pulley removal ideas needed

Threw a belt on my CubCadet riding mower. Instructions say to "remove bolt on end of vertical shaft (impact gun required), lower and remove clutch assembly from shaft, slide off drive pulley so belt can be removed/installed".

I had to use a puller to remove the clutch assembly. It didn't simply "slide" down off the 4" long engine shaft. Next is the pulley. 3.56" diameter. I cannot get it to budge. The only place to attach a puller is the nearest belt groove. Needless to say, I've already buggered that up. No access to the far side of the pulley.

Has anybody tried to drill and tap a pair of holes near the pulley hub? I could thread the holes and make a suitable puller. I have no idea if there is enough metal in these cheap stamped pulleys to cut threads. Adding a nut to the back end of my bolts would be impossible.

Heat would be another option. Have to have the wife stand by with the extinguisher since I'm spilling some gasoline. (I have the unit tipped on it's side). Naturally, I am using all sorts of penetrating oils.

Additional ideas would be appreciated. While I still might be within my 3 year warranty (I'll look for receipts) the belt is a wearable part and would not be covered. It's a damn shame that a $2,500 piece of equipment is worthless because it needs a new belt.

Need help!!! All advise appreciated.

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

Reply to
Ivan Vegvary
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Kroil is mail order so PB Blaster is the next choice. A bit of heat will speed things up. Give it as much time as you have patience for. Clean the shaft and such well. Unless the shaft is buggered up it'll come.

Reply to
Tom Gardner

If the puller ideas don't work out, and since the pully is already ruined, you can cut the pulley off too the hub with a abrasive cutoff wheel, or die grinder and burr. Then maybe you can get to the back side of the hub with a puller?? If not back things up with a heavy steel block and use a cold chisel on the hub to either split or expand it. Assuming it's non hardened this should not take too many whacks/

Carl

Reply to
Carl Boyd

Heat will help, but it will ruin the crankshaft seal too. so replace it also! Ihave removed many of these pulleys on riding mowers over the years. You are correct that the metal is too thin to thread into. If you do not have access to the back side, perhaps well a couple of nuts to the pulley, near the hub so when you use a puller you do not distort it as much. Greg

Reply to
Greg O

As others said, penetrating oil and time. Clean the shaft portions that you will have to slide over. Gentle heat that won't hurt the seals behind can help start the dislodging processs. Applying oil and tapping hub with a light hammer to set up some shock waves periodically will hasten the process. Expect this to take some time. The rust is not in a hurry, you are.

If there is the slightest bit of play in the keyway, you can attempt to use a piece of the old drive belt as a improvised strap wrench to try to wiggle the pulley about the shaft.

Wes

Reply to
Wes

Plan 1. Kroil. Warm it up a bit---just hot enough to be uncomfortable. Spray on Kroil, let it cool. Repeat at least 3 times. Usually you can sneak a couple of "rolling head" prybars in behind the pulley. I'm talking about the round prybars with a long taper on one end and a head that kind of looks like a toucan's beak on the other--sold in sets of 4 cheap at HF. Try to pry it off. Try rocking it by prying alternately with the bars. Try putting tension on it and have someone whack the shaft with a deadblow hammer. If it doesn't work, go to plan 2.

Plan 2. Find a piece of pipe/tubing whatever that will fit over the shaft and is a little longer than the length of the exposed shaft. On one end cap it, or weld a suitable nut on it. You want to end up with a hollow tube, open on one end, with a pusher bolt running lengthwise through the center. Screw a short bolt into the hole in the end of the crankshaft so you don't bugger the threads when you push against it. Slip the open end of the puller tube over the crankshaft and weld it to the pulley hub. 3 good heavy tack welds are enough. Screw in bolt to apply tension. Whack end of bolt with hammer, apply gentle heat, all of the normal puller techniques. The pulley WILL come off!

Bill

Reply to
Bill Marrs

Reply to
JR North

Ingenious!!! Thanks Bill

Ivan Vegvary

Reply to
Ivan Vegvary

Thanks everyone for the encouraging word. I will definitely use patience.

I did consider welding 2 parallel bolts onto the pulley hub (the hub is generously long, 2 inches±, maybe that's why it is so stubborn) and making a puller assembly. However, Bill Marrs idea of simply sliding a tube over the shaft, welding to the pulley and using that as a puller seems much simpler and ingenious.

Anyway, patience first.

Thanks everyone!!!!

Ivan Vegvary

Reply to
Ivan Vegvary

Try using a penetrant such as "Liquid Wrench" on the pully shaft. If that fails, try heating it with a torch and letting it cool. The problem is, most likely, rust that has formed on the shaft and locked the pully on. I had to destroy my old Craftsman roto-tiller because of it. I couldn't get the wheels off the shaft. I finally said to hell with it, bought a new one and dismantled the old one for themotor.

Jim Chandler

Reply to
Jim Chandler

Sawzall old pulley, clean shaft replace pulley with new. Yeah I hate to ruin a good pulley too but I hate to lose a whole Saturday fiddling with one also.

Reply to
beecrofter

Question to Bill Marrs: Please tell us a bit more about the "rolling head" prybars from HF. Have you are a more exact description, a number maybe ?

Reply to
Robert Swinney

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"Rolling head" might be a local term--probably called something else in your neck of the woods. It does kind of describe the action when you use one.

Handy little suckers. I've even been known to use them in the lathe to nudge a piece in the 4 jaw when dialing it in.

Hint---Buy TWO sets. That way you have 4 sets of equal sized bars. When you are trying to get in behind something and pry it off of a shaft, get equal size bars behind it at two points 180 degrees apart. Seems to work a little better if the pressure is equal on both sides.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Marrs

That's what we call them up here in the Great White North.

Reply to
sparky

Thanks for all the help, guys.

8.5 hours later, the pulley is finally off!! First I made a puller. 1" acme thread into a large nut attached to a 6" long sleeve (1" inside diameter) that fit right over the shaft. Put on a couple of small tack welds between the sleeve and the pulley and started tightening the puller. Tapped lightly on the end of the assembly (lightly because I am basically beating on the crankshaft) with each little twist of the puller. The tack welds broke. Next I fully welded the sleeve unto the pulley. It was not going to break this time. Tightened and tapped until I bent my 1/2" crossbar into a pretzel. Enough of the puller.

The next 3 hours were spent with the dremmel and cold chisels. Due to lack of access I could only nibble off a little at a time. Finally got it all.

THE PROBLEM. The hub part of this pulley is almost 4 inches long which makes for a lot of surface area for rust. I managed not to damage the engine shaft. Just two minor nicks which I can take care of with some emery cloth. BTW there is still 15 days left on the 3 year warranty. I know that the belts are not warranted, but, you cannot change belts without removing the pulley. What a poor design.

Thanks everyone!!!! What a group.

Ivan Vegvary

Reply to
Ivan Vegvary

Ivan,

Not quite clear on what you did. It sounds like you cut the entire pulley away from the shaft. Is this correct. ?

Bob Swinney

Reply to
Robert Swinney

Consider replacing the pulley with a taper-lock or QD bushed pulley. It'll make replacing the belts a 1/2 hour job instead of an all-day affair. The choice between QD and taper-lock may depend on what sort of access you have around the pulley.

Ned Simmons

Reply to
Ned Simmons

I had to destroy my old Craftsman roto-tiller because of

Hi Jim, Funny you should mention the Craftsman roto-tiller. I've had my 19" for over ten years. Flips belts often, and, as you know, you tip the machine, slide off left wheel, remove cover, replace belt. Well last year the belt flipped when my son-in-law was using it as an excavator. No problem, EXCEPT, the wheel didn't come off. Spent 3-4 hours using every trick I know. Finally we got behind the wheel, managed to remover the cover attaching bolt, wiggled the cover off and left it off for good. Last month I gave the whole assembly to my nephew along with a lot of apologies for the wheel. (Also gave him the nice, shiny cover). Also had to fix a flat on the same wheel. Lots of fun when the wheel won't come off.

Ivan Vegvary

Reply to
Ivan Vegvary

I never had to replace a belt. The machine ran flawlessly for about 10+ years. When I did need to get the $*&%^#! wheel off to fix a flat, it wouldn't move. I tried everything. Finally just said #$%^ it and dismantled it. Still have the engine to use on something (I haven't a clue what, yet) but the rest went to the recycler.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Chandler

If you put an OEM pulley back on, use some antisieze compound.

Wes

Reply to
Wes

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