OC46 Sheered off drive sprocket studs

Offgrid · October 12, 2011, 12:55:32 PM

Hello all. I recently acquired an oc46 with the intent being to use it to clear my lane way of snow, and to clear a bit of nature from around my house. While in the process of clearing some alder bushes from the side of the lane, there was a miscommunication between the hydraulics and I. This resulted in me looking at the sky and the machine coming to a halt and rolling backwards while in gear without tha clutch being depressed. A short trail of lug nuts lead me to the left side drive sprocket, and the realization that I had sheered all of the wheel studs. I have managed to get the track out of the way and uncover everything. My question is how do you get at the hub? and is this something that is common to these machines? Also are the studs pressed in to the hub from the rear like a car? Thanks.

hotratz · October 12, 2011, 01:14:15 PM

Remove the trunnion nut from the center of the hub and the hub should pull off. I've never heard of this happening before but they may have all been loose for some time.

berriewood · October 12, 2011, 02:59:07 PM

I sheared off my studs while my OC46 was in a very inaccessible area of my property. I was able to order the new studs from Zimmermans. The studs are threaded in, not a press fit. I drilled a small hole lengthwise into the stud, soaked them with Kroil, and was able to removed them with an easy-out. I hope that helps and good luck!

Offgrid · October 12, 2011, 04:06:47 PM

Awesome, thanks for the info, sounds like a realitively painless fix. Are the studs left or right hand thread. Also wondering if they are a common size, maybe replacing them with a higher grade of steel would solve the problem permenantly.

berriewood · October 12, 2011, 06:15:27 PM

I think they were a standard right hand thread, but it was about a year and a half ago that I worked on them. I don't recall ordering any special e-z-outs for reverse threads, so I'm pretty sure they are right hand threads. Also can't be sure of the grade, but they appeared to be grade 8. I do remember they were hard to drill and I worried about breaking the bit in the studs. Zimmermans could probably verify the thread pattern of the studs, and I do know they had them in stock when I needed them.

Offgrid · October 16, 2011, 08:55:25 PM

Ok, so I got the sprocket and the centre part of the hub out but now I can't get at the studs because there is a cover of some sort over top of the holes. It turns with everything else. I tried pulling the hub out but it only wiggles a bit. Any ideas? Thanks.

Offgrid · October 17, 2011, 11:48:37 AM

Cool. is there some way of realigning the holes in the cover with the stud holes without taking the whole thing apart? here's a pic of my problem.

Offgrid · October 17, 2011, 11:49:32 AM

Well that didn't work. I'll have to figre out how to post pictures later.

oliverchris · October 17, 2011, 02:25:10 PM

I think I know what you mean...can you just move it a little forward or reverse to achieve that?

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Offgrid · October 17, 2011, 06:10:47 PM

I think I have it figured.

oliverchris · October 17, 2011, 07:53:07 PM

That outer wear plate should rotate to realign to the studs - with a bit of help, I mean. It's not fixed in place now that the studs have gone...

Offgrid · October 18, 2011, 11:35:22 PM

I was thinking about using a belt wrench and see if that works.

hotratz · October 19, 2011, 04:17:45 PM

Looks like you can stick a punch or screw driver in the slit of hole that's showing and pry/rotate it back into position. Try two opposite holes at the same time.

berriewood · October 19, 2011, 05:05:52 PM

The wear plate will rotate to line up with the sheared studs. If using the strap wrench, watch that it doesn't make the wear plate bind on what is behind it. Wood dowels, screwdrivers or a punch could be used to rotate the plate, by driving the plate from the stud holes. Be very careful drilling and using the easy out. If the bits break, you will most likely have to have the broken bit removed by a shop that can do electrical dischrge machining (edm). Also, when drilling, go deep enough into the stud for the easy out to seat, but try to keep from going all the way through the stud so as to keep the shavings out of the final.

Offgrid · November 01, 2011, 04:04:26 PM

The studs are all out. They actually came out with little fuss. most of them turned out with a punch, the rest needed an easy out. The worst part was the wear plate. Took three of us and 9 beers. The question I have now is, the oil seal on the outside of the hub, is it a common thing or specific to the vehicle?