Turret Hinges/Ferret

[MiketheBike]

I have started to clean up a Ferret 2/3 turret, and am looking the hinges.

 

The top hatch has broken off, with the studs remaining in hatch and turret. I have tried soaking these with plus-gas, but they will not come out. I realise they may have small pins holding the studs in, but these are corroded and will never pull out.

 

The rear hatch is stuck, and I have also soaked these in plus-gas, but still no joy. I have not really bashed the hell out of this to free it up, as I am afraid these hinges will also break.

 

Any pointers on how to free them up and also to remove the broken studs?

Can I drill out the hinge studs, or is that a machine shop job?

 

Thanks,

 

Mick

[fv1609]

 

Any pointers on how to free them up and also to remove the broken studs?

 

 

Heat! Not a hot air gun but blowtorch to red hot. Always works!

[MiketheBike]

Thanks Clive...so soak in plus-gas, then blow torch it )))

I will try that tonight (NOT with plus-gas)

[fv1609]

It is very satisfying that it just yields to heat. Soaking is all very but I have a bolt seized in a bush that has been soaking in diesel for 14 YEARS & it hasn't shifted yet! I can't apply heat as that with destroy the rubber & when I bash it, the impact is absorbed by the rubber!

[polecat paul]

patience......and heat

[MiketheBike]

Clive....lots of heat!

Yes, tried with my little blowtorch, and only succeeded in warming things up a bit, I guess its all too big a heat sink unless, like you say "a lot of heat"!

 

Will try with something a bit more....erm...hot.

[Marmite!!]

Clive....lots of heat!

Yes, tried with my little blowtorch, and only succeeded in warming things up a bit, I guess its all too big a heat sink unless, like you say "a lot of heat"!

 

Will try with something a bit more....erm...hot.

 

Bit of Oxy/Acetylene or Oxy/Propane with a Rosebud nozzle will do the job..

[MiketheBike]

Thanks Lee...I think my brother's mate has an OA setup, so will see if we can budge it.

[ferretfixer]

Hi, Saw your post on your Turret hatches dilema. I had a similar predicamnet a few months back restoring a MKII Turret. I freed it off with penitrating Plusgas but snapped one hinge pin. I ended up drilling the pin out & turning a new one on the lathe. Just in case, I bought some N.O.S stock turret fittings. If you snapped one of your hinges I have one. When I was searching all the dealers in the uK stocks, I got THE only one available! I was going to make a complete top hatch, but in the end I sourced a Turret with a lot missing but it had a hatch to canibalise.

Send me a PM & I will get back to you with a small list of N.O.S Hatch spares, catches Etc.

 

I can talk to you about the whole saga of my restoration if you want to know anything to help you.

Cheers,

Kind Regards: Mike