YukonBlue

This is emberassing, but I bought my first electric and it arrived yesterday (Extreme Flight Yak 47'). I built it last night and was surprised that my Torque motor didn't have any instructions. I figured out how the prop adapter went on the motor and continued with the build. Soon after, I realized that I couldn't get it off of the motor after tightening it. It seems to be pressed on very tightly and I cannot get it off. The motor came with three adapters, but I thoght they were for different prop sizes. Any advise would be of great help. Thanks!

dashunde

I assume your talking about the collet adapter that goes onto the bare shaft, the one that squeazes down on the shaft when you tighten the prop nut, right? (Since its the EF Yak, its the type you should be using.)

Clamp a 9/16 wrench into a vice with the open end of the wrench close to the vice jaws (less flex).
Insert the "collar" part of the adapter in the end open end of the wrench and let it set against the lip on the collar.

Then use a piece of hard wood to protect the end of the shaft while you gently tap on the threaded end.
It may actually take a good whack or two.

Keep the nut on so it doesnt come totally apart and hit the floor, and devise a way to catch everything if it does come apart, especially something to catch the motor if it comes loose.

All you need to do is to get the collar to loosen, that will release the clamping on the shaft.

altavillan

My Feedback: (1)

Good advise above but if you are lazy like me just use a screw driver or punch and hammer to tap the collet back. Don't hammer in the same spot continuously. Little taps till it slids back works.

Bob Laine

My Feedback: (91)

Or.............Just take your heat gun and warm it up and it will expand.

dashunde

Hunh... learn something new everyday.

Xpress

Yep. Steel expands SLIGHTLY when heat is applied to it, as well as a few other metals...

aflipz

My Feedback: (10)

Even faster; i take a pair of pliers, one tip of the jaw against the lip of the collet (the ring that squeezes the cone shaped part of the adapter) and the other jaw tip on top of the prop shaft (nut or spinner nut removed). If you have the jaws lined up just right (emulating what a proper puller would do) a squeeze should do the trick every time, It is a lot faster than heating it up which might work some times...

a buddy came over with his spare parts box and had an old axi motor he took out of a crashed plane, he told me had actually purchased another motor in the same power class because try as he may with all the other methods he could not get the adapter to come off. Sure enough, took about 1 second to fix, he couldn't believe how easy it was. Now he'll thank me in thoughts every time he encounters the same problem, which will be MANY if he keeps flying.

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

only problem is....those collets arent steel....they are aluminum
the shaft is steel though.