Shopsmith Forums

Is there any trick for removing a motor pulley from an AO Smith 1/2hp motor? I have removed the two set screws and applied some moderate pressure to try and get it off. I am reluctant to use something like a bearing puller as I don't want to damage the pulley. How stuck on should I expect the pulley to be?

mikev,

Welcome to the Shopsmith Forum.

The pulley can be stubborn to get off the motor shaft. The same can be true for the Drive Sleeve Pulley. Keep in mind it may have been in place for 70 or more years if it has never been removed. Burrs from the set screw can add to the difficulty of getting a pulley off a shaft. I have successfully used a pulley remover which applies even pressure around the pulley. Using a bearing puller which grabs in three spots around the pulley may damage a stubborn pulley. Try some lubricant to help but avoid getting it into the motor. One bit of good news is you can still buy a new replacement motor pulley if it happens to get damaged.

Update and a qudstion. I was able to get the pulley off. One of the set screws was set into the key with enough tension to create a large bur on the key. I was able to drive the key back and forth using a punch while the pulley was still on the shaft. Once I did that I was able to get the pulley off without damage using a regular pulley puller.

Question: Is standard practice or even recommended to have the set screw tightened into the key?

mikev wrote: Fri Aug 18, 2023 4:46 pm Question: Is standard practice or even recommended to have the set screw tightened into the key?

The pulleys that I've seen that use both a keyway and setscrew, the set screw tightens on the key. I think it is standard, or at least common, practice. Replacement keys are readily available, and you would not want that burr on the motor shaft itself. In your case, type of setscrew or amount of force might not have been ideal.

- David

A set screw commonly tightens against the key. Some Pulleys have a single set screw over the key while others have two with one over the key and the other 90 degrees from the first. I have seen keys in worse shape. You could file the burr off and reuse that key or get a replacement. You do want it tight enough to keep the pulley from moving on the Motor shaft. Being able to loosen the Motor pulley to re-align it to the Drive Sleeve pulley or loosen the Drive Sleeve Pulley to re-align it to the Motor Pulley allows you to have 7 not just 3 speeds. See the attached PDF.
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Most OEM set screws used on the Model 10E and 10ER are the common cup end. These are not ideal in some cases. Set screws used to attach items, like arbors, to the Quill's Spindle would be better to not have the cup that digs into the Spindles tapered flat but instead use an oval head or similar flatter end set screw. If you are concerned about the key on the motor shaft you could use a flat ended set screw.