Need advice on removing stubborn pulley from spindle

[cprice12]

So I bought three replacement pulleys for the deck belt...but I can't get the old pulleys off.

I used a mini-sledge with a wood block to protect the spindle...but they wouldn't pop free. I rigged up some 2x4's so the entire thing was resting on the pulley and hammered down on top of the spindle...hoping it would come free.

I sprayed penetrating oil on all three before I tried to free it and again after...and they have been sitting since yesterday evening.

Any tips?

 

[BlazNT]

Use PBblaster not WD40. WD40 is not really a penertrating oil. PBblaster is. Get a pulley puller. 4ton.

 

[cprice12]

Use PBblaster not WD40. WD40 is not really a penertrating oil. PBblaster is. Get a pulley puller. 4ton.

I did use penatrating oil...not WD40.
And I'm renting a pulley puller after work today.
Thanks...hopefully that does the trick.

 

[Fish]

Get a grade 8 nut that fits the shaft threads, and thread it almost all of the way to the shaft, and hit that with the hammer, with the spindle sitting on you vice, or something real solid. Wood has too much "bounce"...

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Being the pulley will be replaced, drill three 21/64" holes equidistant just outside the hub and tap 3/8" fine thread. Drill three 7/16" holes with the same spacing in a half in thick plate. Drop cap screws through the 7/16 holes and screw in with a good amount of torque. ( judgement call ). Allow the plate to rest on the shaft end.

With a torch begin heating the outer periphery of each pulley edge so the hub will expand before the shaft expands. That heat will expand the hub while the hub can still be touched with your fingers. Check the cap screw torque frequently and tighten when necessary. If the pulley moves some then seems to cease movement, stop and cool the complete assembly and start back at square 1. An impact, used with some horse sense, is handy to make it go faster once the pulley decides to move.

 

[reynoldston]

I did use penatrating oil...not WD40.
And I'm renting a pulley puller after work today.
Thanks...hopefully that does the trick.

That would be my next try is a puller. Then if that didn't work, heat. Then if that didn't work I would cut it off. Be careful of the threaded shaft.

 

[cprice12]

Being the pulley will be replaced, drill three 21/64" holes equidistant just outside the hub and tap 3/8" fine thread. Drill three 7/16" holes with the same spacing in a half in thick plate. Drop cap screws through the 7/16 holes and screw in with a good amount of torque. ( judgement call ). Allow the plate to rest on the shaft end.

With a torch begin heating the outer periphery of each pulley edge so the hub will expand before the shaft expands. That heat will expand the hub while the hub can still be touched with your fingers. Check the cap screw torque frequently and tighten when necessary. If the pulley moves some then seems to cease movement, stop and cool the complete assembly and start back at square 1. An impact, used with some horse sense, is handy to make it go faster once the pulley decides to move.

Why would I drill holes in the pulley?

 

[cprice12]

Soaking with penetrating oil overnight, then using the pulley puller with some heat did the trick.
It didn't move at first with the puller, but I applied heat then it came right off.
Worked fine on all three.
I had never used a pulley puller before...nice tool. The rental place couldn't find the price in their system for the puller, so they just charged me $5 for 24 hours. Sounded good to me.
Thanks guys.

 

[motoman]

well done!

 

[vaskeet]

I had never used a pulley puller before...nice tool. The rental place couldn't find the price in their system for the puller, so they just charged me $5 for 24 hours. Sounded good to me.
Thanks guys.

[

around here both auto zone and advance auto have pullers and other tool for free rental. They put a charge for the price of the tool on your cc and refund it when you return the tool. another trick for stuck parts is paraffin wax. All you need is some paraffin wax (candle wax) and a source of focused heat. A propane torch or a heat gun should be used to gently heat the fastener. In this case, you don't have to get it too hot, just warm enough to melt the wax. Once the metal is warm enough, touch the candle to the fastener around the edges and allow the wax to melt. The heat will pull the wax into the gaps between the bolt and nut threads and allow for easier turning. Remember that the wax will tend to flow to the heat source, so heat the bottom threads the most.