Baker Monitor WC

[scottrosas]

A while back I found a Monitor WC Vertical Vein 5 Spoke hub in some weeds out in my pasture. It is complete on the exterior of the motor (brake assembly, tale, fan is workable). It has however been robbed of all internal parts besides the main shaft and pinion. I secured a bare bones motor that is complete internally and every thing inside is coated with oil still thankfully. It is however an older 6 spoke model. Does anyone see a problem with taking all off the guts of the 6 spoke and putting them in the 5 spoke case? I’d like to go that route since I have a fan for the five spoke hub. Also any general advice would greatly appreciated. I hope the main shaft in the 5 spoke isn’t a bear. The pinion is horribly rusty….any suggestions?

[CTXmiller]

Welcome to the forum.

I’ve rebuilt the smaller WB and they are pretty simple, assuming you can get the opinion off the shaft. Soak it, be patient, maybe some heat, soak it more with penetrating oil and maybe tap it with a hammer, and soak it more and have patience. There is a bronze bushing behind the pinion that the shaft runs on and another at the snoot/hub on the shaft.

I can’t directly answer the internals being the same for the WC between the 5 and 6 spoke, but my guess is they are interchangeable. I say try it. Someone more knowledgeable can better answer this particular question.

Literature where you might compare part #s
viewtopic.php?t=84

WB (the smaller brother to your WC) rebuild thread:
viewtopic.php?t=693

WC thread:
viewtopic.php?t=682

[windybob]

If they are both WC mills, then the hub and shaft are changeable. If the hub is TIGHT on the shaft, and the shaft is in good shape, don't separate them. Yes....SOAK the pinion gear. They slide on the shaft, and a woodruff ( half-moon) key is under the gear to the shaft. Once the shaft is loose from the pinion, the shaft slides out of the case. There are 2 half-round ( actually less than) brass bushings the shaft rides on. We'll get to that later. Just be prepared for a REALLY tight pinion. If it's not, you are the luckiest guy in the world on that particular day.

[scottrosas]

Okay fellas I’m going to start the first round of heat and penetrating oil this evening. I’ll update you in a week or two if I need a plan B. Thanks for the help. I’ll get some pictures up of what I’m working with here soon.

[windybob]

Hey scottrosas, back in the day when I was on the road in a show band, we toured the midwest. We had an agent in Sterling and played a gig at the Best Western there. Sorry, can't remember his name. After all, that was back in my drinking days. LOL

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Bob i think I remember your band. Was the name of it Earth Windy and Fire.

[windybob]

haha! Good one!

[scottrosas]

Okay, so I have been trying for a while now to remove the main shaft and pinion to no avail. I think both the main shaft and pinion will need to be replaced anyway because they are badly rusted. If I cut the mainshaft am I going to be able to get it out of the hub? Or am I going to need to find a new mainshaft and 5 spoke hub together. It looks like someone has tried and given up on getting this pinion loose before it was pretty boogered up when I got in there

[windybob]

I have had that issue before. If you lay the case on its side, you can torch the pinion off the shaft. Some of those are dang near impossible to get off the shaft, and one that's shot is an easy call to destroy it to get the shaft out.

Watch out for blowback. And be happy you don't have a WB model. It's much smaller inside there.

[scottrosas]

Have you had any luck removing the old shaft from the hub. Does the shaft press into the hub? I'm almost positive I'll have to replace the shaft.