Motor coupler replacement

[canoehenge]

Fellow travelers,
I have a GE motor in a 1992 Marathon that needs a coupler replacement as well as input shaft. Does anyone have a surefire method for removing the old coupler? I am thinking about welding a nut on to the coupler, chucking the armature in a vise, and using a slide hammer or use a bolt to press off the coupler. Before anybody gets all crazy on me giving me cautions, warnings, etc. I am a multicraft maintenance professional with a lot of years experience around the motor shop, welding shop, machine shop, and auto shop, so please, you are not speaking to a novice, so let's keep this simple. I would like to have expert advice from the guys who have already done this. I am new to this forum and this is my first golf cart used out at the ranch. My compliments to the organizers, this is a great forum, I have already gleaned a wealth of information that has been helpful in rebuilding my cart.

Bert
www.canoehenge.com
www.radiofreetexas.org
A bad day on the river is better than a good day at work

 

[TDAWG]

You are on the right track. Just tack a big nut to the coupler, and run a bolt through it. It actually comes off pretty easy with the nut in place. You do not have to trash the armature.

 

[canoehenge]

Thanks Tdawg, I appreciate the response. That's what I will do.

Bert

 

[canoehenge]

OK, I have managed to break the welds twice and the bolt on the third attempt. I guess the next step will be to chuck it up in the lathe and turn down the coupler thin enough to break it off. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[dougmcp]

Have you tried heating the coupler before attempting to draw it off?

 

[canoehenge]

OK. I was able to grind off the welded nut and extract the broken bolt. I will try the largest bolt and nut I can weld on to the coupler. One suggestion I ran across, and I should have thought of this, since I have used the same technique installing and removing press fit bearings, is to chill the whole armature assembly and then apply heat to the coupler to get maximum expansion of the coupler before the shaft expands from heat transfer. Care must be taken when heating up the coupler not to burn the armature windings. I use a wet rag to protect the windings while welding the nut to the coupler. I will try again tomorrow and hope it will work this time.