42" Side Discharge - Removing stuck front rollers

[TC10284 111]

I have a 42" side discharge deck with three stuck front rollers. I can barely move them with my hand, but they only slide on the ground when it is attached to the tractor. 

I can remove the 7/16" bolts from each roller shaft, but since the rollers are stuck on the shaft, I cannot get the roller shaft off. I have tried hitting the shaft with a large hammer and punch, but I'm only bending the metal arm attached to the deck. 

I've also sprayed them with PBBlaster. 

The rollers themselves aren't in too bad of shape, so I'd like to avoid damaging them if possible. 

What methods do you guys have to remove these stuck rollers? 

Edited May 1, 2021 by TC10284

[tunahead72 2,411]

Do you have cotter pins at the end of the shafts?

 

[TC10284 111]

Just now, tunahead72 said:

Do you have cotter pins at the end of the shafts?

 

Yes, those have been removed of course. 

[tunahead72 2,411]

Sounds like a lot of grass and dirt built up around the shafts, or maybe they're bent.  I would keep trying to rotate the rollers on the shafts to try to break them loose.  I can't imagine anything else that would be causing them to not move.

 

[oliver2-44 9,708]

With the roller mounted on the deck can you get a strap wrench around it to work the roller back and forth?

[TC10284 111]

2 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

With the roller mounted on the deck can you get a strap wrench around it to work the roller back and forth?

 

I can turn them by hand, but it's very hard to do. I've tried working them back and forth last night, squirting some oil on each end every few minutes. 

However, I cannot get them loose enough to roll on their own, on the ground. They just slide. 

[tunahead72 2,411]

Got that, but I think you're right to try to disassemble each one and thoroughly clean the shafts and the inside of the rollers.  If you have the rollers even a little loose at this point, try holding the roller firmly, and rotating and pulling the shaft out a little at a time.  I'm not sure oil helps, maybe some WD-40 or PBlaster?  Once you have it apart, I would clean the shaft with some emery paper, and the inside of the roller with a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a dowel or something similar.  Keep working at it, I've had some pretty clogged up rollers over the years, and I've never had one not come apart and respond nicely to a good cleaning.

 

[Handy Don 12,167]

5 hours ago, tunahead72 said:

Got that, but I think you're right to try to disassemble each one and thoroughly clean the shafts and the inside of the rollers.  If you have the rollers even a little loose at this point, try holding the roller firmly, and rotating and pulling the shaft out a little at a time.  I'm not sure oil helps, maybe some WD-40 or PBlaster?  Once you have it apart, I would clean the shaft with some emery paper, and the inside of the roller with a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a dowel or something similar.  Keep working at it, I've had some pretty clogged up rollers over the years, and I've never had one not come apart and respond nicely to a good cleaning.

 

I agree on the the emory paper on the shaft, but I'd avoid abrasives on the plastic. Once the metal rust is off, the roller will likely have enough clearance to turn.

 

If you have a bench vice, you could sit the roller endwise on top of the jaws with the angled part UNCLAMPED between the jaws. Use a block of wood and a hammer to tap the shaft out of the roller.

 

Note that on WH decks, there is often a spring that presses against the end of the roller that prevents it from spinning freely (yours are definitely too tight). The intent is that the roller turns ONLY if it's in contact with the ground and doesn't rattle the rest of the time.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Handy Don

[tom2p 2,394]

a little more oomph should remove the deck rollers 

 

might need to use a wire wheel or whatever on the shafts to clean up any rust or whatever residue and then apply a lubricant ... light coating of marine / waterproof grease or whatever