How to take apart drivers from axle by yourself

Sorry if i posted the here that may be is not the right section but i posted here the question few days ago

How to take apart drivers from axle by yourself at 0 or low cost

Is more difficult to say than to do

What you need is

1 very small hydraulic lifter (I buy mine for 9 euro and it is a 6500 lb)

2 nylon band (I used the ones I use for tie the sled on the trailer that are 900 lb resistant)

1 heavy base like an anvil

The only need is that the head diameter of the hydraulic lifter is smaller than your axle diameter.







Before you start anything mark the position of the drivers! This will be of big help when you’ll install the new one



1- Now pass the 2 belts under the base
2- Put the axle over the hydraulic lifter
3- Center the axle on the head of the lifter
4- Pass the belts over the first driver and put a little tension on the them
5- Check that the belts work vertical so to have the right traction
If all is right at that point the axle can stay in equilibrium by him self







Check the stability of the building and make a easy knot on the belts to avoid sliping





Now pump up the lifter.
First push seems to do nothing, than you’ll see the driver flex a bit and finally you’ll see the driver move.

May be you’ll need to repeat the sequence some time depending on length of your lifter and position of driver.

At the end you’ll have the driver out





Pay attention to refresh the mark on the axle because the driver friction can delete it.



I made the work alone and it was a little difficult at the beginning to operate properly, but I had 4 drivers out in half an hour.
If you have a friend that help you keeping the axle while you fik it with the belts, you'll have an easy work.

To avoid to flex the drivers, one improvement that comes to my mind after the work is to pass the belts trough 2 pieces of steel pipe to be putted in conctat with the drivers.



To install new drivers just fix it on the top of the axle by a rubber hammer as deep as you can an than you can use the hydraulic lifter to pull down the driver in the right position.

Thanks for taking the time to post the procedure to help other members.

yeah, need to be very careful to not flex or bend the drivers, especially with the Avids...

Would suggest making some sort of plate...like with a wood panel...would be easy to fab something up and who knows, might require you to have to buy more tools

That is a disaster waiting to happen!! I'm glad it worked out for you but that could have easily gone horribly wrong. As for installing the new drivers in the same way.......bad idea. You deform them . Take the time and press them on with a press.

The drivers i keep down flexed but not bended.
They are perfectly straight.

Anyway, using 2 pipe or better a plate as suggested by mtdream you'll have not problems at all.

Of course if you have a press or want let make the work to someone that own a press, is for sure the best thing

But if you don't have or want to do by your self, the idea can work.

Simple fact is when I started wrenching on sleds 3 years ago, I didnt know a cam from a clutch...

clearly Wolfone has some skills...you can tell by how he lays things out...I am certain he took precautions you cant see in the pics...and if not...we want to see the other pics

Either way, the net and forums like this are AWESOME for learning, sharing and helping eachother...

I am lazy, and just took the measurements, and then handed my axle to someone else to make it happen...

Which if I hadnt started wrenching, I am certain, Iwould have spend 4X the amount of money I do, just because I like LIGHT and Power...and well those two things arent cheap!!!

Well, I have been a mechanic for over 30 years, and everything I have been taught, and my gut instinct tells me that this is a disaster waiting to happen. That does not mean that I haven't taken risks.Have I done things as risky or worse? Of course...and I've gotten away with it. My point was that it shouldn't be a sticky. Cuz sure as #$%& someone will see it and think they can do it too. I can forward anyone the pics of the guy who thought it would be OK to wipe off his motorcycle chain while the bike was on the centerstand, running, and in gear. No big deal, right? Worked many times before.........just not this time.

Sorry boys, i don't want to generate a bad discussion here.

It is not important for me that this post is sticky or not.

I had the problem of keep out the drivers and i've not time to have the work made by someone and i've not the right tools, so i found my solution.

I said before is better if you use right tools or do have the work done by specialist.

Anyway this system work ... I used it to re-instal new drivers and now they are on the axle ... perfect straight and not bendend.
This drivers are flexible for their nature, so they flex and not bend.

Also when you do this work can happen that axle jump out (it happens several times to me at the beginning) and no disaster happens just because it lost pressure energy in 0 time. No gun shot on your work table.

I'm 38 years old and I put hands on engine since i was children. I've made several Special Bike for me and friends but never tuned a sled ... and i think i've done lots of more stupid and dangerous things than this.

Anyway, i'm not a doctor and i don't want to give the secret to eternal life to anyone. Just want to share my good/bad experience making my first work on a sled.

It's right each one says his point of wiew but don't want starting a flame

Not doubting your ability or resourcefulness Wolfone. I enjoy your posts. Used to live not to far from you. Klosters (CH) and Schwarzwald (D). Have a Merry Christmas and keep posting!