Thread: Ways to remove stubborn set screw in motor pulley?

I reckon I would go with heating the hub as you only need to break the 'seal' for want of a better term.
At least if there is any Loctite in there it will burn it out
Make sure you get it quite hot, almost glowing around the grub screw and try to remove the grub screw while still heating.
Best of luck.

Phil

Just a thought:

If the OP gets the pulley near red hot and it still doesn’t come off, that heat is going to make its way into the motor via the shaft. Is there any risk of damage if that happens?


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Originally Posted by jack620

If the OP gets the pulley near red hot and it still doesn’t come off, that heat is going to make its way into the motor via the shaft. Is there any risk of damage if that happens?

While I am happy with the advise about heating, and willing to have another go (although all I have is the blowtorch, no oxy, so possibly heat dissipation is my main problem), I have to admit I do have a concern about heat going to where it isn't good.

Of course, the drill stands by as the alternative!

Oops. No not that much heat if it's on a motor. Best bet for heat is a welding tip on an oxy acet/LPG torch for pinpoint heat.
Sorry about the previous advice.

Phil

In regards to Phillis suggestion if you had suitable heating it might be better to just spot heat rather than heating the whole hub.

If the pulley is steel and not cast iron, and if you have an arc welder handy, run a short bead of weld radially along the outside of the pulley along where the set screw is located. Try and loosen the set screw while the weld is still hot. Simply grind/machine the weld bead away when you manage to remove the pulley.
Cheers,
Greg.

Originally Posted by kwijibo99

If the pulley is steel and not cast iron, and if you have an arc welder handy, run a short bead of weld radially along the outside of the pulley along where the set screw is located. Try and loosen the set screw while the weld is still hot. Simply grind/machine the weld bead away when you manage to remove the pulley.
Cheers,
Greg.

Wow. I'd be a bit worried that the pulley might distort a little bit? This seems about as much work as drilling the set-screw out and running a tap through later.

Actually, looking at the pulley, it probably wouldn't have distorted with a bead of arc weld along where the set-screw was. But it's moot now, because after trying again with a pinpoint gas torch burner, and definitely getting the pulley in the set-screw area and as hot as I dared (shaft getting very hot), and even after that, still no movement from the set-screw, I drilled it out and even went into the shaft a little to ensure no burrs or anything from the setscrew that would interfere with the pulley coming off.

But now, with the set-screw out, that pulley won't come off! It's been WD-40'd liberally for days. The pulley puller is pulled up so tight now that I think something will just snap - either the flange of the pulley or the puller. Gaah. What next? It has to come off because the front bearing on the motor is noisy and has to be seen to. The top priority is to preserve the motor, as these bricksaw motors are a long-frame high-torque variety, costing over $500 new.

So - any ideas on difficult pulley removal?

Small Blow torch flame on the pulley in the vicinity of the grub screw is my standard method. Loose shielding around the shaft if you want to reduce heat direct onto the shaft, I usually use a piece of thin walled SHS. Sometimes even a hot air gun (650ºC) with a is enough.

Rather than one massive heating episode I use several heat and then cool method as this is what cracks the corrosion between the screw and pulley. If you can't be fagged waiting for it to cooling, a wet rag or ice can be used.

Are you heating the pulley while applying the puller?

I once had a pulley where a hole had been drilled into the motor shaft to allow the grub screw to penetrate. Is it possible this has been done and there’s still a bit of grub screw in the hole?

I wouldn’t be applying any more heat. Assuming the pulley went on without being heated, it should come off without it. Maybe drill the grub screw hole out completely, then drill and tap a new hole when you eventually get the pulley off.

Good luck.

Edit. Just re read your post. I see you drilled the hole through to the shaft.

Thinking further, maybe the pulley WAS heated to get in on. If so I guess it will need to be heated to get it off.


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Once again if you can spot heat between pulpy and shaft there shouldn't be enough heat to grow the shaft,
makes you wonder if the thoughts of the pull being heated to put on the shaft why the 2 grub screws.

Given the motor is $500 new and single pulleys are quite cheap, it might be prudent to cut the pulley off and buy or turn up a new one.


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Originally Posted by pipeclay

makes you wonder if the thoughts of the pull being heated to put on the shaft why the 2 grub screws.

Who knows? People do the most ridiculous things. My pedestal drill had the pulley grub screw driven into the key slot in the motor shaft. No key steel of course. Distorted the shaft and made removing the pulley a nightmare.


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These have all been useful comments.

Possibly with BobL's advice I could've preserved the set screw by alternate heating/cooling cycles, whereas I just performed one cycle. Anyways, there's still the saw arbor, which again had a set-screw over the key that I was able to remove, and the other is still stuck fast. So I'll try more heating/cooling cycles on that one.

Yeah, motor pulley. Looks like the only non-destructive option is heating the pulley around the shaft, maybe again in cycles, until it comes off. Or not.

It's a double pulley, so if I end up breaking it or spend half a day cutting it off (chunky little thing), it'll cost me getting a new one.