Tool for removing bearing retaining ring?

[Stargazer33]

Hi, I am going to attempt hyper-tuning my CGEM mount when we lose astronomical darkness and wanted to get all the bearings, grease, and tools required before I start.

I've got pretty much everything sourced, except for the tool to remove the bearing retaining rings such as the one in the picture below:

I've tried searching for 'pin spanner', 'retaining ring tool', bearing tool, as well as a few others that I forget now; but the only things that seem to come up are ring spanners, or circlip/snap ring pliers!

Does anyone know the proper name for the tool required? I would prefer an adjustable version as there are a couple of different sized rings on the mount. I have tried making one out of some steel bar and drilling and tapping holes to take bolts; but the rings have been done up so tight that the bolts just bent!

Thanks in advance for any help!

[steppenwolf]

This might help you in the right direction?

[LunaSwift]

https://www.365astronomy.com/365astronomy-adjustable-lens-tool.html

thid is what I use 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

you can make one with some timber strip & nails....

[steppenwolf]

According to my son who is a McLaren technician, this is a called a counter hold tool!!

[Stargazer33]

1 hour ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

you can make one with some timber strip & nails....

I think the ring under the mount plate is in way too tight for nails through wood. As it bent the M4 bolts I tried I would imagine the force required would split the wood! Nice idea though.

[Stargazer33]

9 minutes ago, KevS said:

One of these?

https://ehardware77.ecrater.co.uk/p/14694086/adjustable-pin-wrench-spanner-for-nuts-with

 

I did find something like this but they seemed to be only for angle grinders etc. Mind you they were a heck of a lot cheaper than this one.

With the bearings, grease, de-greaser, tubs, shop roll and other tools I am already at a couple of hundred so I think £100 for one tool might be pushing it a bit! 😉

Thanks for the link anyway.

[Stargazer33]

Steppenwolf and LunaSwift: thanks for the info/links. I'll have a look at those.

[Stargazer33]

Yes, that is the sort of thing I kept getting up as a result. A lot of them seem to have large pins that are not changeable. The retaining ring I'm having problems with has been tightened so much that they have deformed the holes! I may need to warm it up a bit first! Thanks for your help. 😊

[newbie alert]

You don't need to take the outer rim out.. it's a taper bearing..

[Stargazer33]

I need to remove the retaining ring that screws onto the shaft so that I can remove the taper bearings and shafts from the housings to clean and polish them.

[newbie alert]

16 minutes ago, Stargazer33 said:

I need to remove the retaining ring that screws onto the shaft so that I can remove the taper bearings and shafts from the housings to clean and polish them.

The black locking nut/ rings? 

Undo the grub screws and see how tight they are.. one of mine was hand tight the other was welded on( not literally)

 

[1parsec]

Try a search for "face spanner" or  "caliper face spanner"  
https://www.google.com/search?q=face+spanner

 

[Starflyer]

I made one a while back from a piece of aluminium angle and two cap allen bolts. If you use black (hardened steel) bolts, keep them short and use a nut on each so that only a few mm protrudes then they shouldn't bend.

[Physopto]

Depending upon the diameter of the pin holes you can often use long  nosed pliers in the holes and use a screwdriver slotted between the open jaws of the pliers., or use  a spanner across the plier body (not so good).

I usually make tools for these type of jobs from steel bar and needle gun pins.

Derek

[Stargazer33]

20 hours ago, newbie alert said:

The black locking nut/ rings? 

Undo the grub screws and see how tight they are.. one of mine was hand tight the other was welded on( not literally)

 

Yes, the top one under the mounting plate doesn't seem to have grub screws. The bottom one (shown in the picture above) had four. They were all tight, but one was a right pain to loosen! I'm sure I've read somewhere that one person put the block in the oven to loosen the Loctite on his mounts grub screws!

 

[Stargazer33]

4 hours ago, Starflyer said:

If you use black (hardened steel) bolts, keep them short and use a nut on each so that only a few mm protrudes then they shouldn't bend.

That's a good tip thanks!

[newbie alert]

2 minutes ago, Stargazer33 said:

Yes, the top one under the mounting plate doesn't seem to have grub screws. The bottom one (shown in the picture above) had four. They were all tight, but one was a right pain to loosen! I'm sure I've read somewhere that one person put the block in the oven to loosen the Loctite on his mounts grub screws!

 

The other one as you say has 2 x2mm grub screws..  locate them through the hole

[newbie alert]

7 minutes ago, Stargazer33 said:

Yes, the top one under the mounting plate doesn't seem to have grub screws. The bottom one (shown in the picture above) had four. They were all tight, but one was a right pain to loosen! I'm sure I've read somewhere that one person put the block in the oven to loosen the Loctite on his mounts grub screws!

 

They do use loctite on some parts but not there I found

[Stargazer33]

4 hours ago, Physopto said:

Depending upon the diameter of the pin holes you can often use long  nosed pliers in the holes and use a screwdriver slotted between the open jaws of the pliers., or use  a spanner across the plier body (not so good).

I usually make tools for these type of jobs from steel bar and needle gun pins.

Derek

I did manage to get the one in the picture off using a pair of needle nose pliers (as a test run). You can see where the pliers slipped and marked the surface! 😱 The other end is a lot bigger and therefore the pliers would be at too great an angle.

[newbie alert]

Looking at the picture you have the locking nut already off, is that right?   The taper bearing will come out once the shaft is removed , no need for any other tools

Edited May 25, 2020 by newbie alert
Added info

[Stargazer33]

No, the lock ring is back on in the picture. I did manage to get this one off using needle nosed pliers (after undoing the 4 locking grub screws) and removed the taper bearing to see what condition it was in and to check the grease used. I couldn't remove the shaft as I couldn't undo the top retaining ring under the mounting plate.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Stargazer33

[newbie alert]

If that's with the locking ring still in place then your whole taper bearing is shifted down..

Which one is it, the DEC axis that uses the RA shaft or visa versa?

[newbie alert]

On 25/05/2020 at 23:14, Stargazer33 said:

No, the lock ring is back on in the picture. I did manage to get this one off using needle nosed pliers (after undoing the 4 locking grub screws) and removed the taper bearing to see what condition it was in and to check the grease used. I couldn't remove the shaft as I couldn't undo the top retaining ring under the mounting plate.

If so your taper bearing is too far down,or should I say the polished ring that the taper bearing sits in should  be further up the casing..

What top retaining ring are you talking about? The worm housing? Picture would help?

[Stargazer33]

On 26/05/2020 at 07:46, newbie alert said:

If that's with the locking ring still in place then your whole taper bearing is shifted down..

Which one is it, the DEC axis that uses the RA shaft or visa versa?

It's the dec axis. The picture is of the bottom (counterweight shaft end). It's the other end I can't undo; under the saddle.