DSW Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 DSW, the caging bolts that come with air brake chambers are too short to relieve the tension in the springs if you cut the pot loose from the aluminum piece in the middle. Someone could get seriously hurt if they tried to cage the spring, cut the pot loose, then remove the nut from the caging bolt. There will still be a LOT of spring pressure in the system when you run out of threads, which will create a dangerous projectile situation.Thanks. I've never taken one apart before. I saved that info since I have an old 40' trailer that I have to dispose of some time later this year for a friend. I know I originally was unaware of how dangerous these cans were until a mechanic friend I know was telling me how to let the maxi brakes off so we can move the trailer with a machine if need be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 No problem.I took 3 of these apart a few days ago. I ended up caging the chamber, cutting the pot band all the way around to remove the pot and spring, then put the caged spring & pot in a press (spring side up). Once I pressed enough to take the tension off the caging bolt I removed the nut and let the press open up slowly. Worked like a charm. Just FYI, the spring in its relaxed position is about twice the depth of the pot, which is about 3 inches or so longer than the caging bolt. Now I have aluminum for casting and spring steel for a number of uses. It's a bit of work, but it's a win-win for me as long as I can get them for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I guess my point was; people die working on these. The proper method is the steel cage. Holes for the torch allow cutting of the clamp. Somone please post a video of removing spring via a hyd press or cutting the clamp and backing off the cage bolt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I dont use the cage bolt, and find that torches and aluminum dont mix well. Next time Get out to my hay dealers i will snag a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 I guess my point was; people die working on these. The proper method is the steel cage. Holes for the torch allow cutting of the clamp. Somone please post a video of removing spring via a hyd press or cutting the clamp and backing off the cage bolt.Right now I don't have the right equipment to record and post a video for this.Just so I'm clear on this though: The cage bolt that comes with the brake chamber is NOT long enough to safely back off and allow the spring to go to its relaxed state after removing the pot/can from the aluminum piece it is banded to. There would still be a lot of spring tension when the nut came loose from the cage bolt and that would send the cage bolt and the disk it seats in (and possibly the spring itself) flying out at a high rate of speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 As I've been typing I've been thinking about getting a piece of threaded rod the right size and creating a longer cage bolt. That would make the hydraulic press unnecessary if the rod was long enough so the nut could be backed off until the spring was relaxed.I guess the bottom line like so many things is you can get seriously hurt if you don't understand what you're working with, but if you do understand it then there's more than one safe way to get the job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I got a new on in some stuff at an auctuion, it has a piece of all thread already in it. Didn't know if that was how they were shipped for installation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Hey Guys: I don't have so many friends I can afford to lose any. If you have to try to figure out how to take brake cans apart you are NOT qualified to try. These things KILL people who know what they're doing if they get just a LITTLE complacent.Why don't you do something sensible, say over heat some O2, quench it in brine and then forge it without wearing safety glasses? LARP Frogger wearing black on a freeway at night?Come on guys you're making me wonder about your sense here.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 lol my exact thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Ok, the part you want to compress is the acuater rod, the one that acualy acuatea the brakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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