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

Hello.

This may be a stupid question, but I am having troubles figuring out how to remove the wheels. Nowhere in the manual does it tell you how to do so. It mentions removing the wheels in one section about friction disc replacement. This model has a differential and maybe it makes it harder, unsure.  On the outside of the wheel there is a lock clip that I can remove, but it doesn't seem to release anything. I am guessing its there to hold the wheel in place, but it doesn't give any slack with it gone.  Could it be rusted on? There seems to be quite a bit of rust coming from around the wheel, main reason why I would like to take it off, to grease it up a bit.  The is also a triangle type mount bolted on to the main box chasis (rake/bushing?), this mount has three bolts in it.  I tried to remove these nuts thinking maybe it needed to be loose for the wheel to come off and of couse all the bolts cracked off VERY easily.  So now I have no choice but to get the wheel off so that I can get the cracked off bolts out of that bracket (rake/bushing) and put new ones in. This machine is only one year old and its rusting like no tomorrow. I have taken care of most rust now and the wheels are last to take a look at.

Hope somebody can help me get the wheels off..

Cheers
Goofie Newfie

The only thing holding the wheels on are the flat clips on the end. They need to be slid straight off. Careful on the right side so you don't slide the short tube axle right out of the differential. If they were not anti-seized well at the plant you may need to use penetrant (WD40, PB Blaster, etc).

Thanks Snowman;

I had a feeling it was seized up.  Going to pick up a can of PB Blaster tomorrow and give that a shot. Sounds like great stuff.  Once I get it off, maybe never seez will do the trick, to ensure it doesn't happen again. 

Cheers
Goofie Newfie

Argggg.... Almost regreting ever trying to take the wheels off. Here's a update.  for two days I have been spraying pb blaster in towards the axle from the front around the rim. Can't really get any pb in from the back around the bushing/rake, due to it being so tight.  I have tipped the snow blower on its side to let it run down the axel and it has, its ran out inside the chasis and collected into a rag I had in place. been spinning the wheel to make sure its going all around the axle.  The color of the pb blaster is yellow going in and super dark coming out.  So its eating either rust or grease off something. Looks to be rust to me.  Anyway, after two days of doing this and trying to take the wheel off at random times through out, nothing.  I have occasionaly been hiting the wheel from the inside with a piece of wood and hammer, even tho I know this is not good practice. Just trying to loosen it up a little.. Nothing, haven't moved a bit, nada, nothing. Same as where I started. So today, I took more aggresive approach towards it and got a blow torch and trying heating the rim around the axle.. Being super careful not to heat to much for the tire (air out).  That didn't work. So I tried heating the axle itselt and shocking it with cold water.. Nope, that didn't work. 

So I am super annoyed with this tire now and its really starting to dampin my ariens experience. I cannot believe the amount of rust that I had on the friction plate, axle, etc... How little grease was on it from factory and now the tire is seized beyound believe.  One year old machine, shouldn't be like that.

I know I have been told that this tire should just slide off with the clip removed, but after days at it and no movement at all, it make me wondering if I am missing something.  On the tire rim itself, on the circle of the rim that is on the axle, the is a little square hole.  What is this hole for? Greasing or is it a release of some sort. After having so much trouble I cannot get away from thinking there is a tool to shove it there to release the tire from the axle.  

Hope somebody can spread some light on that little hole and maybe give some more ideas on how to remove this tire.

Cheers
GoofieNewfie

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

I have no experience with Ariens.  I do have experience with other machines though.  All wheels that I've seen are held by a quick release pin on one/both sides or a quick release on one side and a bolt on the other.  When I bought my Simplicity last year, I pulled the wheels, painted the axles with Tremclad rust paint then liberally greased them up before putting the wheels back on.   Road salt will take it's toll quickly on unprotected parts.  When I do my driveway, I usually do the road end first then do the rest of the driveway.  That way, most salt is cleaned off the machine while clearing fresh snow. 

Not having a chance to look at your machine, I'd venture to say that your problem is most likely corrosion.  From your previous posts, it would appear to be a pretty bad case.  You've done pretty much everything that can be done to free up the wheel.  There are no bearings in the wheel so heat won't damage anything there.  There are probably bearings in the housing that the axle passes through.  You might want to make sure that you don't direct too much heat there.  Personally, I'd continue with the heat application around the hub near the axle.  You'll probably burn off the wheel paint but so be it if it's important to get the wheel off.   Put a wet rag around the axle behind the wheel to help keep it cool.  Keep heating and tapping with a hammer.  Keep the rag good and wet.  Don't want to start a fire under the fuel tank.   Is your machine still under warranty?   

Hi borat.

Thanks for your response. Since my last post, I have been out at it the whole time, after alot of work I manage to get one wheel off, the right side with the short axle.  Still nothing on the original wheel I started with.  I haven't heated it enough to burn the paint, but I have had it pretty hot. I do have a rag on the axle and keep it wet at all times.   Yes, my machine is under warranty at least I hope so. Its only one year old, warranty is three years. My problems are that now I to have tremclad on the axle inside and I am wondering if they will complain and tell me my warranty is void because of it.  Second, I have a car. Have to pay for it to be picked up and brought back. $20 each way.  Thrid, if it wasn't grease properly before, how can I know it will be again. I would like to get it off myself if possible and do it to my satisfaction.  Forth, My machine came with three years service included.  I didn't bring it in for the first one yet and I am wondering if that causes problems with my warranty. If so, going to really tick me off considering I have to pay $40 a year to keep my warranty going when they only do the simple things I can do at home. Grease and change oil, etc...

Maybe I should call them and ask these question tho, but scare to know as it may be to late. 

If I can't get this wheel off tho, I will probably pay the money to bring it over and see what they have to say. Funny thing is tho, if I didn't do this service myself I probably would never have know the wheel was siezed and in the future I would have no chance at fixing it.


Borat, you put tremclad on the axle under the wheel rim? Wouldn't it scrap off as you put the wheel on and off? I have it inside the housing on the axle, but planned on putting never seez on the axle under the rim, if the tire ever comes off.  Which would be better I wonder? I have had great experience with never seez.

Cheers
Goofie Newfie

The portion of axle that runs in the wheel is not painted.  Not that it would really matter.  There was enough clearance on my machine to slide a painted and  greased axle in with ease.  Same should have been true with yours before the corrosion problem.  I suggest you apply more heat.  If the paint isn't burning, the wheel isn't getting that hot.  Heat &  tap with a hammer.  It will break loose.  When you get it off, jack the machine up, start it and put it in gear.  Get a strip of emery cloth or sand paper and loop it over the axle to let the axle run inside the loop.  Slide the sand paper back and forth to keep more grit where you need it.  Get a wire pipe cleaner and run that inside the wheel to get as much rust out of there as possible.  I usually cut the end of the handle off the pipe cleaner and put the pipe cleaner in a drill.  That way the spinning action will do a better job quicker.  Grease everything up real good and put the wheels back on.    

If I am going to get the rim hot enough to burn the paint, should I remove the tire from the rim so that it doesn't melt?

The heat shouldn't radiate to the tire if you concentrate the flame just around the hub.  The objective is to have the heat expand the hub.  Try not to heat the axle.  Keeping the wet rag cool behind the wheel will help that effort.  Try to keep the rag away from the back of the hub.   You might want to deflate the tire while doing this just in case the heat effects tire pressure.   

Thanks Borat;

I am after heating it up enough to burn the paint now and still no give.  I am giving up on it and bringing it to the dealer. No choice, snow soon and this needs to be done.   I do have another question tho, in snowmans post to me, he advises me to be careful with the short axle on the right side. Making sure not to pull it out of the differential. My question is why? If I pull it out will it not go back in or will it cause damage of some sort? I am thinking I would like to pull it out so that I can put some never seez on between the short axle and the axle under it.  After all this rust, I can't seem to justify stopping at just the wheel when the short axle could easily rust on to the axle under it. So if I pull it out, what are the consequences?

Cheers
Goofie Newfie

Man!  Sound like that wheel is welded on.  You're making the right move bringing it into the dealer.  Timing might be bad though.  They might be busy putting new machines together and preparing other customer machines.