pull tractor steering wheel

I tried to pull the steering wheel off my Ford 3600 last spring. Gave up. Got no choice now, unless I'd like to scrap the tractor.

Last year the puller munged the bottom of the steering wheel. So, I'm spending the morning building a collar to go under the wheel and let the puller grab. meanwhile, I'm soaking the joint in WD40. (For those that don't know, a steering wheel is held on a taper spline)

If (when) this don't work, any other ideas? I'm afraid of heat - the wheel is made of hard black plastic. Although I may have to destroy the wheel by torching it off, I'd like to try everything else first.

Karl

Reply to
Karl Townsend
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Kroil, PB blaster or atf thinned with something (xylene or tolulene, I think?) might all be better than WD-40 - Though none worked on hydraulic line joints on my 4500 until I got the whole line out (some joints far from the leaking section of hose would come off) where I could put 3 foot cheater bars on it. And they have done nothing for the power steering pin (taper, no spline, hard to get at in the nose of the tractor).

As is all too often the case, $150 of ford service manuals covering the thousand series offers no useful input at all.

Try here:

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Reply to
Ecnerwal

Spare no expense on penetrant. I never considered WD40 to be a very good one.

Rapping on the wheel hub 90 degrees to the shaft. In between the spokes.

Reply to
Elliot G

Do you have room to drill and tap two 5/16" hole in the hub? I did that with an Oliver wheel I wanted to remove. Then a standard steering wheel puller should take it off.

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Reply to
Up North

I have a few cub cadet garden tractors that need the steering wheels removed now and then. The Cub website gives this suggestion and it works for me: (you may have to make slight adjustments to the process for the height of the wheel and the seat---)

Assuming there's a nut on the steering wheel shaft--- Loosen the nut just enough so it protects the shaft from hammer blows. Sit on the tractor seat and position yourself so your legs can push UP under the wheel, (using your lower leg muscles). Get a hammer, as heavy as you can. I suggest 3 to 4 pouunds, at least. While pushing upwards on the underside of the steering wheel with your legs, as hard as you can, smack the nut, straight on with the hammer. A few hard hits and it comes free.

A personal note on this, to help you understand the process: The first time I tried this, I used a lead hammer because it was the heaviest hammer that was handy. The steering wheel would not budge! I tried many times. No luck. The lead hammer acted like a dead blow hammer. Then I got a 3 pound steel hammer. 2 blows and off she came. This makes me think it's the SHARPness of the blow that does it. I'm sure you have seen a high speed video of a hammer hitting something solid. The hammer hits the first time, bounces back, hits again, bounces, etc., many times. It's called "ringing", and I think that helps here.

Pete Stanaitis

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Reply to
spaco

Hey Karl,

I may seem like an idiot for mentioning this, but WD40 SUCKS as a USEFUL penetrating fluid.

And more of the "am I an idiot in mentioning?" is that the puller doesn't "PULL" a taper, but merely applies high pressure/force, and then you WHACK it really really hard to get it to release. Sends a shock wave. I bet you already knew/do that, but....JIC !!

Take care. Good luck.

Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario.

Reply to
Brian Lawson

What Pete said!! I'd add a few things:

Use Kroil or PB blaster. WD-40 is worthless for this. Soak it down, might have to keep doing it for several days.

It's real hard to keep from munging up the end of the shaft: Much better to make a new nut/cap that covers all the exposed threads, had an inch or two of steel above the threads so you can get a REALLY good thwack on it. If there are spines or something else, counter bore the adapter so it has a flat bottom with diameter selected to keep the adapter straight when you whack it.

Use at least a 3 pound steel hammer, I have a 6# hand sledge (shortened up the handle > I have a few cub cadet garden tractors that need the steering wheels

Reply to
RoyJ

Another vote for Kroil. I got a gallon of the stuff based on the recommendations here and it's definitely the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Reply to
Pete C.

Use an impact wrench on the puller and you get both in one operation.

Reply to
Pete C.

Actually not. The impact wrench delivers a lot of impact to the nut and shaft but not in a useful direction to pop the spline/taper loose. A hammer drill would probably more useful.

Reply to
RoyJ

You stand a good chance of stripping the threads in the wheel that way and won't feel it happening Just get the puller tight and give the top end of the leadscrew a sharp crack with a brass hammer. Then re-tighten and whack it again if needed.

I don't understand why American engineers insist on a taper fit for steering wheels. German car steering wheels pull off by hand with almost no effort. In 35 years I have never seen one strip or fall off.

Reply to
Stupendous Man

Put the nut on the end of the shaft- flush with the shaft. Put a jack inder both sides of the wheel (or use your nees) and the smack the end of the shaft with the BFH. Hit it hard and smartly and the taper WILL release.

As for WD40, you may as well whiz on it. You need a REAL penetrant to do any good. Kroil, MouseMilk (yes, there IS a real product called mouse milk) or one of the "ionic penetrants". LLoyds makes some pretty good penetrants. CRC too.

Reply to
clare

I would be a little apprehensive about using a hammer if there is a control valve on the other end of the shaft. Steve

Reply to
Up North

In the shop an air Zip gun (air chisel or air rivetter head) works even better than the sledge, and is easier to keep square (usually)

Reply to
clare

Or you sinply seize up the thread of the puller. BTDTWOTTS (been there, done that, wore out the"T" shirt)

Reply to
clare

No problem as long as the wheel is supported,so the shaft is in tension. No serious impact force will get down to the valve. I've dome it likely hundreds of times ofer the last 4 decades. Never damaged anything other than occaisionally (the first couple of times) mushrooming the end of the shaft.

Reply to
clare

This is why you use pullers with a lifetime warranty...

Reply to
Pete C.

Make the collar as massive as you can while still being able to get it in there. Back off the nut so it is flush with the end of the shaft, and give it a sharp whack while the collar is being pulled up. Use a brass head hammer for the maximum transfer of energy while doing the minimum deformation of the threads. (Or, give a whack on the screw of the pulley puller once the puller is good and tight.)

I would not consider WD-40 to be a good penetrating oil. There are various ones which are discussed here from time to time. Kroil is one. I forget the second. But you can also use "Marvel Mystery Oil" (a pink/red oil) for the task.

Heat the end of the shaft, let it expand to break the rust bond, (with the penetrating oil in place), then put something as cold as you can find on the center of the shaft. Plain ice is a starting point. Dry Ice is better. Liquid Nitrogen is even better. The thermal shocks will help to break it free.

Good Luck, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

Karl: I just successfully pulled the wheel on our M/F 135 that was the same kind of maddening problem. Heat won't work, shock won't work. what worked for me was a bearing separator. It will fit under the wheel and bear fully on the face of the hub, so it won't dig like the gear puller. In my case it was a pull almost all the way due to rust and gunge. The hammer blows on the end of the shaft will work 'cause the plastic just absorbs the shock, and again, rust resists.

If you can't borrow a bearing separator/puller you should be able to rent one. Good Luck!

Reply to
John Hall

"John Hall" fired this volley in news:49c56efe$0$5499$ snipped-for-privacy@news.aliant.net:

Good! I have a '68 Deutz that needs a new wheel, and I gave up on it.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

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