Removing Castle Nut on Woods Mower Gearbox?

[Tim in New York]

Now that I have the correct size socket to fit the castle nut, I am unable to get it to budge. Other than heating it, which worries me, and putting the gearbox itself in a press to hold it from moving around, I am out of ideas. Right now I have it on my workbench. Any suggestions? (its circled in the attached picture)

Thanks!

 

[Crookedwrench]

Now that I have the correct size socket to fit the castle nut, I am unable to get it to budge. Other than heating it, which worries me, and putting the gearbox itself in a press to hold it from moving around, I am out of ideas. Right now I have it on my workbench. View attachment 70249 Any suggestions? (its circled in the attached picture)

Thanks!

I would put the gearbox in a vice, put the pto universal back on the shaft, put a long bar thru the universal joint, 6 point socket on castlenut, impact or cheater bar should free it up ?

 

[Russ from MN]

My first thought would be to use an impact wrench, but it would need to be a powerful one! Does it use a 36 mm socket? Our son recently rented an 120 volt electric impact to remove lug nuts on an old Ford f150, he hadn't rotated the tires often enough! It probably took 500 ft pounds to remove them. My next idea would be to take 2 -8 foot 2x4's and cut a slight radius out of each, near one end, the same as the sheave. Then you can clamp the sheave between them using threaded rods through the 2x4's. this would give you a holding wrench on the sheave 7 feet long. My last option would be to take a grinder and split the nut, I would imagine a new one is available.

 

[Janicholson]

Now that I have the correct size socket to fit the castle nut, I am unable to get it to budge. Other than heating it, which worries me, and putting the gearbox itself in a press to hold it from moving around, I am out of ideas. Right now I have it on my workbench. View attachment 70249 Any suggestions? (its circled in the attached picture)

Thanks!

Impact gun used where it is would work. 3/4" impact at least. If none or not rentable, Making a pegged bar stock about 3 ft long to fit the sheave openings, then a cheater pipe on 3/4" flex bar. Jim

 

[wore out]

Now that I have the correct size socket to fit the castle nut, I am unable to get it to budge. Other than heating it, which worries me, and putting the gearbox itself in a press to hold it from moving around, I am out of ideas. Right now I have it on my workbench. View attachment 70249 Any suggestions? (its circled in the attached picture)

Thanks!

Borrow or rent a Milwaukee Fuel impact wrench and the nut will be off in less time than it's taking me to type this

 

[Fixingfarmer]

Is it counter clockwise thread? My blades are that way I’d carefully try in the “wrong? direction if you haven’t already

 

[Russ from MN]

Is it counter clockwise thread? My blades are that way I’d carefully try in the “wrong? direction if you haven’t already

You would think if it was left-hand threads it would say so on the parts list. One thing to keep in mind, the sheave is probably cast, so it will break fairly easy!

 

[bc]

I read where the woods mowers are a right hand thread. Put a cheater on it, have someone hold it in tension or tie the cheater down, and "tap" on the end with a hammer while putting some heat to the nut. Stand back cause things may go flying when it breaks loose. Try putting a wax candle on it when hot to melt some parafin in the threads or your favorite loose juice. If that doesn't work after two or three heat cycles and you happen to be using your cutting torch for heat, then go ahead and hit the edge of the nut with the oxygen lever.

 

[Tramway Guy]

I would not try to use the PTO shaft to keep it from turning as you will be transmitting forces through the gears that may exceed the rating of the gears!

 

[glennster]

if you can get a replacement castle nut, split the old one with a cut off wheel. a dremel tool would work fine.