How To Remove A Stuck Lawn Tractor Wheel

[@kentait7153]

Pat I struggled with my wheels and your solution worked so well I was shocked! Thanks so much for sharing. You are a gentleman and a genius!

[@patthesoundguy]

I am so glad I was able to help out. Thank you so much for the comment.

[@bvnseven]

Glad to see my next idea was a good one , an air hammer. Hope it works, thank you!

[@davidmorgan602]

Thanks for the tip, one wheel came off without any problem, but the left rear would not budge one bit, after a lot of hammering on the wheel from the inside with limited luck I went and bought a air hammer and it came right off. Oh boy was the axel rusted (the lawn tractor was used a while back to plow snow, I think that caused the rust)

[@patthesoundguy]

So glad it helped you out 👍👍👍 I don't think snowplowing caused the rust on your axles, they don't put any grease or anti-seize on them at the factory so they love to rust on there as you found.

[@davidmorgan602]

@@patthesoundguy I should have taken photos of the rust before I cleaned the axle, but I was so excited that I got the wheel off, I couldn’t wait to clean and put the anti-seize on it.( I was already looking at a replacement tractor since the wheel wouldn’t come off.) I WILL from now on remove the wheels each fall and re-grease them……..lessons learned. Your tip saved me $3,400!

[@patthesoundguy]

@@davidmorgan602 That's fantastic, so glad I was able to save you some money 👍👍👍

[@daimania3816]

Do you think this method would work on a stuck on mower blade??? My tire and my blade are both stuck :( Its on a Yardman Yard bug little riding mower.

[@patthesoundguy]

That trick works on all kinds of stuck parts. You can even heat and quench on the blade then vibrate it with the air hammer. You got this, I know you can do it 👍

[@INSIDEHOUSEGARAGE]

wow, I'm going to have to try that out! Thanks!

[@patthesoundguy]

Works on mower blade adapters as well. I had the air hammer for so long before I started trying it on things like that and now I have no idea how I survived without it

[@xcalibre222]

I tried this today but it didn't work so far. I'm going to push a tight fitting small cup of penetrating oil over axle and hub, let it soak all winter. Then try it again in the spring. Should work, hopefully, lol. Thanks for the Vid.

[@patthesoundguy]

I would try some heat at this point. I heat parts like that and then add the penetrating fluid and the heat will draw it in. It may take a few tries. A puller may also be the answer.

[@SwampyAcresHomestead]

Thanks for sharing working on mine now

[@patthesoundguy]

I have no idea why they don't put anti-seize on those axle shafts from the factory. It sure would make life easier

[@davisdavis3406]

the world thanks you

[@Royalizzieadventures]

Great footage 👍

[@patthesoundguy]

Thanks so much for the comment!

[@melenciopabalate1187]

Good idea…I’ll try this.

[@riflebear1711]

Does that damage the other end of the axle shaft?

[@patthesoundguy]

Nope it keeps everything from getting damaged. It's the best idea to do your best to make a small indentation in the end of the shaft to put the pointed end of the air hammer into. It's better than beating it with a regular hammer that tends to mushroom the end of the shaft. Some wheels have a bolt that holds the wheel on. In that case put a divot in the bolt head and remove any washers and drive the wheel off with the air hammer as normal.

[@robertduncan2742]

Vibration does wonders

[@fhiggenbottom]

A helpful hint is to use a good quality anti-seize lubricant instead of axle grease when reinstalling the wheel. Over time the grease can harden and work itself out of the joint allowing rust welding to reoccur.

[@patthesoundguy]

I use grease quite often because someone is more likely to have it on hand over anti seize and the red grease I use seems to work pretty well for extended periods of time. Not quite as well as anti seize but it's what more people have access to in a pinch

[@purchasepete]

Will impact wrench work ?

[@patthesoundguy]

Unfortunately no, the impact is only useful for removing bolts or nuts, there is not enough hammer action to force the wheel off of the axle shaft.

[@purchasepete]

@@patthesoundguy thanks for reply - dang, these wheels are a motherfudger to get off !

[@patthesoundguy]

@@purchasepete you may be able to get a puller from your local auto parts store on a loan for free to pull them if you don't have an air hammer.

[@purchasepete]

@@patthesoundguy Thanks for advise ...I like FREE !

[@rayking3981]

What if we don't have a tool like that?

[@patthesoundguy]

Then you need some type of puller, or that wheel is not coming off 😔

[@pbc1951]

Can you do that again, your head was in the way.

[@terryglenweaver]

I have 4 stuck wheels on my Cycle Kart that I want to exchange with 4 bolt hub.

[@diggin-treasureinmissouri7408]

I bought a brand new air hammer from o'riley for 75 dollars, so far I've bored a hole about 1/4 inch into the shaft and the tire hasn't moved a centimeter..

[@patthesoundguy]

Bummer! Are you pulling on the wheel at the same time as hammering? You may need some heat and or a puller at this point.

[@diggin-treasureinmissouri7408]

@@patthesoundguy Ya I tried a 8 inch 3 way puller first and did absolutely nothing, tried a sledge hammer and heat next and last hope was the air hammer. Guess I'll just drain the oil and flip the mower on it's side and try to get the old tire off and a new tire on the rim.

[@fitch8363]

@@diggin-treasureinmissouri7408 There is a KZbin video of a guy using a hydraulic jack to remove one of those wheels. It was pure brute force but it worked when nothing else did. The title of it has duct tape in it. He used two steel bars behind the wheel, one above and one below the axle. Used tape to hold them together while he rigged a chain to allow a 20 ton jack to push on the axle using a socket that was just smaller than the axle OD. His was really stuck, but that technique got it off. Give the axle a lavish coat of AntiSieze after you clean the rust off it before you reinstall the wheel.

[@patthesoundguy]

I saw that video fly by yesterday in my feed, I didn't have time to watch it. Gotta go find it now 👍👍👍

[@fitch8363]

The guy's channel is Junkboy888, Title is Removing a stuck rim off a riding mower with the help of duct tape.

[@tubefluid]

Wailing like hell on those axles will screw up the differential.

[@patthesoundguy]

That's not wailing on the axles, using the air hammer is common practice. It only moves them a small amount, nothing like happens to them under normal use.