Gooseneck removal - after 6 years in place... How to?

[OzzieNorm]

Hi Folks.
My 2006 ST spent the first 6 years of its life working at a coal mine. Dust everywhere - all the time.

As I do not need the tow bar all the time (as most round town towing will be done behind a car), I wish to remove the gooseneck - as it protrudes significantly behind the wagon. And it's ugly! It is of a particularly heavy duty type.

Any suggestions as to how to remove the gooseneck (without destroying it or the tow bar)?

It could well be clogged with dust. And, it may have rusted to the tow bar housing. :icon_bonk:

Advice pls.
Thanks

[White Elephant]

Hi Folks.
My 2006 ST spent the first 6 years of its life working at a coal mine. Dust everywhere - all the time.

As I do not need the tow bar all the time (as most round town towing will be done behind a car), I wish to remove the gooseneck - as it protrudes significantly behind the wagon. And it's ugly! It is of a particularly heavy duty type.

Any suggestions as to how to remove the gooseneck (without destroying it or the tow bar)?

It could well be clogged with dust. And, it may have rusted to the tow bar housing. :icon_bonk:

Advice pls.
Thanks

G'day Ozzienorm, I would be inclined to give it a good blast with some freeze spray or WD40(or any kind of penetrant) and let it soak in, give it a bit of a tap on the outer sleeve with a soft faced mallet or gimpy hammer first and see if it moves, also give the goose neck a bit of a bump on each side, which should loosen up any corrosion in there. If that doesn't work. I would give it a good wash down to get any residual penetrant off, and then use heat to release it, i.e a decent blowtorch or an Oxy/Acet torch. Hope this helps! Good luck with it.

[Bigrig]

Hey mate - had the same problem with mine, I hit it with heat and a jig a mate made up that allowed us to smash it with a sledge and it didn't budge an inch. Then tried the two best penetrants I know of (Penetrene and Yield) and still didn't budge.

Not going to post how I ended up getting it out as its not so much dangerous (not very dangerous at all really) but high risk of damage to the truck if done wrong.

The only other way is to take off the whole assembly and take it to a workshop that has at least a 40 tonne press and get them to do it - painful, but the safest and least stress way of doing it.

Good luck with it!!

[OzzieNorm]

Thanks folk of your inputs.

When you say "Apply heat", I assume that is to the box/housing into which the gooseneck slides - to cause the housing to expand when heated and thereby make a very little bit of extra room for the gooseneck - all the while keeping the gooseneck cool (like under running water).

Or is my assumption making an A55E of me?

[Dhuck]

Hey mate - had the same problem with mine, I hit it with heat and a jig a mate made up that allowed us to smash it with a sledge and it didn't budge an inch. Then tried the two best penetrants I know of (Penetrene and Yield) and still didn't budge.

Not going to post how I ended up getting it out as its not so much dangerous (not very dangerous at all really) but high risk of damage to the truck if done wrong.

The only other way is to take off the whole assembly and take it to a workshop that has at least a 40 tonne press and get them to do it - painful, but the safest and least stress way of doing it.

Good luck with it!!

Come on Scotty tell them all how you got it off. Rofl


Dave

[NissanGQ4.2]

Just snatch it with someone with a death wish *LMAO*

[taslucas]

Just snatch it with someone with a death wish *LMAO*

Trees have no fear of death!! lmao

[Bigrig]

Come on Scotty tell them all how you got it off. Rofl


Dave

Stop it you clown!!! lmao