Need help removing an axle

[MichMan84]

Alright so I started tearing the argo apart to fix or replace my right mid axle. I removed the chains on that side, pulled the bolts from the outer flange as well as the inner flange. I only found one set screw on the outer most part of the sprocket, I removed it. Now my problem is, Im stuck. The inner flange seems to be stuck to the inner bearing and wont come off. Anyone have any ideas on how to get the inner flange and bearing off of the axle?

Also, once I get the bearing and flange off, the axle should just slide out right through the sprocket and outer bearing, correct?

And one more thing, Once I finally get it apart and get my axle fixed, What should I replace and what should I make sure to do to make sure it still floats?

[kingtroller]

The inner bearing should have 2 set screws... did you loosen them?

[MichMan84]

The inner bearing should have 2 set screws... did you loosen them?

I haven't been able to get at the inner bearing because the flange is stuck on.

Argo mid axle.jpg

The only set screw that I found was on the outer most part of the sprocket. I Think I need to find a way to get that inner flange off in order to remove any additional set screws. but please correct me if I am wrong. I didn't want to beat on the flange too much to loosen it from the bearing because I was unsure if I would damage anything inside that flange. Any ideas on how to get this flange off?

[amphibious drew]

If the axle isn't suck on the outer bearing, you could push the axle in. Then use a hammer and a small chisel, putty knife, or screwdriver to separate the halves of the flange. Yes there are 2 pieces to them and sometimes they separate easily, and sometimes they don't. Then take a big hammer and whack the outer race of the bearing really hard. It will shatter into several chunks. Then you will be able to remove the inside portion of the flange. From there you could pull the axle out a little and remove the set screws.

[MichMan84]

If the axle isn't suck on the outer bearing, you could push the axle in. Then use a hammer and a small chisel, putty knife, or screwdriver to separate the halves of the flange. Yes there are 2 pieces to them and sometimes they separate easily, and sometimes they don't. Then take a big hammer and whack the outer race of the bearing really hard. It will shatter into several chunks. Then you will be able to remove the inside portion of the flange. From there you could pull the axle out a little and remove the set screws.

Thanks, thinking about it now I never checked to see if the outer bearing was also stuck. I was just worried about getting the inner flange off so I could remove that bearing. My Machine is up north so its gonna be a week or so before I can get back up there and work on it again.

Now that I have it all apart it looks like the wheel hub is bent as well as the actual axle. Should I try to have the axle/hub straightened or am I gonna end up just buying a new one anyway? The reason I ask is if i'm gonna have to buy a new one anyway I wanna go up next time with all the parts I need to finish. But if there is a good chance I can just have mine straightened I would like to save a few bucks.

[spookum]

One problem that I had was I beat the snot out of the inner axle and mushroomed it and drove it into the beari g.... I had to cut the race off.

Are you sure it isn't an eccentric locking collar??? That would explain your problem. If it is, put the chains on it and then knock the collar loose... It will have one set screw and a hole if it is a locking collar.

If your axle is strait, but the flange is bent, it is possible to straitened.... But I would consider buying a new one, the. Fixing the old one for a Spare

[Twizted1]

I had a problem getting the inner bearing off an axle once. I ended up cutting the axle and replacing it. Was the only way I could do it. When putting things back together use plenty of anti seize. That will make things easier to work on in the future.

[MichMan84]

I had a problem getting the inner bearing off an axle once. I ended up cutting the axle and replacing it. Was the only way I could do it. When putting things back together use plenty of anti seize. That will make things easier to work on in the future.

Just in case I need to go this route, what did you use to cut it off? The axle seems like pretty thick steel, I have a grinder but I have never cut anything that strong with it and a torch seems a bit dangerous for the tub of my machine.

[MichMan84]

One problem that I had was I beat the snot out of the inner axle and mushroomed it and drove it into the beari g.... I had to cut the race off.

Are you sure it isn't an eccentric locking collar??? That would explain your problem. If it is, put the chains on it and then knock the collar loose... It will have one set screw and a hole if it is a locking collar.

If your axle is strait, but the flange is bent, it is possible to straitened.... But I would consider buying a new one, the. Fixing the old one for a Spare

Would this one set screw be on the outer most side of the axle with the hole being just around the axle from it? If so, I found that and removed the set screw but didn't know what to do with the hole... Any chance you could post a pic of an eccentric locking collar so I know what I am looking for?

[Toys4Me]

I had to cut 5 of the 6 inner bearings off my argo. I use my 4" grinder with a cut off wheel. Cut through the bearing trying to not cut the axle. Then take hammer and chisel and split the bearing. Then they come right off.

[phabib]

If you're looking at a collar right near the bearing that has a threaded hole with a setscrew and another hole about 1/4 of the way around you've found the locking collar.

To remove those you leave the chains or or otherwise prevent the axle from turning then you stick a punch into the unthreaded hold and you smack it, usually opposite the direction the axle turns. You don't want to put the punch into the threaded hole since that will ruin it. If it doesn't move you can try turning it the other direction.

What that locking collar does is fit with the bearing in such a way that when you fit it over the bearing and turn it to lock it in place it wedges with the bearing and keeps the axle from moving. The setscrews doesn't really hold the axle in place, it just keeps the collar, which holds the axle, from moving.

As for cutting axles, when I cut mine out I used a recip saw (Sawzall) with a 12 TPI metal cutting blade. I got the fanciest bi-metal, coated blade they had at Lowes. It took 8 blades to cut 6 axles.

[MichMan84]

If you're looking at a collar right near the bearing that has a threaded hole with a setscrew and another hole about 1/4 of the way around you've found the locking collar.

To remove those you leave the chains or or otherwise prevent the axle from turning then you stick a punch into the unthreaded hold and you smack it, usually opposite the direction the axle turns. You don't want to put the punch into the threaded hole since that will ruin it. If it doesn't move you can try turning it the other direction.

What that locking collar does is fit with the bearing in such a way that when you fit it over the bearing and turn it to lock it in place it wedges with the bearing and keeps the axle from moving. The setscrews doesn't really hold the axle in place, it just keeps the collar, which holds the axle, from moving.

As for cutting axles, when I cut mine out I used a recip saw (Sawzall) with a 12 TPI metal cutting blade. I got the fanciest bi-metal, coated blade they had at Lowes. It took 8 blades to cut 6 axles.

argo mid sproket edit.jpg

Here is a top view picture. the top of the picture is toward the inside of the machine and the bottom of the pic is toward the out side of the machine. The set screw that I already removed came from the area that I put an arrow. Is this the locking collar? There was another little hole near where the set screw came out... If so can you explain again how I remove this? Do i put the punch in and try to make it spin on the axle to loosen it?

Thanks again for all the help.

[MichMan84]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10733[/ATTACH]

Here is a top view picture. the top of the picture is toward the inside of the machine and the bottom of the pic is toward the out side of the machine. The set screw that I already removed came from the area that I put an arrow. Is this the locking collar? There was another little hole near where the set screw came out... If so can you explain again how I remove this? Do i put the punch in and try to make it spin on the axle to loosen it?

Thanks again for all the help.

Looking at it now, the set screw may have come from an inch or so lower in the picture than where I actually put the arrow. But a set screw came from right in that area and there was another non threaded hole right by it.

[MichMan84]

Finished the Job!

Well it took some work but I got a brand new axle, bearings, and sprockets in my Argo. As you can see in my pics, I had to cut my old axle twice to get it out, but once it was out the new one went in fairly easy. I also added a temp gauge, a 12 volt power outlet and changed the oil while I had the firewall out. Once I got it all done I had to test it out on my sand pile(soon to be my beach)

Thanks to Argo Adventure for the fast parts delivery! My parts showed up 4 business days after I placed my order and they made it easy to make sure I got all the parts I needed to complete the job.

Cut Axle.jpgArgo on Beach.jpg