Seized rear wheel on Cub Cadet 1330

[fhiggenbottom]

I need some practical advice from anyone who's had a similar problem with removing the tightly (and I mean tightly) seized rear wheel like the one on my Cub Cadet 1330. The rear wheel has a flat requiring a tube or new tire and I've tried everything found on YouTube to remove the rear wheel except an air hammer and doubt it would work after all I've tried.

I've soaked the wheel axle with PB blaster for days to break up the rust, tried using a propane torch to heat the wheel and remove it with a hammer, used a harmonic balancer to pull the wheel from the axle and all with no success except to destroy the bolts connecting the wheel puller to the wheel when attempting to remove the wheel.

The service department at 4X4 Country in the city where I live quoted $100 to cut the wheel off with an acetylene torch. I'm at my wits end and don't want to pay to cut the wheel off if I can avoid it and would appreciate any recommendations that proved successful for you.

 

[gary noblit]

Fred,if memory serves me... that has a long hub on backside and a spacer next to housing.I had to use acy torch and a 3 lb sledge to get one off...burned all the paint off center of hub.If you can get an extra pair of hands running puller plus heat it might come sooner.There is no easy answer,sorry

 

[dgeary]

I had the same problem on a Simplicity 4108 that I still have. I ended up drilling three holes in the wheel to allow me to use a puller. Once I got the puller set up and preloaded, I heated the hub with an acetylene torch. Had to do this on both sides. Destroyed the wheels but didn't have any other options.

 

[fhiggenbottom]

I had the same problem on a Simplicity 4108 that I still have. I ended up drilling three holes in the wheel to allow me to use a puller. Once I got the puller set up and preloaded, I heated the hub with an acetylene torch. Had to do this on both sides. Destroyed the wheels but didn't have any other options.

As a follow-up I tried using heat, PB Blaster penetrant with a wheel puller and a three-pound sledgehammer to encourage the wheel to let go of the axle shaft but to no avail. All that I accomplished was the bending of the wheel.

Finally, since I had a spare rear wheel and tire from a donor mower, I resorted to cutting the wheel off the axle with a cutoff saw using a thinner cutoff wheel to cut a horizontal slit down the metal part of the wheel covering the axle shaft to allow more PB blaster in and with persistent hammering was able to coax the wheel off the axle with only a hint of the cutoff wheel having hit it.

Before mounting the replacement, wheel and tire I thoroughly cleaned the axle of rust using sandpaper and brake cleaner and then applied a thick coat of nickel, Anti seize to the axle. If I ever have to remove that wheel again that should prevent the recurrence of such an ordeal.