And then the key. I would imagine a very tight fit. I would also imagine heating the hub before the big pull.

Thanks windy, I've put this hub on and off 100 times before this has gone south. The key is drilled out at this point so not sure where it's stuck but it's stuck.

Pull attempt 1 didnt work so back to do some redesign on the puller and I'll try again.

Oh my, I didn't know you had lots of practice with it. Good luck!

Well took a break from it, came back built a big puller lots of drilling, lots of heating and got it off. Not sure why such the fight there was maybe a 1/4 of partial key left so I wouldn't anticipate that was the hold up but one may never know.

Haven't decided next steps yet. Probably a new main shaft will be made lots of welding on the hub. I am talkin with a machine shop on making a whole new hub on their multi axis cnc so we will see if that shapes up. This poor hub has been welded together i think 3 times, and there are 2 more cracks that started this chaos and the broken flange again so not sure how much more the poor hub can take.

If it's just for show, the hub can take all the welding you want to give it.