Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

i am working on a old reo made by wheel horse model#st268 serial #1149.it has a bad coil,and it is right behind the fly wheel.my question is how in the heck do you get the flywheel to come off.i am about to use dynomite.thanks don

DonJag-

I assume you have removed the pull starter and lock nut and are looking at the crank shaft exiting the flywheel.I have a steel sleeve open on one end that fits over the shaft. You place that on and then hit the sleeve with a rubber mallet. The shock will release the flywheel. You must protect the theads on the crankshaft from damage when hitting it. That is why you need the sleeve. You can use a short  galvanized plumbing nipple with a cap on one side that is of a diameter large enough to fit over the shaft  to simulate the steel sleeve. Come to think of it all you need is the gavanized cap. It needs to be short enough so it doesen't seat against the flywheel. In a pinch when the shaft is too large a diameter for my sleeve I thread a nut on to the crank so that the mallet hits the nut and not the top of the crank. You can damage the threads this way but so far I have been lucky.

Is the Reo a Single stage painted green with cream  trim? Thats the first blower in my family sometime in the middle 1950's. It had a small Tecumseh about 4hp,one speed forward and one reverse,solid rubber tires. You engaged the auger by pushing a red knob on the side of the bucket  that engaged a pair of dogs. I was 8 or 9 years old at the time,king of the neighborhood!!!

Marc    

it is a 2 stage,red with white trim,it has a 6 horse on it.getting weak spark,thought i would try putting a new coil on it.

  use a screwdriver , prybar  behind the flywheel applying outward pressure.  give flywheel a couple good smacks with rubber mallet anbd she will pop off.  hit the flywheel on the magnets and counterweight.   works like a charm