Anti Scalp Wheel Post Stuck on MMM for BX2360

[mink]

Though the posts appear to be aluminum, three of mine are stuck so that I can neither remove them or adjust the height on the MMM. I'm concerned about trying to 'pound them out' that the top of the aluminum post might deform.

Suggestions? Is it as simple as PB Blaster?

 

[je1279]

Make sure the pins are removed, then elevate the deck off the ground. Next, put a block of wood over the top of the post and go to town with your favorite hammer. Using something like PB Blaster first isn't a bad idea either. Im guessing after two to three good whacks, they will come off fairly easily. Lastly, I would clean up both the posts and the housings and add some grease before reinstalling.

 

[mink]

Make sure the pins are removed then put a block of wood over the top of them and go to town with your favorite hammer. Something like PB Blaster first isn't a bad idea either. Im guessing after a few good whacks, they will come out fairly easily. Then, I would clean up both them and the housings and add some grease before reinstalling.

Thanks for the suggestion... I'll try later in the week and report back!

 

[RCW]

My mower for my BX2360 is an RCK54-23BX.

The pins for the gauge wheels are definitely steel. Just stuck a magnet to one to make sure. I do have one that is a little wonky like it's been bent a little. Instead of a new pin assembly, I'll probably hit it with the bench grinder, or a coarse flap wheel on an angle grinder to loosen things up.

I'm with @je1279 100%.

Yours could be corroded in if not removed in some time.

Start with some PB Blaster or favorite first.

Do everything else he said! They'll come out.

 

[DustyRusty]

Make sure that you have the bracket properly supported before you start banging on the wheel post. I would use a product called "Deep Creep" as a penetrating oil. If you have an acetylene/oxygen torch, get the post hot before you start, and let it cool. The expansion of the steel with heat should help to break any rust or corrosion bond. If you can get a drift pin into one of the holes, you might be able to turn it. I am not a fan of using brute force with a hammer but using a press to put persuasion on the part. Hammering on the top of the post can mushroom the top and then your problems get worse. You can also heat the bracket itself where the pin resides, but it will destroy the paint. Another thing that might help is to drill and tap the side of the bracket and install a grease fitting.

 

[Orangeglow]

Personally, I don,t like beating on my stuff. What I would do is after spraying the post with your best lube, stick the oldest and largest philips screwdriver that you have thru one of the existing holes in the post, and see if you can get the post to loosen up, even a tiny bit, by working it to the left and right. If I couldn,t get it to move with just the screwdriver, I would put a 2 foot length of pipe over the screwdriver handle, to gain some extra leverage.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Excellent suggestions. To add to the list, I'd take the deck off so I could work from all directions, twisting the wheel, pounding it up (the wrong way) in addition to down (and out, eventually), all so the lubricant spreads out and makes the job go much more quickly. Once the shaft wiggles a little it's a matter of persistence.

 

[chim]

I used wax successfully on a some stuck metal pieces. That includes a stuck fan blade (decent sized prop fan in a poultry house) and a broken glad hand that was stuck on a trailer.

Use a torch or heat gun to get the material warmed up. If you're burning the paint it's too hot. Then take a candle or toilet ring and hold it against the junction of the two pieces and let it melt and creep into the joint. Then give it a whirl.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

obviously add 'oil', take wheel off, add pipe wrench, SLOWLY turn, back and forth, ONCE it moves, axle will come out

 

[Henro]

obviously add 'oil', take wheel off, add pipe wrench, SLOWLY turn, back and forth, ONCE it moves, axle will come out

I can't add anything but must say I am seriously impressed by a guy that is talking about his MMM in Minnesota in January!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

heck it's NICE to see some guys DO their 'winter project' IN the winter !! I seem to have a backlog.

BTW my idea is the 'support tubes' that the axles are in are EGG shaped and 'pinching' the axles,comes from 'oopsies'...

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

heck it's NICE to see some guys DO their 'winter project' IN the winter !! I seem to have a backlog.

BTW my idea is the 'support tubes' that the axles are in are EGG shaped and 'pinching' the axles,comes from 'oopsies'...

If an anti-scalp mount is oblong something bad happened, round tube doesn't come in anything but OD/ID. If a mount isn't round check the deck for damage, there's a good chance if a tube took a hard enough hit to deform it the deck deformed also.

 

[Grandad4]

Though the posts appear to be aluminum, three of mine are stuck so that I can neither remove them or adjust the height on the MMM. I'm concerned about trying to 'pound them out' that the top of the aluminum post might deform.

Suggestions? Is it as simple as PB Blaster?

Suggestions:
* As others have said, it's not aluminum, it's steel.
Try to figure out if that "post" is rusted in place or bent from smacking something.
* Try the heat treatment with LIGHT tapping (not beating it to death!) to slowly get it loose.
* Do the same thing after using a good penetrating oil that you have let soak into the jammed up parts for a while (overnight is good), then the tapping treatment.
* Repeat the heat/lube treatment as needed. The vibration of the hammer taps plus the heat or lubricant can break loose stuck parts.
*Keep the equipment clean, store out of the elements, learn to remove the deck when doing "tractor work" (as opposed to mowing).
*A little occasional lubrication on parts that need to be moved/adjusted ain't a bad idea.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I don't know what 'gap' is between the tube and post but other colours it isn't much, so couple hits the post gets deformed though hard to see.
that's why I suggested rotating the 'axle'. if it goes easy,hard,easy..something IS egg shaped( usually the post, not the axle. On one unit the 'post' had 1/4" wall...one TOUGH beastie !

 

[skeets]

Yes PB blaster works so dose heat and wax sometimes, they are steel and will take a lot of abuse if they need to. Now about the sleeve they go through, if that is distorted or misshapen well a big drill bit or a die grinder till open them up. But if it is the front anti scalp wheels you will bust the welds off before you distort the sleeve and have to have them welded back on. Don't ask how I know this