Get Tech Tips
Subscribe to get free tech tips.
The Surefire Way to Get a Blower Wheel Off
I've always opposed the practice of grabbing a hub puller as the first method of removing a blower.
The video below by Brad Hicks with HVAC in SC on YouTube demonstrates the exact method I use to safely remove a blower wheel without damaging anything. Thanks, Brad!
The Steps
- Kill the power. Pull the blower and set it on a drop cloth.
- Before you loosen anything, mark where the wheel sits on the shaft so it goes back on centered in the housing.
- Loosen the set screw.
- Push the wheel a little farther onto the shaft. That exposes the clean metal that was under the hub.
- Clean the exposed shaft really well with emery cloth or sandpaper. Take a couple of extra minutes here.
- Spray a little penetrant on the shaft. Brad uses WD-40 in his video; any lubricant or rust breaker works.
- Slide the wheel off. Nine times out of ten, it comes right off by hand.
- Still stuck? Now it's time for the puller. Pull on the hub only, never the blades.
Illustration by JD Kelly
Work through this with the trade.
Highlight a short passage, or bring a question about a specific moment into HVAC No Bull Forum.
Discuss this reference → Related forum discussions
Related Tech Tips
Comments
I’ve done that very same thing for about 20 years 25 years now. I Was preparing one for a friend which literally would not come off. I ended up having to use several tools along with a puller. 6 hours later we got it loose. The blower wheel was deformed it had been such a fight. Easily the worst one I have had all these years. In looking for a replacement I pulled 3 different ones off in 15 minutes or so.
Report comment
I’ve done that very same thing for about 20 years 25 years now. I Was preparing one for a friend which literally would not come off. I ended up having to use several tools along with a puller. 6 hours later we got it loose. The blower wheel was deformed it had been such a fight. Easily the worst one I have had all these years. In looking for a replacement I pulled 3 different ones off in 15 minutes or so.
Report comment
I have also been doing it that way for the past 30 years too, but here is another way. Just like you did, loosen the stud, oil the shaft and spin the wheel around the shaft to get oil around it, tap wheel towards motor an 1/4″, spin it again, now cut the shaft off flush with the hub using a battery powered rotary tool, like a die grinder, use a 3″ cutting wheel and cut the rusty shaft off right at the hub. Now you have all clean shaft and will often not even need a puller. Usually a gentle tap on the end of the motor shaft will cause it to fall right out of the wheel. Note : Never beat on the motor shaft, you will just mushroom the end and then you will really struggle to get it off.
Report comment
I have also been doing it that way for the past 30 years too, but here is another way. Just like you did, loosen the stud, oil the shaft and spin the wheel around the shaft to get oil around it, tap wheel towards motor an 1/4″, spin it again, now cut the shaft off flush with the hub using a battery powered rotary tool, like a die grinder, use a 3″ cutting wheel and cut the rusty shaft off right at the hub. Now you have all clean shaft and will often not even need a puller. Usually a gentle tap on the end of the motor shaft will cause it to fall right out of the wheel. Note : Never beat on the motor shaft, you will just mushroom the end and then you will really struggle to get it off.
Report comment
The biggest thing is sanding down the old set screw marks and adding some oil or wd40 to the shaft, alternatively is try to upsell a new wheel and be done with it.
Report comment
The biggest thing is sanding down the old set screw marks and adding some oil or wd40 to the shaft, alternatively is try to upsell a new wheel and be done with it.
Report comment
To leave a comment, you need to log in.
Log In