Tricks to removing dowel pins?

[wonderboy]

Does anyone have any good advice for removing stuck dowel pins? I've got my 350X motor torn down and have destroyed a few dowel pins trying to remove them. I've just been grabbing them with the vice grips (after testing them to see if they'll remove easily) and smashing them down flat and twisting. It is funny though how some remove so easily with just my fingers and then others are completely stuck.

Is there any better way?

[atc007]

Soaking/tapping very gently around the stuck ones. Then a very good quality pair of wire cutters/dikes.

[Xowner]

I use a Bolt or a punch that fits inside them,then take a pair of vice grips. The Bolt or punch keeps you from crushing them. If that doesnt work i use a little heat.

[wonderboy]

I wondered about the bolt in the middle, but just hadn't tried it. Thanks, I'll give that a shot.

[yaegerb]

Heat, heat, heat.

[tri again]

Did I read a post about 'freeze off' or something sorta new that helps?

I know I've used freezing wart remover to shrink press in carb jets before.

[fabiodriven]

Did I read a post about 'freeze off' or something sorta new that helps?

I know I've used freezing wart remover to shrink press in carb jets before.

This man is correct. The hell with heat, freeze it out.

[El Camexican]

When I have had to use Vice-Grips to pull them I put a snug fitting bolt inside the dowel so that the Vise-Grip can’t distort the dowel when I squeeze it.

Oops, I didn't see Xowners post.

[slashfan7964]

I heat it and then unload on it with a penetrating oil and either punch it out or pull it out/twist/wiggle it out. If that doesn't work, I'll heat it and shock it with water and then pull, and use penetrating oil if I have to. Usually works, but sometimes you might have to keep doing it if it's stubborn. Reminds me of the time I swapped a rear end out of a Chevy Suburban and have to repeatedly do that until a bolt came loose.

Never heard the freezing technique before though, might have to try that.

[BleedRed]

Easy-outs, has worked EVERY time for me.

[fabiodriven]

Honestly that's about the only thing EZ Outs are good for.

[Dirtcrasher]

Agreed, easy outs do take most of them out. As well as the semi crush with something solid in the middle and vice grips.

All rebuilt motors get high temp copper anti seize on the dowel pins. Helps in the future........

[wonderboy]

Thanks for all the tips. I really love the idea of freezing them out. I have used the air dusters before to freeze stickers off on another project, the trick is to just spray them upside down so the liquid comes out. All dowels are now removed on motor #1, but I'll have #2 in the works soon, so I'll give the freeze spray a try there.

Putting a tight fitting bolt in the middle makes so much sense, I feel silly for not doing that from the beginning.

I'm also a huge fan of anti-sieze, Dirtcrasher. All dowels will be getting a nice coating of it on reassembly.

Thanks all!

[DohcBikes]

heat it and shock it with water

In most cases this is a no-no. Not that it doesn't get the job done slash, but when heated metal is quenched with water it can easily contract fast enough to create microscopic cracks and/or become hardened and brittle.

Wart remover for the win...

[slashfan7964]

In most cases this is a no-no. Not that it doesn't get the job done slash, but when heated metal is quenched with water it can easily contract fast enough to create microscopic cracks and/or become hardened and brittle.

Wart remover for the win...

I won't do it on something small like that, but it was an idea, like something last resort. Normally I'd only do it on something rather large.

[MattDragontamer]

Heat, heat, heat.

Use a high temp concentrated flame... a small plumbing propane bottle will do. Heat the metal around the pin, try to avoid the pin itself.
aluminum will expand quicker than steel. So after a good few minutes, take the flame off and using a pair of grips grab the pin and pull.
If it doesn't come loose, keep heating... to replace the pin, heat that pin hole again and grease up your pin.
When the heat has expanded the hole enough, the pin should slide right in. Do not hit it with anything... and you only get one shot...
if you don't sink it in all the way you will have to heat it up to remove it.
Best to find out your depth and mark it on the pin to ensure you have the right depth.
Let it air cool... do not use water or oil...