LX885 2 speed drive seal replacement

[Eb76adam]

Hi all, working on a new to me machine. After a lot of pressure washing I’ve located the main source of a fluid leak. The seal under the arm in the first pic is the culprit. Arm seams to be seized to the output/input shaft. Hesitant to beat on it knowing what it’s connected to. Can I safely heat it to break up the adhesion?
According to the parts diagram there is a square key under the arm that interfaces with the shaft - there a trick to this? Currently just using the claw of a hammer to pry it up but it’s not moving. Soaked with PB blaster for 24 hrs. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Shanmar]

I fought this battle many years ago. Going off memory.....I made a puller plate out of 3/8" (maybe 1/2") steel. It had a slot cut into it from one side so I could slide it under the arm. Of course, the slot has to be tight enough to grab the welded lip of the arm. Then, I had 3 tapped hole (3/8"?) in the plate for bolts to push down against the plate and up on the arm. It worked. I can't remember if the shaft was keyed plus tapered or not.
Heating....you may get away with it if you don't have to get it extremely hot. You're gonna replace the seal already. Maybe look at the parts breakdown to see if the shaft rotates on needle bearings and not plastic sleeve bushing. Have fire extinguisher handy.

 

[Eb76adam]

I fought this battle many years ago. Going off memory.....I made a puller plate out of 3/8" (maybe 1/2") steel. It had a slot cut into it from one side so I could slide it under the arm. Of course, the slot has to be tight enough to grab the welded lip of the arm. Then, I had 3 tapped hole (3/8"?) in the plate for bolts to push down against the plate and up on the arm. It worked. I can't remember if the shaft was keyed plus tapered or not.
Heating....you may get away with it if you don't have to get it extremely hot. You're gonna replace the seal already. Maybe look at the parts breakdown to see if the shaft rotates on needle bearings and not plastic sleeve bushing. Have fire extinguisher handy.

Great idea - I was on my way to that - trying to figure out how to repurpose a pulley puller - but hadn’t gotten there yet. Sounds like a winner. I’ll give it a shot. Thank you!

 

[haymaker]

Great idea - I was on my way to that - trying to figure out how to repurpose a pulley puller - but hadn’t gotten there yet. Sounds like a winner. I’ll give it a shot. Thank you!

Please keep us informed.

 

[Eb76adam]

One down one to go.

Had to go at it from a few different angles and it bent the 3/8” plate before it let loose but it’s off. The shaft does look tapered and it and the square key were pretty corroded - hence all the drama. Working on the arm at the front of the machine next as that seal appears to be leaking as well.

Of course that means a different tool - different shape and access means the first one can’t be reused…

Thanks again Shanmar for the advice!

 

[Eb76adam]

For anyone else - here are a couple more pics of the arms and shafts they were connected to. I was able to use a 2 jaw puller on the front arm due to its different shape. It was just as seized.