Furnace blower motor is stuck!!!???????????

Question

This is a stupid question, I must admit......but....... I recently bought a replacement motor for my furnace. I took it apart, got the replacements, slipped the motor back into the fan and realized that I put the attachment brackets on upside-down. Now the freekin motor won't come loose from the blade wheel!! I can't get at the metal screws without freeing the motor and pulling it apart from the wheel! What can I do? Is there a magnetic force holding this thing together? My only option seems to whack the motor free.
I'm baffled because I used absolutely no force when I put the motor back into the fan wheel and now its stuck as if I welded it in there.

Anyone??????

Thanks!

Does it effect anything if I tightened the set screw on the round side of the motor shaft vs. the flat side? The blower still spins and its not hitting anything....
That's the only reason I wanted to remove the blower wheel. I just wanted to set the scew on the flat side. Is it that big a deal?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I THINK YOU MUST MEAN THE BLOWER WHEEL WON'T COME BACK OFF OF THE SHAFT AND THAT MEANS YOU TIGHTENED THE SETSCREW ONTO THE SHAFT ON THE ROUNDED PART OF THE SHAFT--NOT ON THE FLAT PART OF THE SHAFT-----. THAT LOCKED THE BLOWER WHEEL ONTO THE SHAFT. HOLD THE ROTATING PART(CALLED THE ROTOR) OF THE MOTOR IN ONE POSITION AND TURN THE BLOWER WHEEL AND PULL HARD ON IT AS IT IS TURNED. DEPENDING ON HOW HARD YOU TIGHTENED THE SETSCREW AND DEFORMED THE SHAFT DETERMINES HOW HARD IT WILL BE TO PULL IT OFF WHILE TURNING IT. BUT IT WILL EVENTUALLY COME OFF AS IT WEARS DOWN THE DEFORMED PART OF THE SHAFT WHERE THE SETSCREW DUG INTO THE SHAFT..----"DO NOT DEFORM THAT PERFECTLY BALANCED BLOWER WHEEL---YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THAT POSITION"

Answer 2

Some how the blower hub turned on the shaft a loose set screw will raise some ridges and bind it. This is what I would do remove the set screw and spray some PB Blaster in the hole and the end of the hub. Let it set a while take a soft rod(brass) and strike the hub make sure the motor is screwed down.this some time breaks down the bind.If that fails you have one more option. Free the motor and have some one pull on it while you strike on the motor shaft again with a soft metal rod smaller than the motor shaft its going to stress the fan cage some what but it has to come off one way or another. Been there done that!

Answer 3

Blower Wheel For Furnace

Answer 4

I sounds like the motor shaft is stuck in the squirrell cage, hammering to loosen will prob damage the motor bearings or damage the fan. It would be difficult to deform the motor shaft however a burr / indentation from the set screw can mess stuff up if its secured on the round area that is why the flat area is there. (to prevent slippage & allow for the raised ring made by set screw)
The hollow collar on the fan might be deformed from over tightening though rare.
If theres room a gear puller would help provided the set screw is loose. Example technique...sometimes warming a stuck nut with a torch will allow the nut to expand & the bolt to loosen, never heat a stuck bolt or it will expand.

Answer 5

Not sure what you mean; but you can try jamning the motor and turning the fan cage clockwise then counter clockwise and pull them apart at the same time.

Be careful how you jamn the motor; you do not want to damage the windings.

Take a good look at the fan cage where it attaches to the motor.

Does it look crooked.

If it is crooked, you will have a difficult removing the fan cage from the motor until it is straightened.

Good Luck.

Answer 6

You'll need to borrow or rent a wheel puller. Try your local auto store. To buy one would be about the same cost as buying a new motor and fan. Oh, yes, be sure the tightening bolt (square bolt or hex screw) is loose.