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Triumph TR3 - stator tube wires stuck

After years of ignoring the problem, I'm now half way to solving it. The wires in my stator tube are rusted in place as far as I can tell. I've pulled most of the ends sticking out off trying to get the wires out. I have the tube out of the car, have soaked with penetrating oil of 2 kinds. I heated the tube with a propane torch, making the oils bubble and burn when I hit the liquid with the torch (just blew it out). I ground drill like ends on 4 foot 1/4" rods and I've now drilled about 10 inches into a 5 foot tube after a couple hours of cussing. There's still a little wire left on the slotted end to grab, but this is about the last try for pulling. Any suggestions would be nice. It's an adjustable wheel. I should have just made a new tube, I think. And may still have to.

Thanks for any light y'all can shed!
Tom

Success! A lot of patience is required for this, if anyone is going through the same thing. Make or buy a new tube if you can. I worked many hours using this technique, every inch gained was a milestone. My wrists are sore and my drill's probably almost worn out, I heated it up real hot many times. But the tube is now clear. I think 3/8" brake tubing will work, just cut it to length and put the correct slot in it. Learn from my mistake. There is a certain feeling of pride, though. Mixed with a regret for the time I could have used for other things. If only my old blacksmith friend were still alive. He would have done it for me cheap and showed me a better way.
Tom

Now getting the wires back through the tube..

It didn't help much that it was almost 100 F today. I ended up pulling the wires with the stator tube out of the car. I used a clothesline wire as a fishtape, stranded strong steel and coated with plastic, it ran through the tube nicely. I cut about 1/4" of the insulation like plastic off the end and tinned the strands together. I cut all the connectors off the signal and horn wires, and soldered them all together. Then soldered the wires to the clothesline wire so it was all straight and nice. The final trick was to use contact cement to hold the cloth covering in place to keep it from puckering and holding up progress. If you stand on the clothesline and keep straightening the wire bundle as it goes in, pulling up on the tube, the bundle will actually go all the way through. My solder joint didn't break, luckily.

Electrical tape wrapped around the bundle did nothing for me except ball up the works and make a mess. I pulled off a couple of connectors, had my wife helping me, cussed a bit, but won in the end. Still getting the wheel and control head sorted, but hope to have a nice looking functional wheel soon.

Hope this experience helps someone that decides to do the job.
Tom

This thread was discussed between 15/07/2005 and 25/07/2005

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