How do I remove this plate?

[JD1]

I have the manual and it shows the plate is held onto a flat spot on the shaft with an allen screw which you can reach through a hole on top of the gear shield. I have loosened that screw and let the hole on the front sit for two days with PB Blaster and the plate still won't come off. You can insert a screwdriver in the lower hole on the back and whack it with a hammer but the plate won't budge.

I need to get it off because some bearings are squealing real loud and that's the only way to get at them. I don't want to use something like a big gear puller because it will likely warp the aluminum plate. I can't get a torch in there to heat it up. I hate to throw whole machine out when all it probably needs is some grease but so far I can't figure out how to get in there by getting the plate off. You have to take the plate off to get at the bolt that holds the plastic gear housing on. Once you take that off you have free access to the squealing parts.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[M J D]

Did you tip it on the plate so penatrant can run down vertical? Try heating the center of plate with a heat gun

[theweldor]

Check to make sure there are not 2 setscrews in there.

[tapwelder]

Spray lube the bearings.

[Mac's Crew]

Take off the shroud and you will probably find the set screws...

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[Mac's Crew]

I hate all the shrouds... no matter where they are always in my way

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[smithdoor]

I would look for a set screw
Most time there is a set screw
You may have to remove the roll first.
Here a manual showing a set screw.
https://manuals.harborfreight.com/ma...7999/97181.pdf
Dave

I have the manual and it shows the plate is held onto a flat spot on the shaft with an allen screw which you can reach through a hole on top of the gear shield. I have loosened that screw and let the hole on the front sit for two days with PB Blaster and the plate still won't come off. You can insert a screwdriver in the lower hole on the back and whack it with a hammer but the plate won't budge.

I need to get it off because some bearings are squealing real loud and that's the only way to get at them. I don't want to use something like a big gear puller because it will likely warp the aluminum plate. I can't get a torch in there to heat it up. I hate to throw whole machine out when all it probably needs is some grease but so far I can't figure out how to get in there by getting the plate off. You have to take the plate off to get at the bolt that holds the plastic gear housing on. Once you take that off you have free access to the squealing parts.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[davec]

Heat is one good option. Torch the plate around that shaft area. There is potential to cook bearings if you get too crazy, but that depends on how far back the bearings are and how hot you go. A nice way to do this is to get it hot, then shoot some PB blaster on the shaft to cool it down and start beating. Ideally you want the plate hot and the shaft cold.

Another good option is impact. If you have an air hammer, a few quick BRRRAAAPS with it might loosen it (you can get one super cheap too from HF or Northern if you want as you may never use it again). Also when hitting it from behind, you should rotate the plate between blows so it doesn't start to rack and bind up. If you can get the air hammer into that back hole, that might be a great way to loosen it. Keep turning the plate as you hit it.

And as others said, make sure there isn't another set screw first...

[OPUS FERRO]

JD1

Does anyone have any ideas?

I have no short answer - I'd start by stripping all shrouds,
and a thorough brush & blow clean . . .

The belt sheave is on a common shaft - it may play into
disassembly - check everything before you go to the 'Hot
Wrench / Gas Axe' . . .

If you discover additional 'set fixtures' - and they don't
easily 'crack loose' - get back with us before you 'beaver
the heads' - and create a new level of problems . . .

hth


Opus



.

[tapwelder]

If there is only one set screw. Then rig a strap wrench and twist it. I have a similar craftsman sander, however I disposed of the disc years ago and replaced upsized the motor. Still pretty weak for metal work. No fun if younwarp it.

[M J D]

A lot of those older craftsman tools didn't use keys and a keyway, just a machined flat.

[CAVEMANN]

I don't think you can get the shroud off with the wheel still on, IIRC my HF has a second set screw @ 90* from the flat., I pulled the shroud off at that point & trashed it, it was ALWAYS in the way anyway.

[mla2ofus]

I'm sure you've looked and have read the manual but is there an allen head screw in the center of the plate?

[Shootr]

If it's due to galvanic corrosion it's like being welded together.

The only time I've dealt with it was an aluminum seat post on a steel bicycle frame. I tried everything listed here to no avail, then someone turned me on to warm water, lye, and patience. Problem is it eats the aluminum. After taking the bottom bracket out I filled the frame tube with the mixture - swapping it out every day until day three it ate the entire bottom of the post and it came out. 20 years later - maybe there's a less caustic alternative - but a quick Google search didn't pull up much. This is an interesting idea:

Heat and lots of it is the fastest way, but assuming you don’t have a rosebudd torch handy, one of the most effective looseners of galvanic corrosion on aluminum is water with some liquid detergent added to it. Heat will definitely help too, even if you only have a heat gun or hair drier. Apply the water, heat as much as you can and apply more water. Repeat these cycles and if you can get the water hot enough to boil, the steam pressure will help break down the corrosion by causing little explosions within the corrosion layer. Impact will also help.

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-be...%20also%20help.

[farmersammm]

I heat stuff all the time to remove it.

Usually, the trick is to apply force during the heating process. Heating only moves parts incrementally, and you have to have that constant pull on the part to see results.

I don't see any way to get a puller on that, so the next best bet is have someone pry against it with two pry bars 180* apart while you apply heat.

Very often it's difficult to heat a part to expand the hole. The heat will make the hole actually "shrink" as the material grows from the heat. The material will expand in ALL directions, including attempting to "fill in" the hole. My solution has always been to heat a small section of the pie close to the hole. This causes the metal to expand locally, and push against the circumference of the hole, thus expanding the hole. It's called "upset", and is the key ingredient to successful heat shrinking. But........because the effect is very small, and the metal cools rapidly, you need to keep force on the part to take advantage of that short period that the hole expands before it cools. You'll hear a ticking sound as it starts to move. Sometimes you have to do a few cycles to actually free it up.

A heat spot as small as a dime is usually the way to go. You don't want to heat any kind of large area. With steel, I'll heat a dime sized area to dull red. I dunno what the color ranges are with aluminum,, but I'd get it pretty hot.

The thing is on the verge of becoming scrap if the bearings seize. I'd take the risk of applying heat..........you don't have much to lose.

[farmersammm]

I'm assuming you can't get the shroud off till you get the wheel off. If I could get the shroud off, I do have pullers large enough to handle a wheel that big. I HAVE TWO BIG DRAWERS FULL OF PULLERS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS I deal with a lot of stuck stuff.

[farmersammm]

I had to search the Uranus Master Archives

Here's an example. A stuck part that had to be pulled.

The gear, and the pulley, were pulled in the same manner.

This is when the part actually moved. The puller was under a good deal of pressure, but not strained to breaking, which is how most people destroy their pullers. They're really not good at pulling parts that haven't been heated.

Notice that only a small section of the diameter was heated. Heat the whole thing,, and you'll never get it off easily, if at all.

[forhire]

The manual only shows a single 1/4-20 set screw on the flat of the shaft. There is an access hole in the top of the shroud at 12:00.

https://c.searspartsdirect.com/mmh/l...M/L0803415.pdf

[duramax-rob]

i have one of those sanders also. as best as possible, turn on side and support al. disc and use brass drift pin or other brass. drive shaft out of disc. it took me 5days of thinking how to do that and 10 minutes of doing. parts are available on eBay. had to replace relay on mine also from eBay.

[acourtjester]

If you get it off be sure to replace the bearings with ones that have the rubber seals not the metal shields. The bearing number will have 2 RS in it meaning rubber seals on both sides. Why manufactures do not use these from the start is unknown.

[albrightree]

Drill and tap 3 holes, and use a steering wheel puller ?

[JD1]

Thanks all, some interesting ideas. I'll answer a few comments - the shroud is bolted on with 1 bolt but you have to get the disc off to remove the shroud. There's only one allen screw and I loosened it a lot. The machine was on it's side for 2 days to allow the PB Blaster to soak down into the shaft. No allen screw in the center of the shaft.

The idea of drilling and threading 3 holes to use with a puller is interesting but the aluminum is probably too thin to do that. It's thin with ribs on the back to support it.

i have one of those sanders also. as best as possible, turn on side and support al. disc and use brass drift pin or other brass. drive shaft out of disc. it took me 5days of thinking how to do that and 10 minutes of doing. parts are available on eBay. had to replace relay on mine also from eBay.

This is interesting, but I can't visualize how you did that. Not sure how to "support the disc" since there's only about a 3/16" space between the disc and the shroud. Could you explain a little more? Or perhaps a photo?

Other than that, maybe spot heating and pounding through the back hole and rotating the disc so it won't bind may be an option.

It's a very useful tool both for metal and wood and I'm trying to save it if at all possible. I could get another but I'd rather fix this one if I can.

[MinnesotaDave]

Drill and tap 3 holes, and use a steering wheel puller ?

This was my first thought as well.
If it's too thin, bolts, nuts and washers.

2 hole puller would probably do it. Set with a little pressure, little heat, tap puller with hammer - probably pop right off.

[smithdoor]

That is a good drawing.
Shows what to do.

Dave

The manual only shows a single 1/4-20 set screw on the flat of the shaft. There is an access hole in the top of the shroud at 12:00.

https://c.searspartsdirect.com/mmh/l...M/L0803415.pdf

[mla2ofus]

I too didn't understand duramax's procedure but I've learned to just let some things be. To the OP, when you get it off put a little antiseize on the shaft on reassembly for future disassembly.