Removing snowblower wheel

Scott D. Orbaker · Mar 5, 2014

I realize this is a "garden tractor" forum but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask here. Trying to remove a wheel from a 1980 Toro 724 snowblower. The right side(as your at the handle bars) came right off, but the left 1 is stuck in place. I've heated it, put PB Blaster on & let it soak, even melted wax around it and can't budge it. Pounded on the wheel and the end of the axle with a ball peen hammer and only succeeded in mushrooming the end of the axle a little.
Anyone have any suggestions, short of cutting the wheel off?

Thanks,
Scott

Anonymous-0 · Mar 5, 2014

Grind the outside edge of the mushroom off, first. Then heat with propane torch, repeat wax melt trick, and make sure there is a little room, on the inside axle, and pound inward a little, then grind off some moer of the mushroom, repeat wax trick, and try pulling, with a wheel puller. Might have to cut off the tire, anyway. If you get it to move a little, then pound in opposite directions, till it gets lubed enough, to remove!

joe csuti · Mar 5, 2014

The only thing holding wheels to shaft is a lynch pin thru rim hub & axle on the outboard side of each wheel,if you have removed pin(s) and rim won't come off it's probably seized to axle due to rust.

For a quicker solution for rim removal,remove drive chain from sprocket on axle,remove 4 bolts holding the 2 wheel bearings to frame & drop axle out as an assembly,clean up end of shaft as best you can then try to drive shaft out of rim hub or take to a machine shop & have them use a hyd press to press shaft out of rim,if your lucky rim won't be bent/damaged.

joe csuti · Mar 5, 2014

Another thing you could try before removing axle is put right wheel back on blower with lynch pin,start blower & put in gear & see if you can spin axle in left rim to break free with wt of blower on axle/rim.

Scott D. Orbaker · Mar 5, 2014

Thanks for the suggestions.
Joe-Right now the is no engine on it-working on a transplant. I tried taking the axle and wheels off together but couldn't get the left bearing to clear the frame. I could try bending the frame a little to get clearance.

Dave- I am going to grind the end of the axle, don't want to try and find another axle if I can help it. Rather not cut the tire either as it is like new.

joe csuti · Mar 6, 2014

I think I see your problem now taking a closer look at traction drive assembly drawing/parts list.

Right side frame is slotted & allows shaft assembly to drop out of frame after bearing bolts removed,however it appears there is a clearance hole in left frame that axle passes thru & into left bearing on outside of frame,check axle,on inboard side of each bearing you'll probably find a thrust washer & roll pin thru shaft to hold axle in position preventing it from moving left/right when useing blower,remove right roll pin from shaft,clean up end of left side axle & try to drive axle out of rim,with pins in axle same won't move when pounding on left side of axle,with right pin out axle will slide thru right bearing & left wheel hub will work against left bearing when pounding on left side of axle.

Removing snowblower wheel

Scott D. Orbaker

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

joe csuti

Well-known Member

joe csuti

Well-known Member

Scott D. Orbaker

Member

joe csuti

Well-known Member

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