by Donnie Hurt | Oct 1, 2015 | TOOLING
FOR MORE THAN JUST ROTORS AND DRUMS Our brake lathe does not see as many rotors and drums as it once did but we are finding new uses for this great machine. With its large assortment of adapters and cones, it becomes a natural for mounting hard to hold parts for...
by Donnie Hurt | Oct 1, 2015 | OPERATIONS
FROM SCRAP TO CASH Managing your scrap is an everyday chore. We all know aluminum pistons are worth more than aluminum mill waste, but by removing pins and rings it is worth even more. There are special buyers for aluminum out there, and they will also buy aluminum...
by Donnie Hurt | Oct 1, 2015 | CYLINDER HEADS
RESIZING VALVE SEALS Every once in a while we get metal clad stem seals that just don’t fit snugly enough on the guide to suit us. Because of the volume of metal clad seals we use and my unwillingness to throw them away or send them back, we have a drawer full of new...
by Donnie Hurt | Sep 1, 2015 | DISASSEMBLY & CLEANING
Exploding Piston Trick One of the more distasteful disassembly jobs in our shop involves hypereutectic pistons. It seems that no matter what fixtures we use we still end up with the occasional piston “explosion.” I believe we have come up with a few workable solutions...
by Donnie Hurt | Sep 1, 2015 | CRANKSHAFTS & CONNECTING RODS
Shoe Repair When my CR honing shoes get worn funny, I set up the mandril in my lathe and turn them down to straighten them out. I also cut a couple grooves on the ends. This helps to keep the shoes straight while honing. I’ll even turn new shoes to get them in line...