Riding mower wheel rusted to axle

[dieselfuelonly]

So today I noticed that I can swap my JD 175 wheels and tires with the wheels and the tires on an old Yerf-Dog go kart. Its a win-win because the go-kart gets too much traction and it'd be a lot more fun if it could slide around, and the little JD could do better with a little more traction.

The only problem is one of the wheels on the JD is rusted to the axle. It doesn't have any lug nuts, its just the kind that slides over the axle and a keyway transfers the power from the axle to the wheel and a c-clip holds it in place.

I've probably hit it over 1000 times today with a 4lb sledge hammer against a piece of wood wedged against the back of the wheel. I've rotated, PB blasted, WD-40'd, cursed driven around like a wild man, etc., and it will NOT break loose.

Is the only solution for me to go get a tank for a plumbing torch and heat it up, or any more tricks?

 

[dieselfuelonly]

No one? I tried using a plumbing torch today and still no luck. Am I gonna have to drill a hole in the rim and then cut a slot down until I get close to the axle to get it off? I guess a new rim wouldn't cost that much, but it sure seems like a lot of trouble!

 

[radioman]

have you tried a large punch right on the axel in the center and bang away for awhile. This trick worked once.

 

[Workstead]

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or any more tricks?

If you want it to come off, it won't.

So, use reverse psychology. Drive your tractor hoping the wheel will stay on until you finish mowing. Then, probably before you finish, the wheel will drop off. (Hopefully)

I've been wrestling with a hitch ball locked into a receiver that was cut off of a vehicle. The thing is beaten badly but hasn't moved a millimeter. I've even tried electrolysis and haven't been successful. I now have a challenge.

Good luck.

Clem

 

[joecdeere]

Price a rim before ruining it, most are pretty pricey!

Take off the c-clip, see if you can tap the key way in a bit so you can spray some of your favorite penetrate spray into the groove and let it soak. Then if not moving yet, see if you can get a long small nail or such and tap the key back the other way until you can get a hold of it and pull it out. Also careful with the heat, it will transfer in the axle shaft to the tranny case and ruin the axle seals

 

[dieselfuelonly]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Heres a few more things I tried:

I took a socket and put it over the axle and on to the wheel and hit it with a hammer inwards. No luck there.

More PB Blaster.

More driving.

More torch. I'll be careful not to heat it up too much.

I haven't tried a punch in the center of the axle. I'll give that a shot.

I can't move the key because of the way that JD set it up. The key is actually half-circle shaped, and theres a half circle cut into the axle. So you can remove the key once the wheel is off, but, you can't move it when the wheel is on there.

So now I have one knobbly go-kart tire that gets excellent traction and one worn-out mower tire that gets none. Looks pretty funny .

 

[Matt_Jr]

heat it up again untill it gets close to red hot, then cool it with penetrating oil. Make sure you spray where the oil will be drawn in between the spindle and rim as it cools. Use the whole can of spray to cool the spindle and tap on the center of the spindle and wheel while taking turns. Do this outside 'cause it'll smoke a lot. Good luck.

 

[dex3361]

I have pulled them off by making a big Wheel puller with a 2 x 6, a chain wrapped around the wheel holding the 2 x 6 in place and an all thread rod as a jack bolt to push it out. When you get a little tension on the all thread hit the end of it with hammer. This has worked in a pinch and its something that I can usually cob together from whats laying around.

 

[Tig]

I've found that pullers are much more effective than hammers.
On a truck I once used a large socket as a spacer between a scisor jack and the axle along with a tire chain with a steel bar through it to pull on the tire. Barbaric but effective. Just stand back because it will pop!

 

[philgreen]

I have a JD855 that has a backhoe. The previous owner never used the rockshaft, and it rusted solid to the bushings. I used 1 can of PB blaster and an air hammer with a filed down drift pin on it to loosen the rust and to draw the PB blaster in between the rockshaft and the bushing.

It took two weeks with a lot of blaster and vibrating, but it came apart fine and it is working great now.

Phil