Frozen Nuts

[TractorLarry]

I would have a concern with heat transferring to and damaging the seals...

-Larry

If you have the deck off then I would use a torch to heat the nuts. Even a propane torch should supply enough heat to loosen the rust bond. Also a breaker bar and a 6 point socket would be good.

 

[JSharp]

I'd too would avoid heat because of the seals.

I'd go with an impact wrench or a cheater on a breaker bar. And I'd certainly use antiseize or some Loctite on the threads when I put it back together...

 

[OldMachinist]

You would have to heat the nut red hot and keep it there for enough heat to travel up to the seal on a Z-Force. There is alot of mass on these. The nut is a flanged 1 1/8" hex on a 1" dia. bolt, the blades are 1/4" thick, then the blade spacer and then the spindle spacer so the nut is well below the seal.

 

[Dave01]

I heated with a propane torch, only hot enough to (hopefully) draw the wax in. I'm sure it didn't get hot enough to damage seals or bearings. The blade was barely hot near the nut and the deck housing was cool to the touch, only got warm after the heat dissipated a bit.

Haven't had a chance to try again yet.

 

[OldMachinist]

I'm sure you didn't hurt anything. The typical max. operating temp. of a steel bearing is 250f to 280f.