Removing pulley on deck

[Toolmanbill 36]

Trying to get deck welded and need to remove pulley and spindle and get the pulley off.looks like it should pull off.is it possible it is just frozen? I live in the woods and it is tough on the decks.this is the 3rd deck in 31 years. 2 sets of # on deck 1542sd03 and 1050621.any advice would be appreciated.

Edited 22 hours ago by Toolmanbill

[Ed Kennell 43,227]

Two of these work   ....sometimes.

 

[nylyon-(Admin) 8,410]

What Ed said, have to get under the center of the pulley.  I have had a couple where the pulley just bent, then have to get a new pulley.  

[squonk 44,704]

Buy a pulley, If you wreck it ya got one. If you don't wreck the pulley you have a spare or return it. 

[Brockport Bill 2,072]

 i have had a few decks i bought used that i tried to rescue rehab that had obviously been left outdoors -- I used every imaginable idea and suggestion but they were totally rust frozen on shaft -- used multiple penetrant products for weeks -- used heat - used wheel puller - used 2 pry bars etc -- but at some point i had to surrender to the rust gods -- then its time to cut pulleys off -- the biggest challenge then is to not destroy the top of shaft with grinder disc which sadly isn't always possible. Just recently had to buy two new spindle shafts from KB. 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,767]

Just for your records the model number is 15-42SC03 and the 1050621 is a 1991 serial number.

[Brockport Bill 2,072]

7 hours ago, Toolmanbill said:

Trying to get deck welded and need to remove pulley and spindle and get the pulley off.looks like it should pull off.is it possible it is just frozen? I live in the woods and it is tough on the decks.this is the 3rd deck in 31 years. 2 sets of # on deck 1542sd03 and 1050621.any advice would be appreciated.

wondering when you say from living in the 'woods" is tough on the decks -- that you needed 3 decks over 31 years, if that was from structural damage or from rot causing rust through holes ???? I have a 37 inch deck I bought new in '89 with my 312-8 -- I clean deck multiple times underneath each season -- its 36 years later -- i recently did rehab to save it for many more years of use - - cleaning it and mowing carefully has given it a long life

[peter lena 9,483]

@Toolmanbill  your second picture is perfect  for wonder   bar placement, need 2 WONDER BARS , slide one on each side UNDER PULLEY AND ROCKING on the spindle mount bolt , push both  bars  OUTWARD t the same time , the leverage equalization ,gives a solid EQUAL  LIFTING  FORCE , of course  penetrating oil before  attempt , done a number of them , makes a tough job easy , you are PUTTING 90 DEGREE BAR END UNDER PULLER , ON TOP OF BOLTS THAT HOLD SPINDLE TO DECK  , lift off is easy . if it were me I would also plan on  doing bearing swap  out and re greasing those spindle bearings , lucas  xtra HD  green chassis grease , done a number of decks , have also added a spindle belt idler , to reduce belt bounce . let me know how you are doing , pete     

[Achto 29,957]

40 minutes ago, Brockport Bill said:

wondering when you say from living in the 'woods" is tough on the decks

 

Living in sand country is also very hard on decks. I have good black dirt and a full lawn. My friends yard is sand & grass is OK but not real full. A set of blades last one season. By the end of the year they are too thin to even bother sharpening. Given what the sand does to the blades, you can imagine what it does to a deck. 4 to 5 years on a deck before it gets sand blasted through. Needless to say he does not mow lawn with any of his vintage tractors. Instead he just burns through some cheaper lawn tractors and picks up decks for them when he can. 

Edited 14 hours ago by Achto

[JoeM 8,987]

I drive wood wedges under two sides of the pulley, you have to try to get as close to center as possible. I use door and window shims and put the nut on the top of the thread and give the shaft a wack. 

sometimes heat will help. 

 

I tried this one time and could not get enough clamping force on the fit. and it pulled off. Might have gave up to soon and should have redesigned the clamp. 

[953 nut 62,414]

8 minutes ago, JoeM said:

drive wood wedges under two sides of the pulley, you have to try to get as close to center as possible. I use door and window shims and put the nut on the top of the thread and give the shaft a wack. 

A pair of wooden wedges on each side of the pulley driven toward one another will provide good even pressure. Put the nut on the shaft and use a brass hammer or a piece of hardwood to protect the threads and a BFH Tool with a good hard whack should pop it off.

[Brockport Bill 2,072]

i have used the map gas -- multiple penetrants - plus the 2 "wonder" pry bars - and the hub puller -- none worked after many weeks -- thus was time to cut off the pulley

[Toolmanbill 36]

For what it’s worth I remove the deck in the winter to mount the standard front plow.before the mount this in the spring I put a wire brush on my angle grinder and repaint the underside and put new blades on. The wear and tear on the deck seem to come from tree roots that grow above ground and frost heave leave me more rocks.they seem to make very many babies in the spring.

Thanks for all your help and responses!and for what its worth it’s never stored outside.

 

Edited 13 hours ago by Toolmanbill
Not complete

[ineedanother 1,739]

9 minutes ago, Toolmanbill said:

For what it’s worth I remove the deck in the winter to mount the standard front plow.before the mount this in the spring I put a wire brush on my angle grinder and repaint the underside and put new blades on. The wear and tear on the deck seem to come from tree roots that grow above ground and frost heave leave me more rocks.they seem to make very many babies in the spring.

Thanks for all your help and responses!and for what its worth it’s never stored outside.

 

FWIW, mowing decks are high labor implements IMO. I enjoy cutting grass but am old and have little love for the engineering that we employ and have to maintain.

[JoeM 8,987]

10 hours ago, 953 nut said:

A pair of wooden wedges on each side of the pulley driven toward one another will provide good even pressure. Put the nut on the shaft and use a brass hammer or a piece of hardwood to protect the threads and a BFH Tool with a good hard whack should pop it off

exactly! precisely! spot on mate! perfectly said! 

 

I do have a fine thread nut welded to a piece of 1/2" square steel that is put on the top of the threaded shaft when the BFH comes out of the drawer. 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,767]

If you have the hub well supported a second sledge hammer and a friend helps. Hold one hammer on the nut and hit it with a second hammer. This prevents damage to the spindle and threads. And don't be afraid to hit it. One good slam is more effective than a few taps.