Removing rollers from the track frame

[mikegt4]

I am trying to remove the rollers from my OC46 track frame to rebuild them. The frame is out and turned upside down for access. So far it has taken me one month to get 2 rollers out. The axle saddles are frozen/rusted to the studs. I have tried penetrate, hammer, wedging under then and heat (the last of my MAPP gas, not O/A) and they just seem to be laughing at me. I am sure that I am not the only one to come across this problem. Anyone have a good method of getting these out?

The good news is that the ones that I have gotten out only need new bushing inserts. They were packed with hardened grease, so hard that I had to chip out what I could reach and burn out the rest. All clean and shiny now.

[Doug424]

You need some real heat. You are just wasting time (and mapp gas) they way you are doing it.
With a real heating torch (oxy/acet or oxy/propane) it isn't that hard.

[oliverchris]

Yeah, I have toiled over this problem too. It's enough to try the patience of a saint.
Doug is right — real heat seems to be the only solution.

I've tried all kinds of heavy leverage methods, penetrating oils, using bad words  etc. and for some rollers, just nothing else works.

[mikegt4]

I was afraid of that, I don't have an O/A setup, even my brother who retired after a 35 year career as a pipe welder doesn't have one anymore.

[oliverchris]

This won't work for all the rollers, but with the trackframe in the position you mention, flipped over, position a jack stand under an accessible roller. Then you can hammer down on the track frame in that area after applying some penetrating oils etc. You can get two or 3 out this way on an OC-4 trackframe.

This at least gives you vertical force (parallel to the studs), whereas any of the leverage methods using a bar, apply the force somewhat obliquely which tends to bend the studs, making them even more impossible to remove.