Roll pin removal---Any advice or tricks

[HCJtractor]

This may be a stupid question, but I am restoring several old implements that have been sitting outdoors for decades. There are lots of roll pins or what you may call spring or split pins. They look like a hollow cylinder with a slit. These are firmly rusted in place. Obviously I use a penetrating lubricant first. Is it best to just hammer them (which tends to brad the end), use a punch (which also brads the end), or what? Any tricks to getting these out so I can disassemble the parts? Is there a trick to removing these old locked up pins?

 

[devildog1]

penetrating lubricant, and the correct size drift pin. Drift pin needs to be same size as hole the rolled pin is in, wack it it will come out.
Devildog

 

[ducks13]

What DD said, and use a hammer that is big enough for the job, A 16 oz. ball peen might not be up to the job on a 1/4 roll pin. The less times you hit it the less lilkely it is to get peened over. You want to hit it hard the first time.

 

[k0ua]

What the others have said, but also get a roll pin punch set. not the same as a drift pin punch.. notice the little round end that goes in the hollow of the roll pin and still has a sharp shoulder. This is to help from "peening the pin to the inside hollow space" if that makes sense.

http://www.amazon.com/Grip-Roll-Pin-Punch-Set/dp/B003L7HOMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322165373&sr=8-1

James K0UA

 

[Bison]

What the others said,but i would grind the pin off flush with the part it is in,that way the protruding end won't rivet out while you hammer on it.

 

[SandburRanch]

For any parts being held with a roll pin that tend to move when struck with a hammer they will need a back up. Heavy parts not so much so. Example: a steering column often needs a back up.

For light weight parts a pipe coupling over the hole backed up with an 8# sledge or equivalent will help keep the assembled parts from moving and reverberating.

Heat is another option but that needs to be applied in a specific manner to pull the metal away from the pin without heating the pin.

Last resort - drill them out and have plenty of quality bits available the sizes you need plus cutting oil.

 

[Soundguy]

lotsa good advice already typed out.... and it all else fails, get a carbid bit and clean the hole.

soundguy

 

[Bill 55]

The roll pin punch set is by far the best advice you will ever get. I spent 20 years as a diesel mechanic and have made more work for myself countless times because I was too lazy to walk back to the tool room to get one, then had to deal with the boogered up pin. Just get a set and you will never regret it.

 

[mjncad]

What the others have said, but also get a roll pin punch set. not the same as a drift pin punch.. notice the little round end that goes in the hollow of the roll pin and still has a sharp shoulder. This is to help from "peening the pin to the inside hollow space" if that makes sense.

http://www.amazon.com/Grip-Roll-Pin-Punch-Set/dp/B003L7HOMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322165373&sr=8-1

James K0UA

I've never seen these before; but I would definitely get a set if I encountered more roll-pins (a.k.a. tension-pins) with my projects. The price is right too for what is probably a low use tool for most of us.

 

[Fixemall]

The roll pin punch set is by far the best advice you will ever get. I spent 20 years as a diesel mechanic and have made more work for myself countless times because I was too lazy to walk back to the tool room to get one, then had to deal with the boogered up pin. Just get a set and you will never regret it.

Absolutely! I've had to drill out pins because someone else decided to give it a go with a regular punch and only managed to make my invoice larger. Another point is to remember to use the exact right size when replacing them, especially in conditions that are subjected to vibration.