MTFCA Forum

Pound a screwdriver under it and pry? Nope. No go. Clamp on Visegrips to whack with a hammer. Failure. Cut a slot in the end and try to pry it as the photo shows? It's going nowhere. Turn it red and let it cool? I'm afraid that would ruin the axle shaft. Any suggestions?

I usually resort to my large dykes for stubborn keys - grab the key on the sides about where you have your screw driver placed, pinch and pry up.

I’ve used a small narrow flat hardened chisel same width as key slot. Tapped it under the key, and then tapped on the chisel like a lever, and out it came.

Steve,

I’d try spray with PB blaster, let it soak. Rap the key with a heavy handed hammer a couple times a day. I’d then try the screwdriver trick and if still rock solid another PB soak. Still a no go? I’d weld a bolt at 90 degrees across the key and at the same time just heat the key, a propane torch will work on the heat up but your arm gets tired! Then I’d just beat the cra* out of the bolt with a chisel angled at the weld joint...should walk off!

How a bout drilling a hole or making a notch in the key an applying force outward

I suppose you could CAREFULLY drill & tap a hole near the outer end and use a slide hammer to pull it up.

Actually, you're very fortunate to have such a good keyway!!!

Use a taper punch that’s a bit narrower than the key way. Sharpen the end to a a slight angle so you can drive it under the end of the key. You should be able to drive the key upward a bit. Good luck.

One way is to strike the far end of the key with a brass mallet.

That end of the key is tapered and it can then slide a bit toward the axle threaded end, as the key way in the axle is also tapered at the far end.

Most times that levers up the key at the near end, just a tad, and a thin tool can be used to lever up the key and free it from the keyway.

I agree with Jerry. REALLY good axles are few and far between. You are lucky to have this problem.

As Steve said, use a large set of dyke type wire cutters, grab the key by the sides of the end, clamp tight on it and lever the dyke's up and the key will come out, usually without much of a fight. I've been doing that for years!

Steve I have the same issue tonight and I used a little brass punch and work really well without any damage. I just hammer the key with the small Brass drift punch and the key fall down without any damage. Hope that help.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I started with the one that seemed simplest and I didn't need to go much further.

I sharpened a piece of 3/16" key stock and tried driving it underneath. That didn't work any better than when I tried it with a screwdriver. So I stuck the point in that slot I had cut in the end of the key and whacked down on the stock behind the angle with a BFH. That pried the key up and the rest was easy.

Good news! Now that it's out, grind a bevel on the bottom edge so next time you can drive a small chisel or wedge under it.