# Pulley removal



## 3vanman (Nov 21, 2017)

I have an older Craftsman II that runs great, however the bearing for the auger drive is worn out. 
I have removed the sheer pin and the two locking screws located on the inside.
I am looking for suggestions on how to remove the auger pulley, as it seems to be rusted on. 
Any suggestions?


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Heat, use a tie rod end fork or ball joint fork behind it, or put a piece of steel behind the pulley as a backing for a gear puller.


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

Donyboy73 covers auger pulley removal:


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## 3vanman (Nov 21, 2017)

JLawrence08648 said:


> Heat, tie rod end fork or ball joint fork, or put a piece of steel behind the pulley as a backing for a gear puller.


Thank you JLawrence0864!!!
Such a simple idea, but so effective. Saw one u-tube video where they drilled the pulley, heated it and used bolts but your idea was much better.
No pulleys, tools or fingers were damaged.

3 hours of trying yesterday, and 10 minutes (plus a few of my auto repair tools) and off popped the pulley.


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## 3vanman (Nov 21, 2017)

Thanks Zavie, I watched this video this morning, and thought I would be doing that, but the Tie Rod End tool and 3 older 15/16 wrenches, plus heat enabled me to "Git-R-Done".
Lots of great ideas and suggestions on SFC!!!


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

3vanman said:


> Thanks Zavie, I watched this video this morning, and thought I would be doing that, but the Tie Rod End tool and 3 older 15/16 wrenches, plus heat enabled me to "Git-R-Done".
> Lots of great ideas and suggestions on SFC!!!


Glad you got it pulled. Donyboy has so much on his site. Just about every time I watch one I want to get an oxy-acetylene torch kit, LOL.


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## 3vanman (Nov 21, 2017)

Zavie said:


> Glad you got it pulled. Donyboy has so much on his site. Just about every time I watch one I want to get an oxy-acetylene torch kit, LOL.


I have used a Mag-Torch for must of my small Heating jobs with a fair amount of success.

I have an oxy-acetylene torch set, and a small wire feed welder. The welder gets a fair amount of use, but haven't got bottles for the torches as I haven't really had a need...soon, very soon I'm thinking.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

I prefer to use something like this if at all possible: https://www.harborfreight.com/bearing-separator-and-puller-set-62593.html

Works much the same except you can get a good grip under the pulley hub and not risk bending or otherwise damaging the pulley. Even if you open the holes big enough to allow using the extensions in the set, the pulley does not spin fast enough to cause balance issues from what I can tell. Soak the area between the shaft and the pulley hub (I did it for a couple of days), tighten it up and give it a whack with a hammer. Repeat as needed and I don't get it that hot as I have only a propane and MAPP torch. You can also try a 50-50 mix of acetone and atf for a penetrant, that works pretty good.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Any one who messes with mechanical stuff....need Oxy -Acetylene.....just saying....


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

HCBPH said:


> I prefer to use something like this if at all possible: https://www.harborfreight.com/bearing-separator-and-puller-set-62593.html
> 
> Works much the same except you can get a good grip under the pulley hub and not risk bending or otherwise damaging the pulley. Even if you open the holes big enough to allow using the extensions in the set, the pulley does not spin fast enough to cause balance issues from what I can tell. Soak the area between the shaft and the pulley hub (I did it for a couple of days), tighten it up and give it a whack with a hammer. Repeat as needed and I don't get it that hot as I have only a propane and MAPP torch. You can also try a 50-50 mix of acetone and atf for a penetrant, that works pretty good.


Click on the Harbor Freight link above, I have a similar puller set from Snap-On I bought 37 years ago. It works great but has it limitations. I use the puller with several pull bar steel adapters I've made throughout the years for different projects. This is one set that everyone should have, it's very worthwhile, you will benefit from owning it.


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## 3vanman (Nov 21, 2017)

cranman said:


> Any one who messes with mechanical stuff....need Oxy -Acetylene.....just saying....


I agree Cranman, the "Blue Wrench" is frequently the answer.


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## asavage (Dec 20, 2021)

JLawrence08648 said:


> Heat, tie rod end fork or ball joint fork, or put a piece of steel behind the pulley as a backing for a gear puller.





3vanman said:


> . . . the Tie Rod End tool and 3 older 15/16 wrenches, plus heat enabled me to "Git-R-Done".


On my '85 38150 826, no amount of air hammer, propane heat, and artful language was moving the sheave from the impeller shaft.

Like 3van, two 15/16" open end wrenches and my 40-year-old New Britain ball joint pickle fork, plus 30+ minutes of propane heat, and it walked it off.

Thanks for the idea.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Get yourself a can of Mapp Gas for future use, in the yellow cylinder ... much better than the regular blue cylinder propane....

Wow, that was one destroyed bearing.


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## asavage (Dec 20, 2021)

Until recently, I had access to shops I worked in with tools I don't (yet) personally own, like a hydraulic press and torch. 

Maybe I should pick up a torch set. I'm kind of space-limited, so tools that take up a lot of space and won't get used much, I try to find a way around. I gave away my hydraulic press last year, because I hadn't used it in three years and needed room in the garage.

I have a friend with a torch and press, and when I needed to remove the impeller yesterday, I took the whole thing over to his garage and we had it heated red and pressed out in around 45 minutes; it's a small press and we had to come up with supports to support to the hub properly. Ignore the flame position; I quickly got him to heat _underneath_ where the majority of the hub is located, and even with acetylene it took a while to get it hot enough to pop loose. The wood supports were creaking, we had lots of pressure applied, but pressure alone on that press wasn't going to get it apart.










[later]

OK, I bought a Bernzomatic TS800KC MAP bottle and torch head; Bernzomatic says that you're not supposed to use MAP on their propane-only torch heads, though people do. So, next time, I've got something a bit hotter than straight propane.

I looked at a few used acetylene rigs locally on CL, but none tickled my fancy (cheap regulators, beat up torch heads, overpriced, etc.) for something I rarely use.

Apparently, MAPP hasn't been available in the US since 2008; it's all MAP now.


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## sledman8002002 (Jan 20, 2021)

asavage said:


> space-limited


Same predicament here...


asavage said:


> Apparently, MAPP hasn't been available in the US since 2008; it's all MAP now.


Good info, I didnt realize there had been a change.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

asavage said:


> Apparently, MAPP hasn't been available in the US since 2008; it's all MAP now.


Interesting; the cylinders I purchased this year are labeled MAP/Pro, and they still refer to it as MAPP...


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

You reminded me, I need to get another cylinder, and I have a 5.00 coupon for Ace that expires 12/31 ....


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## asavage (Dec 20, 2021)

Oneacer said:


> You reminded me, I need to get another cylinder, and I have a 5.00 coupon for Ace that expires 12/31 ....


Here, 1.5 miles down the hill, Ace's price is $16 for their house brand, whereas if I happen to be in the next town over at Home Depot, they've got Bernzomatic-branded for $12.50 .

I like having backups, esp. of consumables, so I'll pick up a spare next time I'm over that way. I prefer to shop local, but I have around a 20% tolerance.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

My Ace is 12.99, but I was at Home Depot with a 5.00 off as well, so got it there .... I get so many coupons, hard to use them all up.


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