How can I straighten this?

[dragoneggs]

In one of my more brilliant moves, I managed to bend a couple of studs as part of a caster assembly and figured the fine folks here is the weldiing forum might give a clue on how to straighten them. I don't have O/A only a little propane torch and I am having a heck of a time clamping the caster well enough to bend it. I tried putting some heat (not enough obviously) and threaded a coupler and some all thread rod for leverage to no avail. Here is a pic of what I am dealing with. 1/2 - 13 thread dia. Ideally, SA will chime in and say "come on over, I fix it!"

 

[aarolar]

Very carefully.

 

[George2615]

Just my 2 cents.
I've had limited success by threading a nut on then clamp the nut in a vise and tap the bearing cap with a hammer. Or while the nut is still in the vise use a small crowbar in the gap between the wheel and bearing and pry it back

Sometimes it will straighten back up others it will break right off. If it straightens I can use it, if not go buy another.

 

[aarolar]

Take the caster wheel off then put the bolt back in. Slip a piece if tube in there between the caster body and bolt then use a piece of pipe over the bolt to pry it straight

 

[dragoneggs]

Just my 2 cents.
I've had limited success by threading a nut on then clamp the nut in a vise and tap the bearing cap with a hammer. Or while the nut is still in the vise use a small crowbar in the gap between the wheel and bearing and pry it back

Sometimes it will straighten back up others it will break right off. If it straightens I can use it, if not go buy another.

I haven't been able to find the same ones yet online. They are locking swivel and rolling type for a roller feed table. I need them to be 1/2in dis stud style as well.

 

[dragoneggs]

Take the caster wheel off then put the bolt back in. Slip a piece if tube in there between the caster body and bolt then use a piece of pipe over the bolt to pry it straight

That sounds like it is worth a try. Thank you.

 

[ddbackhoe]

I haven't been able to find the same ones yet online. They are locking swivel and rolling type for a roller feed table. I need them to be 1/2in dis stud style as well.

Mcmaster Carr McMaster-Carr

maybe even harbor freight Swivel Casters and Caster Wheels at Harbor Freight

 

[George2615]

ddbackhoe beat me to it.

McMaster-Carr

 

[aarolar]

Yea I was gonna say I'm 100% positive they can be sourced

 

[Big Barn]

Take the wheel off. Cut broken stem off and or drill it out. Weld on new threaded stem using all thread or fully threaded bolt.

This IS a welding subforum. Mark. . Good luck.

Terry

 

[ray66v]

Put a nut on the end of the threads, and clamp a pair of Vice-grips on it.

Heat the bent part with a real torch, and it will straighten like butter.

Don't you have a auto repair shop, or something near by, that has an acetylene torch? It will take about 10 seconds.

Most places do things like this for "goodwill". We used to, all the time.

Slip the guy a $5 bill when he is done, or offer to bring doughnuts in the AM.

 

[dragoneggs]

Take the wheel off. Cut broken stem off and or drill it out. Weld on new threaded stem using all thread or fully threaded bolt.

This IS a welding subforum. Mark. . Good luck.

Terry

Thanks Terry... yeah I did buy the all thread to do just that but thought I might try to bend it back first. Oh and I deserved that!

 

[Shield Arc]

Just my 2 cents.
I've had limited success by threading a nut on then clamp the nut in a vise and tap the bearing cap with a hammer. Or while the nut is still in the vise use a small crowbar in the gap between the wheel and bearing and pry it back

Sometimes it will straighten back up others it will break right off. If it straightens I can use it, if not go buy another.

Take the wheel off. Cut broken stem off and or drill it out. Weld on new threaded stem using all thread or fully threaded bolt.

This IS a welding subforum. Mark. . Good luck.

Terry

Both are great ideas! :thumbsup:

 

[dragoneggs]

Take the caster wheel off then put the bolt back in. Slip a piece if tube in there between the caster body and bolt then use a piece of pipe over the bolt to pry it straight

Well I fixed it! I really didn't want to weld it because I wanted the stud and nut to seat against the insert in the bottom of the leg. A fillet weld would mean I wouldn't be able to fully seat the threaded stud down to the nut. Thank you aarolar... I did as you said, took the wheel off and used a long piece of pipe for leverage against the body and the bolt and screwed a coupler on the stud as far as it would thread and then screwed some all thread on to the coupler to give me leverage on that end. Put the coupler in the vise and presto... bent it with my bare hands and no heat! Roller table fixed and back in operation! Repair cost zero :cool2:

By the way I found the caster on line and it was running about $23... ouch.

 

[aarolar]

No problem glad I could help.

 

[skyhook]

Have someone heat the stud while you add "several" nuts to it, when the stud is full of nuts, slowly straighten it.