Removing the impeller on a 3pt snowblower.

[caloway]

Hopefully a quick question for this group. I have a Blizzard B64 3pt snowblower and need to pull the gearbox to replace the oil seals, but I'm not able to pull the impeller off. The impeller screw/washer is out and I don't see any set screws/pins on the diagram. There is a "key" between the gearbox and the impeller, but it looks like a simple square peg.

Do I just need to apply more force to separate them or am I missing something? Wanted to get somebody's take before putting a lever to work.

Thanks.

 

[jonsstihl]

on my pronovost puma I actually have to remove the gearbox and leave the impeller in the housing because it hits the baffle when I tried to slide it off the shaft. It should come off if you have the bolt out but I would loosen the gearbox and try a little prying

 

[oosik]

You might try a little heat on the impeller sleeve to break it loose. I've used a propane torch and my industrial heat gun. Be careful - your too close if the paint starts to bubble or burn.

 

[herringchoker]

I had to do the same thing and found the impeller to be seized onto the shaft after 20+ years in the snow and salt. Posts #2 and #3 in the link below show the extreme I had to go to. Hopefully yours is not seized on as bad. Good luck.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/350327-i-shrunk-my-snowblower.html

 

[caloway]

Thanks for the replies. It looks like some penetrating oil and a pry bar (gently). I was just worried I was going about it wrong.

If I can't get it off, I'll just fill it with oil every time.

 

[leonz]

Double check and dig around the hub with a thin nail to make sure there are no other set screws buried under the paint on the keyway or the hub weldment before you do anything.

I would try some PB blaster first, it surprised me when it worked on a Ariens rototiller that had a belt pulley on a crankshaft that had been there since 1969.


Just as gentle reminder to you:


Check to be sure the seals are not held in place by a seal retaining ring that it screwed into place in the gearbox with a tight fit using a pin wrench for seal retainers.

A seal retaining ring will have one or two pin holes to hold it in place.

The seal will leak if the drive and driven shafts is also worn as the seal lips are held in place with a circular coil spring to prevent oil leaks.

Keep that in mind as the rule of thumb is that the roller bearings are going bad when the seals start leaking.



A bernzo Matic fat boy torch is ideal for this

 

[Fallon]

If none of this works, put in thick oil or a pourable grease in the box instead of regular gear oil. Many others have done that with brush hog or other gearboxes. I put a mix of some pourable grease & 90wt oil in mine rather than replace gearbox seals on the flail mower I paid $100 for.

 

[confused8122]

If none of this works, put in thick oil or a pourable grease in the box instead of regular gear oil. Many others have done that with brush hog or other gearboxes. I put a mix of some pourable grease & 90wt oil in mine rather than replace gearbox seals on the flail mower I paid $100 for.

00 grease, also known as cotton picker spindle grease. Works great for leaking stuff like that.