Snowblower problems

250quality · Oct 30, 2016

I have a monster Lucknow blower in the shop for repair. Needs bearings in the gearbox but I cant get the fan off. I have been heating and pounding on it all day with no luck. I assume its on a keyed shaft. Anyone have any suggestions.
Thanks

CalG · Oct 30, 2016

Perhaps your time would be better applied in building a puller.

Waiting for rust and "tightness" to walk away can be very frustrating. Over come the resistance with brute force!

paulfun9 · Oct 31, 2016

CalG said:
Perhaps your time would be better applied in building a puller.

Waiting for rust and "tightness" to walk away can be very frustrating. Over come the resistance with brute force!

This would be my first choice also.

Farmer495 · Oct 31, 2016

You checked for a cross bolt / set screw right? Probably just tight, heat & penetrating oil.

Worst, worst case I suppose you could take the auger out and open the gear box up on the machine and pull the fan and shaft out the back and then have the fan and shaft taken apart.

Al 2 · Oct 31, 2016

Call Lucknow at their office and ask them how it's done. I was going to change a seal in my gearbox and it had to be removed. Called Lucknow and they suggested I sell it and move on as it is very difficult to get the fan out. I think the main bolt and washer that holds it on is welded on also. My oil leak wasn't very bad so I just put some kind of Slick 50 additive in to make the oil thicker and all is good.
Al

250quality · Oct 31, 2016

I think I'll weld some steel on it so I have something to pull on. Pretty sure the old puller will get it off. It can't come apart shaft and all through the gearbox as there's a pinion gear on the shaft that only comes off toward the impeller end. It went together so it will come apart.

herringchoker · Oct 31, 2016

I had the same problem with an old no-name blower that bears an uncanny resemblance to a Lucknow. The impeller was seized onto the keyed shaft (and, yes, the bolt that threads into the end of the shaft is also tack welded to the fan hub.) I had a terrible time and ended up having to cut the hub and then rebuild the impeller with a new hub. The 2nd. and 3rd. posts in this thread tell how I did it:

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

MinnesotaEric · Nov 1, 2016

250quality said:
I have a monster Lucknow blower in the shop for repair. Needs bearings in the gearbox but I cant get the fan off. I have been heating and pounding on it all day with no luck. I assume its on a keyed shaft. Anyone have any suggestions.
Thanks

Heat and cold water. Rince and repeat.

Unless there is a through bolt.

Get a long air hammer on it, not as noise-maker, but a long slide air hammer with a puller.