Help needed, can't release cast iron wheel

I have been patiently trying to remove the cast iron wheel shown. I first tried tightening up the puller and applying heat slowly to the hub as I rotated it but three days on it just won't come off. If I start to tighten up the puller it simply bends, and it isn't a cheap one from Amazon.

I thought cold might break the seal better but not sure what else to try.

I have sat for up to ten minutes or maybe more with a Mapp torch slowly heating as I rotate the wheel.

I assume that after carefully tightening the puller, heating the hub gently and re-tighteming, you gave the head of the puller screw a good thwack with a 4Lb hammer. Light taps won't do anything. It looks like you have a good purchase on the hub, so the puller must be done up VERY tight - I don't think there is much risk of breaking the hub like that.

Hi Guys,

You need to get the heat on the hub as quickly as possible before the shaft has a chance to start to get warm. Then the hub will expand before the shaft. It should come off after that.

I confess I haven't hit it hard. Too afraid! It isn't that tight, just enough I hoped.

Edited By pgrbff on 06/03/2021 15:11:33

There is quite a large chunk of iron in that centre, it's difficult to heat up quickly, I only have mapp.

Mapp unit may not be big enough for the job, you need to get the heat in there FAST.

Two Mapps or better still, Oxy &Acy

Just another thought - they come slowly these days. I doubt the wheel is shrunk onto the shaft as there is a bearing behind it, so there must be a pin or set screw holding the wheel to the shaft and some sort of key. Assuming this is the wheel driven by the motor? Clean up the outer boss of the wheel and look for some sort of pin underneath all that paint.

If the wheel IS shrunk onto the shaft, it was never intended to come off and you would have to remove the shaft with the wheel attached by removing pulleys etc from the other side. If it was shrunk on, you would need a heavy press to get it off, not a puller.

Are there any grub screws or tapered keys hiding under the paint/rust that have not been removed, I'm assuming the flywheel had to be held on by something

If nothing else is holding it then a reasonably sized propane torch, say 1"dia should do it. Get it good and hot then wack it with a lump hammer. It will need plenty of heat. Noel

There is a washer and a screw that fits where the centre of the extractor is, no other fixings.

Not easy because heat will also tend to expand and lengthen the spokes, which will tend to tighten the hub on the shaft. Quick heat on the hub, a bigger puller with more arms, and a big hammer.

Edited By john halfpenny on 06/03/2021 16:31:13

Hi, I would try a 10ton hydraulic 3 leg puller and hit it with a big hammer.

Maurice

Try any penetrating oil around the joint between the pulley and shaft even when hot this sometimes works . Worth second look as suggested look around the pulley for a Allen screw buried into the shaft and lost underneath the paint

Good luck Bee.M

Fully agree.

Even though your puller looks a bit on the lightweight side its worth tightening it to the point of not quite destroying it, and then one big whack with one big hammer!

I learned a lesson in the 60s when I ruined a brand new (Pickavant?/Churchill?) hydraulic extractor trying to get the flywheel off my Mini 1275s (held on the crankshaft with a taper). I just kept tightening and tightening until something broke in the hydraulics. Next day friend came round with his plain mechanical puller, tightened it up and with one tap from a lump hammer the flywheel popped off.

Ian P

It's off. Gentle, and slightly less gentle persusion at times. Flew off with a bang. Shaft is tapered.

On the other end of the shaft is a double aluminium pulley, cast I assume and probably very brittle. I have no idea how I'm going to pull that off without pulling bits of aluminium off first.

Is that a screw slot immediately above the puller screw 12-00 o'clock? does the item on the end of the wheel then unscrew? both would serve to locate the cast iron wheel and when the wheel is removed may also reveal a key?

Robert Butler

No screw, just a taper fit, very tight.

No screw, just a taper fit, very tight.

No screw, just a taper fit, very tight.

If you are worried about the aluminium, two thhoughts

1 Aluminium is likely to have a higher coefficient of expansion that cast iron, so applying as much tension as you dare and then applying heat away from the hub will allow the heat to seep into the hub before thew shaft.

Hopefully it will pop off.

2 An alternative is to place a bearing extractor. (The two piece type that you clamp together with a couple of bolts ), so that the load is applied to the hub not any spokes by your puller..

On one occasion, despite applying heat and a LOT of tension, the thing would NOT come off. As I walked away despondent, there was a bang and the brake drum and puller shot across the drive and into the flower bed.

HTH

Howard