# Trac-Drive wheel shafts



## Alexsha (Nov 29, 2015)

I'm in the process of getting a 1989 8/26 Trac-Drive up and running. Getting the tracks moving is proving to be a pain. I've pulled the rubber tracks, outer plates, and removed the 4 wheels. The shafts the go through the wheels are pretty rusted inside though. Are the wheels supposed to spin on those shafts, or do the shafts spin where they're attached to the plates?


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## Alexsha (Nov 29, 2015)

Holy smokes, I finally got 3 of the 4 off and they were a mess. Chiseled off the worst of the rust/gunk and put them in my drill press chuck, spun 'em up and sanded them. They've got lots of little pot holes in them, but they turn freely now in the wheels. Gotta get the 4th one out...


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Model number would be helpful so we can pull up a diagram of it's guts.


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## Alexsha (Nov 29, 2015)

536885900
CRAFTSMAN CRAFTSMAN 26" SNOW THROWER Parts | Model 536885900 | Sears PartsDirect

Definitely looks like the wheels just spin on the shafts. Once I got the rust sanded off, they moved very easily in the wheels. Looks like I just need to keep the greased up. In the non drive wheels, that should be pretty easy. The hole is the same diameter the whole way through. In the drive wheels with the chain sprocket, there is a large cavity in the middle. I guess I can just fill it up all the way with grease.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

On your other thread I put a note about drilling and tapping for a grease zerk. They spin on the shafts if they're like the one I worked on.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

I am seeing this thread a bit late.

As you noticed, the axles tend to get rusted and seize.

I had the same problem and needed to break down the TRAC drive, remove the rust, lubricate with marine grease and added grease zerks.

See postings #11 and #22 on my other thread.
Repower and Trac Rebuild - Craftsman Trac (1987) - 5-23- 536884810 with 5.5HP Honda C


Step by step disassembly is post #11
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/817041-post11.html

Adding the grease zerks is post #22
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/842442-post22.html


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## Dkeith45 (Feb 26, 2016)

Replying even tho it's an old post, to help any new readers.

The little steel axles are supposed to remain stationary, while the plastic wheels they go through rotate on them. But since the shafts are made of plain steel with no way to grease them, they rust and bind on the wheels making the trac tension non adjustable.

Things needed to remove the steel axles from the plastic wheels without overly damaging any of the parts.

Air compressor.

Hand held air hammer. (looks like a pistol but with a open end for inserting attachments) BTW an SDS rotary hammer drill might work also.

Electric heat gun. (looks like a blow dryer but gets MUCH hotter. Used for softening tiles and such for removal. 

PB or WD-40.

Once you have the four plastic wheels out, place them on their sides in a plastic tub and spray PB or WD-40 on the steel end of the axle sticking out. Do this over a couple days, and then on the other sides. THEN, take one of the axle bolts, grind the head till it's round and small enough that it'll slide through the plastic wheel. Drill a small divot in the end of it, so the air hammer will stay in that spot. Place the wheel on its side on something, blocks of wood, or a wooden block with a hole big enough for the steel axle to pass through it all the way under the wheel. Screw the rounded screw into the end of the axle. Heat the plastic wheel quite a lot with the electric heat gun (several minutes) then lean hard on the air hammer or hammer drill and let that sucker beat the shaft out of the wheel. You may have to stop from time to time to add more lube, or more heat from the heat gun.

This process got all for little axles out of the plastic wheels for me with no damage to the wheels, which are $30 + on ebay used, or axles which are $20 each new. The axles on mine were badly rusted, but I likely could have cleaned them, but the ends were badly worn from being ground on the steel side plates. So I decided to convert the snowblower to tires. http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...aftsman-10-32-trac-drive-help.html#post971913


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