Unable to pull, the steering wheel off the shaft. - Page 4

capt jim · #31 01-22-2012, 12:39 PM

You guys are being so very patient, and helpful with me and my latest issue with this cantankerous old 125...I cant thank you enough.
In response.....
Using the oak is a very good idea.....I think I can tear a piece off my wife's antique china cabinet. I've always disliked that big hulk of a box......
heh heh. I'm just kidding.

In response.....
I already had disconnected the steering box from the frame before starting on this wheel spline issue....so it is just hanging freely under the frame....but as for resting the wheel on the dash and hammering on the splined shaft. Well,... The dash is just a piece molded fiberglass, or plastic , so it would fail immediately under any hammering.
Therein lies the problem of supporting the wheel while hammering. I tried resting it on my legs, but the flesh tends to significantly soften the blow to the shaft, and my legs really didn't like that sort of abuse for very long.
It needs to be rigidly supported to withstand the kind of hammering it will take to get this beast free.
Another thought comes to mind...but it isn't easy either. I could get someone over to torch cut the steering shaft off at the steering box...then I could pull the column up and out of the machine. Once it is out in the open, I could set it into a massive vise for some serious pounding.
But the only thing that does is maybe save the wheel, which I originally didn't like anyway. I feel the machine needs a larger diameter wheel, especially using the loader, which puts a much larger load on the steering. But a replacement wheel would have to be on a much taller column. The existing wheel is a deep dish, and a big flat wheel (which I would want) would be a knuckle buster in this narrow of a frame.
The problems seem to go on and on, but it does manage to fill up my time.
more news to follow when it becomes interesting.
Thanks again to everyone.
Jim

ricks · #32 01-22-2012, 12:52 PM

hey capt jim, i've read all the posts on this thread and haven't seen anyone mention this culprit. after you purchased your tractor, have you ever changed the steering wheel? if not, perhaps the po had welded the steering wheel to the shaft. just a thought.
rick

Matt G. · #33 01-22-2012, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricks

hey capt jim, i've read all the posts on this thread and haven't seen anyone mention this culprit. after you purchased your tractor, have you ever changed the steering wheel? if not, perhaps the po had welded the steering wheel to the shaft. just a thought.
rick

I think it would be pretty obvious if somebody welded the steering wheel on.

jbrewer · #34 01-22-2012, 03:03 PM

Matt's puller idea is an excellent one. Once you get tension on it a good rap on the puller head would be good too. Impacts are your friends when removing stuck items.

How're your knees holding out? :-)

John

capt jim · #35 01-22-2012, 03:24 PM

I am taking a break from this drudgery and I am allowing Blaster to do the hard work for a while.
I checked very closely....the wheel is NOT welded onto the shaft...although that was seeming to be a strong possibility.... I was thinking it just may be welded, since it hasn't budged at all after days of pounding on it.
Over a beer, I'm thinking more of ending the torture by using an abrasive wheel and just cutting the shaft...right there under the wheel hub. I can pull the wheel up high and get the grinder on it. Access is pretty good there right now. I am figuring that I'll have to replace the steering box etc, anyway, and I just may be able to save the wheel and get the shaft spline out of the wheel with it on my huge anvil/vise.
Oh well.....another beer, and think more about it until tomorrow.
Jim

jbrewer · #36 01-22-2012, 03:53 PM

Try Matt's puller first...

After all, you've come this far, what's another hour or so :-)

You'll get it!

John

PS: I was working on my hot rod project last year trying to get a part of the steering linkage apart from the tie rod. I had a ball joint separator under BIG tension trying to loosen a taper fit with 30 yrs of rust and grime on it. When that thing let go it was with a very VERY LOUD *bang*. My wife came out to see what had gone south, but after getting my heart rate under control I was smiling.

It's amazing how tight two pieces of metal can join together. Particularly when you don't want them to.

John

Sugarmaker · #37 01-22-2012, 08:20 PM

Jim,
Not the expert here. Are you sure that on a 125 there is not a steel plate under the plastic dash? I don't have a 125 (yet

) but most of the ones I do have use a metal frame to support the dash. If its there, then a couple pieces of steel between the wheel and the frame to carry the load might work.
I think your the one that gets the patience of the year award! I would have cut something off three pages ago

Regards
Chris

darkminion_17 · #38 01-22-2012, 09:25 PM

I have used the airhammer method,after 40 or so steering wheels removed,only one did not come off.Tommorrow I have to remove the one on the 124 to replace the column bearing,soaking it for the last few days.I don't remove the column bolts though.On stubborn ones I loosen the cam follower as far out as I can get it then I remove the cap on the bottom of the column and drive the shaft through.

Cub Cadet 123 · #39 01-22-2012, 11:09 PM

Be careful hammering on any bolts as it can damage your parts of your steering column---ie. race bearing, unless you are planning on replacing parts.

Cub Cadet 123

TheSaturnV · #40 01-23-2012, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt jim

Over a beer, I'm thinking more of ending the torture by using an abrasive wheel and just cutting the shaft...right there under the wheel hub. I can pull the wheel up high and get the grinder on it. Access is pretty good there right now. I am figuring that I'll have to replace the steering box etc, anyway, and I just may be able to save the wheel and get the shaft spline out of the wheel with it on my huge anvil/vise.
Oh well.....another beer, and think more about it until tomorrow.
Jim

You've got it backwards. Save the steering box/shaft, forget the wheel. That's a serviceable gearbox that most of the time can be refurbished back to like new. Except for a few models, a replacement wheel can be found relatively cheap.

Cut all the support arms away and toss aside. Now you can get at the hub to make a cut running parallel to the shaft. Ease into it so you don't gouge too badly into the shaft. Work a screwdriver or flat punch into the cut to see if you can open it up. If not, make another cut on the opposite side, eventually the grip will release and you can knock the pieces away.