I have wide five hubs on a banjo rear-end. I think the rear end is from1937-40. I have been unable to locate a puller to pull the drums off that will accomodate the wide five setup. I have read a few suggestions on other posts and am open to as many as I can get if one does not work. Any ideas? Any experiance? Thanks Warren
Use an original or repro of the KR Wilson Ford hub puller. Fits on the notch on the hub snout, not the lugs. Won't hurt or warp the hubs or drums. Probably costs $175 to buy, but I bet a hotrodder near you has one you can borrow. Ask around.
There is also a modern, much cheaper fabricated puller that pulls from the grooves. I've never seen one myself, but people here have said it works fine. It is apparently always on Ebay. Easy improvisations will work ONLY if the thing wasn't tightened properly in the first place. Hook-type arms on pullers and using splitters on the grooves come to mind here. Don't even try to come up with something that pulls from the studs or the outer rim--the hub will warp and the drum split LONG before the thing pops loose. Pulling from the suds can cause damage even with 5 1/2" circle.
If the rear end is in a car with tires on, this may work. Get a 5/8 - 18 nut and weld a 1.5" long piece of solid 1" round stock squarely to it. Thread it on until tight. Lift up the other side of the rear end, while leaving the side to be removed on the ground. Hit the new tool squarely with a large hammer. Depending on the nut, you may have to grind it down a bit so it bottoms on the axle before touching the drum.
That is a cloning of the once common "knocker" wheelwhacker. Just one thing--be real sure the thing as made bottoms firmly against the end of the axle. It has to be hit harder than the threads alone can survive!
Trust me on this, BUY THE CORRECT PULLER! You will be money ahead, damage and injury free. I have the KR Wilson repop and it's a quality piece. There is a time to save money and a time to antie up. You won't regret it. JMO, based on pulling these and chysler tappered hubs for 40 years.
Look for local Model A club. That's where I located one to use for a one shot deal. Cost a box of doughnuts.
Mac's sells the "knocker" mentioned above for about $5. Buy two, a friend will surely want one. I've never run across a hub that my knocker wouldn't work on. JH
I'd rather use a puller than a knocker, but they will work... I've got the eBay one & a big 3-jaw one - the eBay one works great.
If the rearend is in a running car I've heard all you need to do is loosen the nut a little and drive round the block and that should loosen it.
Thanks for all your advise, I ended up using a 2 jaw puller that I had laying around. Worked like a charm.