I have successfully removed flanges from three piece hubs to restore, but have found that the process is bothe cumbersome and not economical, given that these hubs are available at lesser cost than the process if you are patient.
To remove flanges you have to soak (the flange only) in extremly hot oil and then drive the flange from teh barrel with a dowel/hammer. This is a bench/vice/shop process and not to be attempted without problems on your kitchen table.
Reassembly is the same except in reverse. It is a good idea to put a small reference mark on both the flange and barrel for reassemble so that spoke holes are correctly aligned.
The flanges should be highly polished before anodizing. Anodized airlites are pretty hubs, even if they were not the best overall. I have seen them in red, green, blue and gold. My '52 Ephgrave path racer has red ones.
Good luck, Ken Denny Boston, MA
>From: Huthornton@aol.com
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [Classicrendezvous] Airlite and Powell hubs
>Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2000 16:12:56 EST
>
>I have some Airlite and Powell hubs in sore need of restoration and would
>be
>pleased to receive any advice.
>
>The steel barrels need re-chroming, so how does one get the alloy flanges
>off, and are there any special instruction required so that the exterior of
>the barrel looks good and the bearing surfaces are durable?
>
>The Airlite flanges are plain anodized, but these hubs are destined for a
>bike which would have had red anodized hubs. Are there any problems with
>having them red anodized or would it be better to leave them the way they
>are?
>
>Hugh Thornton
>
>_______________________________________________
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