KeithB
Resident Half Fast Machinist
Have a friend who is helping his son build an off road vehicle. They are modifying the drive train and wanted to replace the brown "spider" with the red ones shown in photo #1. The old spider had the OD turned for a grease cup and they wanted to put grease cups on the new spiders. A relatively simple machining job except ... how to line it up accurately and hold it securely.
1. Old spider (top) and new spiders (bottom)
I thought about pressing out the studs so I could grab it in a four jaw chuck. That seemed like a lot of trouble with a good chance of screwing something up. OK, rotate the part in the four jaw so the studs were off the jaws - but it didn't look like an adequate grip and I was afraid that I would spring the legs while dialing it in.
My solution was to take a scrap aluminum disk, face it parallel, drill four holes in the right places for the studs, and bolt the spider to the disk. With the disk in the four jaw I simply dialed in the part and turned the OD to match the old spider's dimensions.
One of those jobs that took several hours prepping for about 10 minutes machining. Would have been done quicker but the d**n thing had M10 x 1.25 threads and I didn't have any nuts on hand so a trip across town to our fastener supplier was required.
2. Spider mounted to disk being indicated in using a four jaw chuck.
3. Once aligned the OD is turned to size.
1. Old spider (top) and new spiders (bottom)
I thought about pressing out the studs so I could grab it in a four jaw chuck. That seemed like a lot of trouble with a good chance of screwing something up. OK, rotate the part in the four jaw so the studs were off the jaws - but it didn't look like an adequate grip and I was afraid that I would spring the legs while dialing it in.
My solution was to take a scrap aluminum disk, face it parallel, drill four holes in the right places for the studs, and bolt the spider to the disk. With the disk in the four jaw I simply dialed in the part and turned the OD to match the old spider's dimensions.
One of those jobs that took several hours prepping for about 10 minutes machining. Would have been done quicker but the d**n thing had M10 x 1.25 threads and I didn't have any nuts on hand so a trip across town to our fastener supplier was required.
2. Spider mounted to disk being indicated in using a four jaw chuck.
3. Once aligned the OD is turned to size.
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