Pulling gear motor headache

[sammyray]

A leaking auger shaft seal on a Follett Horizon Ice Machine is not a problem, I have done it before, except this time the gear motor would not come off the auger. I called the factory and they sold me a puller. Using the factory puller it pushed the bearing about 5/8 inch in, braking the back of gear box and the gear grease poured out. The puller bolts stripped out of the gear box, but the auger never moved out of the bearing. I called the factory and they told me to cut the auger behind the gear box. Also they told me it’s out of warranty and you will need to buy a new auger, and gear motor. The gear motor is history, but is there some way to save the brass auger?

[itsiceman]

leaky and fused parts usually mean never get a good seal after for auger shafts. Might try a 4" grinder and start going to town

[badbillr]

Just replace entire assembly be done with it. Don't bother trying to save that auger, it is grooved or marred I bet & it will still be a thorn in your side.

[sammyray]

Just replace entire assembly be done with it. Don't bother trying to save that auger, it is grooved or marred I bet & it will still be a thorn in your side.

That auger and gear motor is very expensive.

[sammyray]

This machine is only five years old and auger seal is leaking. I wonder how many guys out there has worked on these and had auger pulling problems?

[few2many]

Never had an auger pulling problem with having done quite a few of them. As long as you pull the pin/cutter head and remove the bolts, the heavy sucker slides right out.
To actually use a puller with enough force to crack the gearmotor case, wow.
Bob and Phil are always a great help, when needed.

[sammyray]

Never had an auger pulling problem with having done quite a few of them. As long as you pull the pin/cutter head and remove the bolts, the heavy sucker slides right out.
To actually use a puller with enough force to crack the gearmotor case, wow.
Bob and Phil are always a great help, when needed.

That what Bob told me to do. Now he wants me to cut the auger between the gearbox and main housing. I'm still working on trying to saving the auger. Some more pic's to come later.

[sammyray]

This is how far we got on it and it still won't move. I guess its hacksaw time.

[few2many]

Torch the hec out of everything around it. Let the heat soak for a while, then get mideval with a hammer or puller. Heat works great, not so sure about warpage on that auger. This has worked well with the stainless follett and IOM augers.
Also, if the cust is without ice or other ice means, have to consider cost, timeliness, convenience, and get the cust up and running.
Try a cut-off wheel on a grinder, cut a groove right above the shaft key and along the length of it. either cut right into the keyway or cut mostly in and split with a chisel.

[sammyray]

Torch the hec out of everything around it. Let the heat soak for a while, then get mideval with a hammer or puller. Heat works great, not so sure about warpage on that auger. This has worked well with the stainless follett and IOM augers.
Also, if the cust is without ice or other ice means, have to consider cost, timeliness, convenience, and get the cust up and running.
Try a cut-off wheel on a grinder, cut a groove right above the shaft key and along the length of it. either cut right into the keyway or cut mostly in and split with a chisel.

No, that didn't work, but I did get the shaft key out. At least I won't have to buy that part.

[skpkey9]

Sure the parts are expensive but so is time... replace the parts and move on to the next nightmare... bet you have enough time vested in this job that you could have already bought the parts and now you have to adjust the bill and cost your company money and the customer... and still wind up with issues with that machine.... Sorry to be so blunt but you have to know when to say when....

[few2many]

Perhaps the actual stuck part is the gear and the bearing on the other side of it?

[sammyray]

Sure the parts are expensive but so is time... replace the parts and move on to the next nightmare... bet you have enough time vested in this job that you could have already bought the parts and now you have to adjust the bill and cost your company money and the customer... and still wind up with issues with that machine.... Sorry to be so blunt but you have to know when to say when....

I guess it's a learning experience. At least I know what can go wrong with a simple auger seal repair on one these machines. Follett said, they would give me a discount on the parts since machine is only 5 years old.