How well do the knock off style puller work when used to remove rear wheels? One rear on my '21 touring fits tight enough to require some force to remove it. I have been hitting the tire with my large rubber hammer to remove it. I hope that I can put both rear wheels/tires on soon and not remove them again soon. If the knock off style puller are not good I will look for a used puller in the other style. Thanks.
I was told not to use the kind that screws on where the hub cap goes by the guy at model T haven and he ought to know.
Tommy, the knock off type pullers rely on a sharp shock to break things loose. Pounding on a rubber tyre that far from the axle will not have that effect.
On a drivable car, an easy way to break the hub free is to undo the rear axle nut a turn, replace the split pin and go for a drive around the block. Check often. If this does not work, the pullers which utilise the hubcap threads work well, BUT, the puller must have good threads, it needs a substantial pinch bolt to clamp it around the hub, and it needs to be screwed right the way on so all the thread is engaged.
Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.
Tommy, it may not make sense, but if your using the knock off style that screws to the axle shaft, jack up the opposite wheel off the ground. Then smack the the knocker.
I read that on here years ago, and because I don't have a correct puller for my TT axle, gave it a try. It works great.
Yeah, Chad is correct. The wheel you're trying to remove must be on the ground supporting weight for the 'shock effect' to break the seal between the tapers. Then reverse wheel positions on the other rear wheel once the first is loose.
Here's a rear wheel puller that doesn't rely on hub threads.
Also, keep a wrench on the knocker and keep pressure on it while you hit, to make sure the knocker stays tight on the axle. Several whacks can loosen it a bit. Then, additional whacks put all the hit on the threads and not the shaft end. It will damage threads at that point.
Properly set, a simple "knock-off", if they work in the first few whacks? Okay. If four or five whacks won't break it loose? Find another way to apply more pressure without beating it to death.
I once heated the hub until it was red. It still would not come off. Had cut the hub.
Usually one good whack with a sledge will get it off... but not always.
A regular hammer isn't enough, you need a hefty hand sledge. As already mentioned, jack up the wheel opposite of the one you're trying to remove. Good luck!
I used a 4lb hand sledge IIRC and it took about a half dozen knocks to get the hardest wheel off. It probably really only took one hit but I was gradually ramping up how hard I was hitting it.
Knock off pullers are great for transferring vibrational forces to Babbitt thrust washers!