The frozen whelk thread

[LMPPLUS]

These wheels are xtremley hard to get off, many times the axle will pull out of the transmission before the axle will break loose from the hub, your best chance is to heat the hub area really hot and quinch with water, doing this you also run the risk of over heating the transmission seal. Good luck.

 

[JKQ]

I hope someone could give me some insight or knowledge on how to get a frozen rear wheel off a garden tractor. Specifically it is a. Old MTD .
I have tried everything from PB Blaster to heat to pounding it. Nothing no budge.
My next try would be to get an air chisel to the back of it. But I wanted to see if anybody had any other ideas?
Jim

Is this a rear wheel you are working on? Are there two holes on each side of the arbor? Get a puller from a parts store insert all thread in holes and push against he wheel,Penetrating oil and tighten center bolt to push wheel oof of drive shaft

 

[Curtisun]

I had a rear wheel just like your description. I done about the same things people are saying to do use a puller, heat the hub at the axel area quinch it and a sledge hammer 5 lb and used a steel bar along with someone tightening the wheel puller at same time and it would not budge. I bought maybe 20$ worth of rust solvent and lubricant type solvents such as WD40 and blaster. None worked because it did not penetrate deep enough.
What I ended up doing was taking a cutting torch and cutting the rim off the axle without damaging the splines. But it takes someone with a lot of experience with a torch not to damage the shaft.
There is some that will not come off without damaging the hub.

 

[Curtisun]

One other thing is to use some never seize on the axel when putting another one on and you will not have this problem if you ever have to remove it again.

 

[georgPru2]

I hope someone could give me some insight or knowledge on how to get a frozen rear wheel off a garden tractor. Specifically it is a. Old MTD .
I have tried everything from PB Blaster to heat to pounding it. Nothing no budge.
My next try would be to get an air chisel to the back of it. But I wanted to see if anybody had any other ideas?
Jim

Taryl has a video showing a unique way of using a air hammer to remove stuck rider whls.

 

[johniii]

Did you ever get it off? Lots of good answers here.

 

[grumpyunk]

If you put a sacrificial bolt into the axle, suspend the back end, and give the bolt a good belt with a large hammer, the axle will try to move out of the wheel hub. I like using air operate chiseld with a round flat face, possibly pointed chisel in the hammer. Suspend as before, wheel off the ground anyway, and apply the chisel. The multiple hits directly on the end of the axle(via the bolt) should vibrate it enough to break the hub free of the axle. I think banging on the inner side of the wheel will not be productive, could be mistaken. You may want to have someone attempt to give the wheel more mass by holding onto the tire as the big hammer or air chisel bangs are given.
tom

 

[MowerNick]

Careful to not break the snap ring inside the transaxle. could cost you alot of money.

 

[catfish51]

I used to have a 5 pound but it flew off the handle and damn near killed my wife

I feel sorry for you You were very close to becoming happy again lol

 

[louwdj]

Been there, done it several times. I nursed one (JD STX 38) for several weeks in a vertical position with ATF/Acetone mix. Kept puller on, hammered, pressed with two hydraulic jacks, etc but eventually wrote the rim off, cutting it off the axle with an angle grinder. Unfortunately I do not have an air chisel which in future I may try. Lately, I do not bother to try it in position. I just split the gearbox, take wheel and shaft out and press it off in a hydraulic press. These were all John Deeres with square key on a round axle. I have seen pressures in excess of 20 tons in the press before they would budge. Since these axles are not tapered, after the initial snap, they still have to be pressed all the way, Snapping as the release, all the way.