Help with wheel weights, PLEASE!

[John Miliunas]

When we purchased our "new" home back in October, it came equipped with an older Husqvarna lawn tractor. Probably one of the most user UN-friendly units I've ever owned, but in general, does the job. Unfortunately, I believe the tires on this thing are the originals (unit has just under 800 hours on it) and one is constantly losing air and both are weather-checked. I'd like to replace both, but can't get the wheels off. I can't because, there are wheel weights on both wheels and I can't get those off, which needs to happen if I'm going to get at the wheel lugs. They're some type of plastic/poly, and I believe, are probably sand-filled or such. They bolt on with two through-bolts on to the wheel. Loosening the bolts is a piece of cake, but I swear these things are virtually *welded* on to the wheels themselves. I spent close to two hours on one side Friday, trying to get the thing off. Beat on it, tried prying, squirting WD-40 back behind it and beating on the back side with a drift pin. A lot of sweat and banged up knuckles later, still no luck! Any ideas? I'm almost at the point of taking my reciprocating saw to the stupid things and having to destroy them, in order to remove the darn things!

[Ken Garlock]

John, I know how you feel. Things like that make you want to go at it with a sledge hammer

This is a dumb question, but are you sure that you only have 2 bolts holding the weights in place? The reason I ask is that when I made some concrete weights for a cub cadet back in the late 70's, it had four bolt holes. Yes, I know a lot has happened since then, but I thought I would mention it.

I think I would jump on Mr Bell's invention Monday morning, and talk with a HV dealer/repair station that is not a borg. They should be able to tell you how they do it short of using a saws-all. It would help if you had some model numbers to guide them....

Let us know what the solution turns out to be.

[Tony Falotico]

John, this is a pure guess, did you try un-screwing them off? Perhaps the bolts are only to keep them from un-screwing off by themselves.

This is only a guess, but worth a try before the reciprocating saw.

[Mark Singer]

John,
Calm down! Call the dealer or rep....get someone to fix it! You can't do it all....it will cost you more if you break it...have a beer!


Any chance its a backwards thread?

[John Miliunas]

Hey guys. Thanks for the suggestions. Ken, although there are holes both, in the weights and the wheels for four through-bolts, only two are used. (Heck, right now, I don't need *any*! ) Tony, good thought and even tried that, in hopes of, if nothing else, breaking them loose. No go. Ken/Mark...Looks like I may indeed have to find/call a dealer. In the meantime, I'm gonna' have that beer!

[Joe Suelter]

John...my Cub Cadet has wheel weights...they are pretty much only used for plowing snow/dirt. If your tractor isn't equiped with a plow, cut them off! HV did use some plastic wheel weights, they have probably expanded inside the wheel housing, thus making the removal complicated. If no plow, grab the sawz-all...after all, if you ever did get a plow for that tractor, new wheel weights and chains aren't all that expensive...you can even make them like Ken said! Good luck.

[Jim Becker]

You could try a pressure washer to see if any "gunk" that is potentially acting like glue goes away...