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Custom rear hub pullers. George McMurtry


Flivverking

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When it comes to needing specialty tools I tend not to fool around to long searching or waiting to find it scouring flea markets and posting ads,being too frugal,or waiting months to go by to attend some large auto affair that may or maynot yield what I'm looking for. Especially if I know where I can acutally buy the tool new, get it quick and it's guarenteed to fit and work.

 

Thank goodness we still have this gentelman  George McMurtry turning out the much needed  rear wheel hub pullers for our out dated rolling stock..

 Still going strong at 85 years young ,his interest in helping out the antique automobile enthusiast by custom making hub pullers has hasn't waned a bit .

 

After the purchase of the 1927 Chrysler 70 a few weeks back, it was emediately evident I would need a hub puller pretty soon if I want to get the old bus up and running after 50 years dorment and back to running arrands and making road trips ,hopefull before this year is over?

 

 One hour after sending a morning email inquiry to this custom hub puller man, my telephone rings and it's Mr.McMurtry .

 He called because my size relayed to him ,(which I got from the net) didn't match his last recorded model 70 Chrys.puller.

 We got the size narrowed down and we are good to go! I should have the puller soon..

That type of man this George McMurtry is,is that he called me the next day to inform me that he was going with his wife of 65 years for a last minute appointment and would not start making the hub puller that day.

How about that for condiseration!

 

If you plan to keep and DRIVE your car and do proper maintaince  a hub puller is required and a new quality made one isn't a bad investment.

For those with long running restorations and have that luxury of no time limits  and are exposed to many venues to find old pullers, enjoy the puller search.

For those who are ready to pull those wheels, give Mr.McMurtry a call.

 

Note:George is an easy going talker an a great conversationalist and not short on inspiring life stories and has a willing ear for yours.

 

Cheers.

D.M.S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That was some really quick turnaround on your new hub puller.

Maybe I should contact him and have another hub puller made since the one I currently use it almost as old as my cars.

 

Thanks for posting this info.

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Several years ago I had George make pullers for several of my Prewar Buick buddies.  At that time he offered a group discount to do several of the same size at one time.  I suggest that if you know of others who need the same puller, you could ask him about it.

 

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Puller arrives this afternoon while my 88 years young friend and Model A Ford passionist came to inspect the 1927 Chrysler 70 and bring his box of 250 old keys to try the spare tire lock.Nothing.

 

On to Mc Murtry puller.

 

The puller is well pack in solid foam sheets and instructions and paper.

work

It fit perfectly and sinched up well and I"m not rushing..I've seen enough( and most of you veterans too) bashed up pullers ,bolt heads ,plus ruined axle ends from abusive impatients.

I have good tension on it now and have and will be giving the pressure bolt a few hard square wacks with a 4 pounder off and on and applying a bit more bolt pressure as we go. Usually the hub pulls for me either right away or over night does it 

This one probably and over nighter.

 

Now! on to he familar process of working with  old cars and the expected unexpected.

 

My 88 year year old friend and I go for lunch just when mail comes with the puller.

Great!

We will try the puller for fit and maybe get them ,(or is is those? ), wheels off after returning from lunch.

And thats what we did,return from lunch and proceed to install the puller only to discover I do not have a jumbo  1-7/16" socket for the big Chrysler axle nut.

( the unexpected no. 1).

I only go up to 1/2"drive ratchet and 1-1/4" socket so a 3/4" drive breaker or ratchet is needed for a jumbo 1-7/16" socket is to be aquired .

 

We have no more Sears tools around here and as I supected the local Homedepot and auto parts stores didn't have the individual socket or 1/2 wrench handle or set on hand and I am not familar with large truck or steam locomotive repair centers to investigate ,but I was familar with the local Harbor Frieght store and had just seen thier assorment of sockets and wrenches last week.

They offered a jumbo socket set of 20 pieces of slightly better then dubious quality I recalled.

So now we are off to buy (unexpextedly no.2) a complete jumbo socket set for one socket and one huge wrench just so I can use my new wheel puller TODAY, with my 88 year old visiter.

But  it wasn't a complete over buy because I used the new sets jumbo 3/4" , 1-1/8" socket instead of my 1/2" drive ,1-1/8" socket on the new hub puller's pressure bolt. I feel good about that,I think? 😬🍸🍸🍸🍸

 

 

3 hours ago and three tries the hub has not budged..when 36 hours go by with no movement I will then add a few more pounds to the hammer blows and a double the reps! For now I'll  let some good healthy  pressure ,moderate heavy shock try to release the hubs over some time.

I subcribe to the unproven notion that the over night temperture swing adds to the hub release under pressure ..It just sounds good?.

 

My 88 years young friend really wanted to see if the hub puller would break thinking it's contruction was basically just pipe stock threaded on the inside and a steel end plate for pressure bolt and it's threads etc. simply being welded to the pipe end.

He was impressed that the puller body is machine from a solid hunk of steel .The I.D. .bored out and treaded and the O.D turned or ground down.

Even the outer  nut to crank on and off the puller is machined ,not welding on.Only the pinch bolt lugs are welded on.

 

.

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Less then 24 hours success!

Right passenger wheel I gave up on this morning as I was begining to get to heavy handed..Switch to left driver side and just with cranking down on the push bolt and heavy two foot bar I just I just pretended I was in my ripped 30s and 40s and the hub pulled.

Back to the right hub I just did 3 cycles of simple and careful  propane torch heating, within  in a couple of hours I was able to muscle that hub off too with no more hammer blows

All the brake hydraulics should be stripped off and  shipped off hopefully early next week. 

Do I hear cash register bells?  😨

 

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With the way that brake hardware looks I would be real interested to see what the bearings look like.

 

I have a puller for the wire wheels on my Pierce that is one of the old dog bone models where you smack it on nice and tight and let it sit with the axle nut still on it and wait for a real loud bang when it finally lets go.

That is if it doesn't pop right away.

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