What to use to install hack and tap?

[Dest]

So I just went to Lowes and bought the tap and drill bit I need to install my H&T this weekend. I decided to test it out on my spare 231 I have and I don't think the bit even scratched it after a solid minute of drilling. The only bits/taps they had were Titanium Nitride Coated, do I need to get something else or should it take me all day to drill and tap this?

 

[XJLI]

did you get a good center punch? you need that, and a smaller bit to start with. i dont remember using any "special" bit when i did mine.. i did however break the tap in the output shaft and ended up welding the yoke on. worked mint.

 

[Dest]

The 231 already had a bit of a hole drilled into it, as if someone had done the first step for me, so I started with the bigger bit.

 

[crash02]

Did you cut the end off he shaft? The center should be softer.there is a good write up from gojeep

 

[Dest]

No I didn't cut it off, as I was just testing/practicing drilling straight. I suppose that would make sense if it was hardened on the outside...

 

[crash02]

http://www.jeep-xj.info/HowtoSYEconversion.htm

 

[crash02]

You should re sharpen you're bit now

 

[Tim_MN]

The shaft is hardened, you need to cut the end off. Drill the hole in stages, drill the first step with a drill about 1/2 the diameter of your tap drill. Use even pressure on the drill and you want to make drill chips that look like 6's and 9's. Apply oil to cool and lubricate the drill bits and the tap.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

do it under the jeep. when you put it in reverse gear and let the engine idle, it creates a suedo lathe effect. this helps you cut it flat and true, and drill strait.

i didnt drill a pilot hole... i just went strait with the big guns, as the bit i was using was brand new. the key is to do what they call "peck drilling". a lot of pressure for 5 seconds, back off for 10. a lot of pressure, back off... this, and cutting oil, helps you keep heat down, which will make your bit last longer and the job go faster. its a pain in the ass if your 6"2" like me, to get under the jeep... but the output shaft spinning trick works.

OSHA approved!

as said, the outside of the shaft is hardened. you need to cut it down to get the best drive shaft angle you can anyway. i left about 1.25" of spline on my output shaft. this gave me full engagement on my hack and tap flange, and the shortest output i could get.

 

[Dest]

Alright thanks guys. Hopefully tomorrow it'll go a lot quicker then.

 

[Dest]

Ok so I hacked it, drilled it and am in the process of tapping it. Some questions though:

why did it grind when I moved it back into park after cutting the shaft?
When I put it in 4wd and started to drive down the street (without the rear shaft in) why did it seem to pop out of gear, revs go up but no movement, while already moving?

I'm going to lowes to get the stupid tool your supposed to use to attach to the tap, none of the sockets I have fit properly.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

did you remove a Tcase drop? if so... sounds like you need to readjust your linkage, it isnt engaging properly.

 

[Vanimal]

pre drilling with a smaller hole and following with a larger drill is somewhat dangerous when the output shaft is spinning. it will have a tendancy to catch the larger bit and spin the drill on you, likely breaking the bit or your wrist/fingers when the drill hits the floor pan. it would help if the smaller drill was much smaller, preferably 1/8", no bigger than 1/4".
Also peck drilling is for breaking and clearing chips from the flutes of the drill bit so it doesnt all get compacted in there, creating heat and friction. lube is a good idea, used motor oil will work fine.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

i just squirted a little into the hole every now and then... keep it moist, keep it cool.

http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merchant2/hack and Tap Install.pdf

step #20. peck drilling worked a LOT better for me than constant pressure. deffinantly.

 

[Cottontail]

its a pain in the ass if your 6"2" like me, to get under the jeep... but the output shaft spinning trick works.

I'm 6'6". We'll see how that goes.

Also peck drilling is for breaking and clearing chips from the flutes of the drill bit so it doesnt all get compacted in there, creating heat and friction. lube is a good idea, used motor oil will work fine.

I deleted my earlier post to edit and VAhasnoWAVES responded to it before I rewrote it.

I had asked if the used motor oil should be put into the hole as I drilled, or if it was sufficent to keep a cup of it next to the drill and routinely dunk the bit as I drill.

 

[Vanimal]

I like the motor oil idea...since I have about 5 gallons of it sitting around.

Where do you put the motor oil/lubricating agent? Do you put in the hole you are drilling on the output yoke, or do you keep a cup of it next to you and dunk the drill bit before going back in for another pass?

ideally it should be on the cutting edges of the drill. (the tip). the main thing is rpm, you dont want to spin it too fast. keep in mind you have to add the rpm of the output shaft to the rpm of the drill. if the chips are coming out blue or dark brown, the rpm's are too high.

 

[Vanimal]

I'm 6'6". We'll see how that goes.



I deleted my earlier post to edit and VAhasnoWAVES responded to it before I rewrote it.

I had asked if the used motor oil should be put into the hole as I drilled, or if it was sufficent to keep a cup of it next to the drill and routinely dunk the bit as I drill.

on the lathe or mill i use a small brush and brush it on the end of the drill every few pecks. by hand upside down, it may be tough. dipping will work, doesnt take a whole lot.

 

[Dest]

did you remove a Tcase drop? if so... sounds like you need to readjust your linkage, it isnt engaging properly.

No I didn't.

I didn't drill it while the it was running. I tried to cut it while it was spinning and for me it was easier to do it without it running. (I screwed up drilling the first time so I cut it .25 again and restarted).

I have been using lots of cutting fluid. I think I've finally finished, I've just gotta go get a washer and return the SECOND tap and die set I've bought from Lowes due to the tool breaking.

 

[Dest]

Well after breaking the second tool I had a good 1" of threads, so I just used a shorter bolt than I was going to and it's in!

I still have a bit of a shake, but I only took it up to 60 and it feels like its more in the steering wheel now. I'll find out how it feels on the highway later.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

did you add degree shims to set your pinion?