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Thread repair tool

FredC

Diamond
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Location
Dewees Texas
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I was at a mechanic friend's place yesterday and he showed me this tool that every one he loans it to wants one. He got it from his father and he remembers seeing it as early as 1960. I have not used it or seen it in use but I am thinking it both cuts and pushes threads back into place. The hole sizes are 5/8, 3/4, 7/8,
1", 1 1//8, and 1 1/4. This tool is principally made for repairing trailer axle threads. The name Hunt is very visible, in internet searches the name below is the city where it was made? Boscobel. Spelling correct makes that seem the most likely. He asked me about resharpening it which would be easy enough on the surface grinder, after cleaning it up I think that would be a mistake as the tool is heavily plated with a premium chrome, I think the edges would start peeling badly if sharpened.

Questions:
#1 What do you think about sharpening it?
#2 anyone else ever see one of these?
#3 Available today? If so the mechanic wants a metric version.
#4 Do you wish you had one?
 
They were made for rethreading the ends of axles. Remember the old tapered jobs you'd hit with a hammer and shoulda used the proper tool? Maybe they made different sizes........don't recall.
 
Not only hit with a hammer but when a hub comes off a moving vehicle the threads are invariably damaged by the hub as it comes off.
 
Interesting gadget. I'm wondering if it has been hardened and how hard. I think it's probably been made more for "pushing" than cutting although it might be able to cut if there's only a "nick" and nothing much to cut. If a thread has been slightly damaged then running it backwards and forwards would probably help.

I don't see any problem making one that can do metric threads as long as they have the taps.

I suppose the big question is - "How much would anyone be willing to pay for one?"

One would be relatively expensive. Making several at one time would reduce price quite a bit.
 
Simply take a grade 8 nut of the size you want, and cut it in half.
Clamp the (2) halves together, and spin, spin, spin.
 
If it's not sharpened it's a paperweight, but the ones I've used all shop made from 01 gauge plate, squeezed and pushed the threads back in to line more than they cut them, ………..whish is often preferable to cutting all new threads often taking metal away where not needed.
 
In a nice big Carver clamp :D so you can get some real pressure one, .and have handle to turn it with. ;)

Turn the OD a groove for a garter spring.

Apply over threaded stud, hammer an undersized (usually metric)
socket on to apply pressure in a confined area (like between the other (4) wheel studs.

Zing off with impact wrench.
 
That's an adjustable thread chaser. The main advantage over fixed ones is that you can start with light pressure and then tighten as needed.

As others have said, thread chasing is different from thread cutting because the action is more pushing deformed metal back into place/scraping excess.

The main drawback to a tool like that one is that the length can get in the way if space is limited.

There are also tools that chase a single lead while a follower piece rides in the undamaged thread.

I have lost track of the number of threads I've saved by chasing them. I also have a full set of thread files which are great when threads are really buggered.
 
We have a winner! Looks like the same one at a bargain price. I was guessing these would cost about $200.00 each today as it is probably made for forged chrome vanadium steel. I got a feeling the OEM went out of business many years ago and the advertisement is showing new/old surplus stock.
Again this tool if for cleaning up wheel spindles. Once you pull the hub, wheel, and tire there is plenty of room to spin this tool.

Looked at the item again and it is from a different manufacturer, threads are slightly different with no 5/8 and 2 different 3/4 threads. I asked the mechanic friend how many axles he and his dad repaired with the tool over the last 60 to 70 years, he said too many to even guess. His tool is surprisingly good shape after cleaning and oiling.
 
It would be hard and the end of each thread portion would be a 90* with a or even a little rake off the ID with a sharp edge there.. I would only sharpen those ends to take away the wear land...likely .015 or o.
I can blow it up and it looks like a rake off the Id going both ways..so it would cut turning on or off , but just down to the existing thread, yes mostly just cut the bugs and burrs down to flush.
 
Just used google. axle rethreader.
I had tried an internet search and did not find these looking for axle thread repair tools. Change the words for different results.
I ordered one and got it today. The Wilde surplus tool is not made to the same standards as the old Hunter tool. Could be made from the same forging dies but if they are there has been much abuse to the dies occurred over the decades.
All said for $24 dollars you only need to use the tool once to pay for it, broke down on the side of the road it is really worth it. The mechanic said he was going to buy one as a "decoy" for customers that want to borrow his in the future. After cleaning the original and looking over the new surplus tool these things are supposed to form the threads back into shape instead of cut, so no sharpening is necessary. I cleaned up the clamping area on the old one so that it will tighten back to original specs, a couple of small dings were keeping it from fully closing. The supplier has 900+ listings for surplus and close out tools, worth cruising the list.
Thanks again Ray.
 








 
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