Removing real tire

[LoBul]

Need to remove the rear rim from my 20 year old MTD lawn tractor.I removed the axle nut on the outside, which appears to be the only fastening device, but will not budge.The rim cylinder looks to be riding on a sleeve and the sleeve is on the axle. Looks rusty so I applied lubricating oil and some pounding, which has a limited amount of space to swing a hammer. Still will not budge. Any suggestions??

 

[Bladehauler]

maybe heat around the sleeve to expand it from the axle ?

 

[Gary Fowler]

I doubt that you will get that off without damaging the rim if it has been 20 years of rust collecting on it. Good penetrating oil, some heat, more oil, more heat, more pounding might eventually loosen it up. You need something like a big wheel puller that will put equal pressure of 2 or 3 sides at once. Brother in Law JD Gator has the same thing on the front wheel and its been off at least twice in 2 years and greased up when back and it still took some pounding to get it free, once it moved just a little, then it came right off like it may have a slight taper fit. Good luck.

 

[LoBul]

Thanks for the advice. Tire has dry rot and will not hold air.Hate to have to buy a new tractor for this reason. Think I may just cut it off and try to put a new tire on it.

 

[Gary Fowler]

That shouldn't be too hard to do if you have some tire irons. You should be able to pop off the old tire also. By doing that, you will see how hard (or easy) the new tire is going to be to put on. Soap it up good to make it slip off and new one on.

 

[boxorox]

of coARSE You want to get off if you can but if not you should be able to get tire off rim while still on tractor with harbor freight tire irones or if you have some old prybars and a grinder you can make your own.

 

[LoBul]

Sounds like a plan . Thanks

 

[radioman]

It can be a bear to take off the rims off the lawn tractors axles. I always had to put opposite force on it like a puller at the same time using rust killer sprayed on both sides every 10 blows of hammer. I used a sledge hammer and lots of sweat. With this combination I can geet the tires off - then put never sieze on it afterwards, but I doubt the tractor will last that long afterwards.

 

[jinman]

Thanks for the advice. Tire has dry rot and will not hold air.Hate to have to buy a new tractor for this reason. Think I may just cut it off and try to put a new tire on it.

That's exactly what I did on two tires on my lawn tractor. It's a bit of a hassle, but you can do it and save the rim and extra hassle of trying to get it off.

 

[Fred Barbour]

Need to remove the rear rim from my 20 year old MTD lawn tractor.I removed the axle nut on the outside, which appears to be the only fastening device, but will not budge.The rim cylinder looks to be riding on a sleeve and the sleeve is on the axle. Looks rusty so I applied lubricating oil and some pounding, which has a limited amount of space to swing a hammer. Still will not budge. Any suggestions??

I had a similar problem taking off a rear tire off my CT 235 ( I change from Ag to Turf every year). I wouldn't budge so a friend said use a long pry bar (I have a 6 foot bar), place it in behind and try to find a spot that is solid (ie frame) and mine popped right off. I now grease the tire before making the change and it works perfect.

Fred

 

[Short Game]

Be sure not to pound on the end of the axle. If you mushroom it a thousandth of an inch, it's on there for the duration.

 

[kevin37b]

You start beating on those rims , you will fu$$ that trans up .

 

[LoBul]

After looking at the parts book and saw that the axle was indeed attached to the transmission inside the housing, I'm backing off the hammering...So when the weather gets a little warmer here, I'm going the pry bar route. ..Plan "B" is to cut it off, buy a new tire and tube and try to put it back on the rim....Plan "C" ....haven't a clue...

 

[jaotguy]

only suggestions :

if you use the pry bar method, you must tap on the back side of the rim (180 opposite the pry point) to help wiggle the rim off.

have you tried a piece of 2x4 tucked under from the opposite side of the tractor and put up against the back side of the stuck rim... pound on the 2x4 to push the rim off... rotate the tire a bit and pound again... repeat as necessary.

if you must pound on the axle from the front, use a piece of aluminum stock or brass stock between the hammer and the axle... the softer metal transfers the "blow" to the axle, but it deforms instead of mushrooming the axle.

these methods have worked for some, but you must decide how much force you want to apply and are comfortable with.

 

[jinman]

..Plan "B" is to cut it off, buy a new tire and tube and try to put it back on the rim....Plan "C" ....haven't a clue...

On my Kubota G1800, the tires I cut off and replaced right on the mower were front tires. Those little dickens's were tough to get back on the rim because of the rim spinning on the axle. There was no good way to hold it. Breaking the bead was fairly easy using a big C-clamp to squeeze the tire to the middle of the rim.

On rear tires, you can put a wrench (pipe wrench or visegrip pliers) on the rear axle to keep the wheel from spinning. Breaking the tire down off the bead while it is vertical will be the challenge. Large clamps like c-clamps and pipe clamps can really help. Since you may have to cut the tire off, you can cut a hole in the sidewall and then cut the bead for an easy removal. Why try to preserve a tire you are replacing? I really think cutting and then careful reinstallation will be your least hassle. Once the tires are mounted, having a tight fit to the axle is a good thing.

 

[Rmart30]

most tire guys who come put tires on our equipment never take the rim off the equipment.... they soap it down and pop it off with tire irons.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Cant you drill a few holes in the rim center/hub and use bolts to make a puller. You could apply a couple thousand pounds pull that way.
larry