753H Bobcat - How to access blower impeller?

[Skidder Dave]

753H Bobcat - Request advice for blower access. My radiator blower squirrel cage impeller is slipping on the shaft. It spins when the engine is running... intermittently. I suspect the problem was ironically caused by squirrels storing their walnuts in the impeller cavity, and the impeller demolishes the nuts, with a lot of impact and one heck of a noisy racket, on machine startup. "Cheat method" - I am able to reach in through the side grills and check the bolt tightness with a 3/4 deep socket wrench and the bolt IS tight - but the impeller is still somewhat loose on the shaft. Q: Does the vertical shaft have a flat or key that is supposed to hold the black plastic impeller from spinning, or is it supposed to be "slip-gripped" only by bolt and washer friction against a shaft shoulder??? Q: If I put more washers, or maybe a conical (Bellville) washer under the nut, will that work to hold the impeller in place??? (I can do those solutions through the side grill - I think, but it's like working thru a mouse hole). I do have a 753 manual and apparently, I can ("correct methods") access the top of the impeller by A: Removing the oil radiator and also the coolant radiator from over the top of the impeller, or, B. Removing the hydraulic oil reservoir and pulling out the gearbox along with the complete blower housing, with the cab raised. Neither method looks particularly easy. Has anyone in this forum bloodied their nose on this problem??? Am I wasting my time trying to add washers thru the side grill??? Can you offer any "here is the best method to do this" advice??? Thanks in advance for your help!

****"I spend a LOT more time fixing it, than I do using it!"****

 

[brdgbldr]

Goe tothis website:

Bobcat Parts Catalog - Find Diagrams for Your Equipment - Bobcat Company

Locate all parts and component information about your Bobcat equipment with detailed visual diagrams and illustrations with parts numbers and add to your list.

www.bobcatpartsonline.com

Enter your serial number and look up the cooling system. Here you can at least look at the blown up drawing and see all the parts and how they go together.

I'm pretty sure I've seen some youtube videos of people removing the fan housings from under the cab. Does not look easy, especially getting it back in.

There are also a couple of videos about replacing the radiator. If you need to get to the top of the impeller, I think this is probably the easiest way.

 

[Skidder Dave]

UPDATE - success! I succeeded in removing the blower fan nut and washer thru the LH side blower exhaust port. I used a 3/8 drive socket wrench with a 3/4 socket with magnet insert but could only get about 10 deg of ratchet sweep with each crank of the wrench due to tight quarters - UGH! But I added a vise grip with a pipe extension on the input shaft of the fan gearbox (with cab up) which probably increased when using both to about 45 deg of ratchet sweep with each crank. I first tried tightening the existing nut over the washer - no go, too much wear and the blower fan blade still slips. Then I removed the nut and thick washer and added two 1/2 inch Belleville washers under the washer and nut and tightened again. It worked! Blower fan no longer slips. Yay! Topped off the gearbox gear oil. Not sure how much life the gearbox has left - it's a 1996 machine and the gearbox has some play - but I'm good for a while without major surgery, and without paying for a $1000+ shop fix. Yay!

 

[reaperman]

Be sure to change the oil in that gearbox, I dont recall offhand but I think engine oil is used.