Help removing 9c sidecover

[veloman]

I got an 8" gear puller and pulled on the disk rotor hard enough to bend it almost an inch out of alignment.

Is there any other way to get the sidecover off these hubs? Maybe bolt a lever onto the rotor and twist the cover off?


Update: go to 2nd page for my explanation on how I removed this cover.

[ohzee]

I never had an issue getting the side covers myself. Sounds like maybe your puller is a bit small ?
I would be afraid to put it on the disc itself.

[Icewrench]

A gear puller is the tool to use but use it to push on the axle, then the stator will push the cover on the other side away.
The fingers of the puller can get a good grip on the spoke flange, push on the axle and the cover on the far side will be pushed away, if the covers screws are removed.

[el_walto]

Take the sidecover screws off. Take a screwdrive and hammer it into the seal until the glue brakes aways. Then, with two hands push the other side of the axel into the ground. The axel will push off the side cover on the opposite side off.

[El_Steak]

The first time you open one is the hardest because of the sticky silicone caulk they use.

I use the knife technique:

Wedge a knife blade (not the point, the blade) between the cover and motor (you'll need to tap it in with a hammer). Then pry it just enough to insert a flat head screw driver. Do this 2 more times around the cover perimeter and it will come right off.

[Drunkskunk]

remove all the side cover bolts from both sides. Put the axle nuts on just far enough to protect the ends of the axles. put a board or something on the ground/floor to protect the nuts and the floor. grab the wheel and whack it, axle down, against the ground. that will push it through and pop the cover off.

[SamTexas]

, grab the wheel and whack it, axle down, against the ground. that will push it through and pop the cover off.

Which end of the axle? The one without the wires or with the wires? Or does it matter at all?

[hydro-one]

without wires, and take off the freewel if possible. slam it down as skunk said,and also if its silicomed use the razor blade and hammer it into crack all the way as someone said above,

[dogman]

I vote for the knife method if cherry, then use the puller to pop the cover. Hook the arms on the inside of the spoke flange, then the puller will push the whol axle out the other side, popping the opposite side cover. It can work well to put pressure on it with the puller first, then a few taps of the knife into the crack helps it pop the silicone sealant.

Next, either keep pushing the alxe and cover out the other side if you want the stator out. If you want just the cover off, then once you have a crack opened, you move the puller to the other side of the motor, install it with the jaws in the crack between cover and motor. Now the puller will act as a puller, and pull the cover off the axle.

The whack method works, but I prefer the more controlled puller method to avoid chipping a magnet, or deforming axle threads or damaging a bearing.

[bionx 1954]

I used the "whack on wood" method several times with no problems. I tried it on a brand new motor without FIRST trying to loosen the cover seal and broke the cover (around the axle hub). Luckly I have spare covers

[dogman]

Why I like the puller method. Before I got a puller, I liked slow carefull prying with screwdrivers and such. The whack method does work fine for popping the stator out of the magnets once you have the cover popped loose though.

[SamTexas]

Can somebody please post a picture showing how the puller is used to remove the cover on the 9C 2807?

[el_walto]

I guess this is the type of thing that would be good to make a post on the wiki about.

[John in CR]

Veloman,

What are you trying to accomplish? That will determine how best to proceed.

FWIW, I wasn't spending the big bucks on a gear puller large enough to reach the spoke flanges, so I made extensions for mine with 6 strips of metal. I clamped them together to drill the holes for the bolts, so the holes ended up identical distances apart for properly centered pressure when using it.

A 9C has a thin stator, so forcing it off is easier and quicker than using the puller. For any approach you do need to pop the seal loose first.

DON'T FORGET TO MARK BOTH COVERS AND THE MAGNET RING FIRST, so you know which way it goes back together and you can align the holes the same as it came from the factory. I used to use 1 scratch on one side and 2 on the other, but subsequent painting can cover them and they don't look nice. I've since gone to using a center punch for 1 and 2 dimples. I now do every motor as soon as they arrive, so I don't forget later.

John

[dogman]

First remove all the allen bolts or screws. Then loosen the cover sealant, the cover is glued down with some silcone. Tap a knife edge or simiar thin wedge to pop the seal on both sides of the motor.
There are some motors with screw on covers. 9c is not screw on.

Loosen cover sealant.JPG (133.67 KiB) Viewed 1415 times

Then put a large puller on the spoke flange, You can start on either side, depending on what side you want removed. Puller goes on the side you want removed. This is going to push the cover off the rotor on the other side, and push the stator and cover out. I push it out about halfway if I don't want to remove the stator.

puller jaws on spoke flange.JPG (97.63 KiB) Viewed 1415 times

This pic shows the stator, the motor core and the cover pushed out halfway. Now when you take the puller off, the stator will return to the motor, and the opposite cover will lift. If you want the stator out of the motor, just keep pushing.

push opposite cover and stator out.JPG (103.2 KiB) Viewed 1415 times

Now you can reposition the puller, and this time put the jaws on the edge of the cover. Now the puller is going to pull the cover off the axle.

Jaws now fit on edge of cover..JPG (93.58 KiB) Viewed 1415 times

Viola, now you have one cover off.

Many variations on how to use the puller. You can partially push on the spoke flange on both sides opening the crack, then pull off both covers leaving the stator in the rotor. Or you can just push the stator out one side and leave one cover on the rotor, without ever taking the bolts off that side. The puller would go on the still bolted side, jaws on the spoke flange, then push the cover and stator out the other side.

It just depends on if you want the stator out or not. If you remove the stator, be dang carefull putting it back. You can literally snip off a fingertip. Don't grab anything but ends of the axle, and wheel rim.

[dogman]

BTW, bet if you look, Ypedal has better video tutorials on this already. I'm still a wiki dork. I couldn't figure out how to put the pix in the entry. Anybody wants to go for it, use the pics from here.

[veloman]

This is great information, thanks for all the help. I may just leave my new 9c and not try taking the covers off since I was told that the slight rubbing noise is likely inconsequential. I do have an old DD hub that seems to be frozen and I may want to take that apart. I'm afraid that one is rusted inside.

[SamTexas]

A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Thank you dogman for your three thousand words.

[veloman]

How to remove the sidecover? I found out how.

If all else fails, cut a slight notch about 1mm deep in the groove between the cover and the hub casing (where they separate), using a hacksaw. Just enough to lodge a screwdriver in there. Then get an adjustable wrench on the screwdriver and torque it.

In the case of my old 9c which had a frozen axle - the entire inside was rusted to the magnets, a pile of rust fell out. Side covers and parts may still be useful.

[John in CR]

Just clean it out and add a rust prevention coating to the lamination edges. The motor is probably fine if it worked the last time you used it. The magnet wire is coated, and if the halls are properly protected with shrink and gently cleaned, then there's nothing to short.

Ventilation will not only allow higher power operation, but it will help dry it out when wet, and avoid corrosion buildup like that in the future. Put small exhaust holes at the very perimeter cutting into the edge of the lip that holds the rotor ring in place to be assured that water getting in drains right out, and it permits the most complete ventilation including the magnetic gap.

For future reference, no need to cut with a hacksaw, just tap the flathead screwdriver in there and do it all around. Then the cover will pry right off without needing the torque of a crescent wrench.

[dnmun]

you can pour metal prep in there to dissolve the rust. it is a dilute solution of phosphoric acid that converts the rust to iron phosphate. they sell it on the paint aisle at home depot. i saw a gallon jug for $19 once and recently i saw they had a gallon jug from another supplier on the mark down shelf for $24. when the rust dissolves you can pull it apart and then wash it to remove the acid. i think the aluminum will be unaffected. BWTFDIK

[veloman]

John, in my case I tried to tapping the screwdriver in there but couldn't, so I had to cut a small notch.

I'll look into cleaning in out, thanks.

This motor wasn't mine, I got it free off craigslist, the girl didn't know what happened to it.

[itchynackers]

I had to sharpen the end of the screwdriver, then tap it in with a hammer at a slight angle to "crack" the cover a bit.

[John in CR]

...I got it free off craigslist, the girl didn't know what happened to it.

My guess would be that it was installed without a drip loop and left outside. The hollow axle makes an especially nice straw if the motor is nice and warm when left in the rain to cool, so when the hot air contracts from the cooling rain it sucks the water right in.

[veloman]

Here it is, after spraying with some rust treatment stuff. But I am going to try the metal prep solution since it's still stuck in there (just not dry looking).