Oh, these pesky decks and spindles....

[davem1111 1,932]

I thought I'd circle back and see if I can fix a 42" deck (05-42MS05) that came off of one of my previous tractor purchases. I got the blades off and the bottoms of the spindles look good, and it needs some metal welded on where the wheel height adustment bracket bolts on. No big deal.

 

The problem I'm having now on this deck is that I can't get this one spindle off. I haven't gotten the others off either, but they seem to be fine. This pulley is flopping around and obviously needs help. I've tried heating it with a torch after spraying it with penetrating spray numerous times, and it won't budge.  At this point, I'm thinking that I'll just need to grind it off, right through the spindle shaft, unless I can successfully cut through the thick ring without damaging the spindle shaft. If I have to grind through the pulley, it probably doesn't matter because I think it's shot already. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

One question:  Is that thick ring supposed to be part of the pulley? This one is detached and the pulley spins freely (and sloppily).  Assuming I'll need to buy a new pulley, but was hoping not to have to buy another spindle shaft also. I did take the grease zirk off and have hammered on the top some, but only with a block of brass in between. It could already be damaged there.

 

The picture doesn't help much, but here it is:

 

[Snoopy11 5,713]

1 minute ago, davem1111 said:

Anyone have any other ideas?

Do you have any MAPP gas handy?

 

Don

[davem1111 1,932]

1 minute ago, Snoopy11 said:

Do you have any MAPP gas handy?

 

Don

 

That's what I've been using to heat it -  MAPP + Oxygen.

[Snoopy11 5,713]

3 minutes ago, davem1111 said:

That's what I've been using to heat it -  MAPP + Oxygen.

Oh oh... okay... sorry, I was thinking propane when you said "heating" it...

 

Have you thought about a 3 jaw puller?

 

 

Don

Edited September 5, 2022 by Snoopy11

[davem1111 1,932]

2 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said:

Oh oh... okay... sorry, I was thinking propane when you said "heating" it...

 

Have you thought about a 2/3 jaw puller?

 

Don

 

Well, thought about, yes.     Okay, more than thought.  The one I have doesn't have arms long enough to reach under the pulley with the center bolt on top of the spindle shaft, and even if I did, my guess is that it would just bend the crap out of the pulley.  There's not enough room to get the teeth under that thick center ring, which is what seems to be rustwelded to the spindle shaft. Maybe I could buy a specialized puller that would work but it may cost me as much as a new spindle shaft.  Yeah, I know, tools like that will likely come in handy multiple times, but then if I damage the shaft anyway I'll be buying both. 

 

[Snoopy11 5,713]

2 minutes ago, davem1111 said:

my guess is that it would just bend the crap out of the pulley

That may happen... but I've actually been surprised in the past of how --once you get some pulling juice on pulleys... they just come right off...

 

It may just be a matter of 1 little pull, and it will loosen and come off...

 

Oh, and the pullers from Harbor Freight are pretty cheap...

 

3 pack:

 

 

8 inch puller...

 

 

Don

[stevasaurus 22,229]

You will bend or break the pulley with a 3 jaw puller.  You need a hydraulic press.  If you do not have access to one, you might try an auto shop or a machine shop.  Hit them on a slow day, and they might do it for nothing.  

[Snoopy11 5,713]

9 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

You need a hydraulic press

That... or an air hammer...

 

 

Don

[peter lena 8,035]

@davem1111  second  deck pully picture , 2 pry  bars , evenly pushing a lubricated  pulley off spindle shaft , bolt head on deck acts like a rocker with the curved bar  pushed right up against the center of pulley hub , thats the strongest lift push area , also no pulley damage . done this on a number of decks , while i,m in there , that the time to lucas green grease the bearings, no noise / failure , pete   

 

[davem1111 1,932]

1 hour ago, peter lena said:

@davem1111  second  deck pully picture , 2 pry  bars , evenly pushing a lubricated  pulley off spindle shaft , bolt head on deck acts like a rocker with the curved bar  pushed right up against the center of pulley hub , thats the strongest lift push area , also no pulley damage . done this on a number of decks , while i,m in there , that the time to lucas green grease the bearings, no noise / failure , pete   

 

Pete - much appreciated, but... I've tried the 2 pry bar approach and all it does is bend the pulley.  This deck must have sat outside for a very long time. So far, multiple hits of Liquid Wrench and PB Blaster, plus MAPP + Oxygen heating, does not get this pulley to budge. 

 

I think I'm concluding that I'll have to try to cut into that ring from the sides to split it, hopefully without damaging the shaft, but if I do I'll buy another shaft.  The deck is useless and unrepairable unless I can get that pulley off.  

[peter lena 8,035]

@davem1111   you  must be really dealing with solid rust , done 3  decks , with easy pulley removal , if you use a power cutter wheel , be very careful dot to damage the shaft , side cuts will probably let you pry and split the rest .if you do rebuild those spindles , repack those new bearings with lucas xtra hd , hi temp 560 deg  grease . and also rebuild your mule drive bearings , same thing , no noise , no failures , pete   

[ineedanother 1,365]

1 hour ago, peter lena said:

@davem1111   you  must be really dealing with solid rust , side cuts will probably let you pry and split the rest 

That pulley is likely spent at this point so I agree with @peter lena, notch and chisel might be your most expedient solution at this point. Not pleasant but a product of recycling this old equipment. Simply preserving the integrity of the shaft might need to be your focus and priority now.