Breaking loose hubs

[SBMF 2015]

I've got a JD 4640 with rack and pinion axles. The tire width is set on 30"s. I need to take the duals off to be able to fit on the scale at the grain elevator this fall.
I got the duals off, but I want to spread the inside tires to 38"s or 44"s. 30"s are just too narrow on singles to suit me.
I've changed widths on several JD tractors . The wedges are always a pistol to get out of the hubs.
PB blaster, a big sledge hammer, and a lot of muscle has always worked in the past. But I was wondering if anyone had a trick to make it easier?

 

[BFE]

That's funny, I took the duals off our 4640 this spring so I could plant with a six row. Got tired of my 12 row case ih 900 planter, I wanted liquid fertilizer, found a JD that fit the bill and I'm glad I did. I'll bleed red til the day I die, but those green planters are handy as the pocket on a shirt.

Never done it, but can you hammer them with an air chisel to break them loose?

 

[SBMF 2015]

That's funny, I took the duals off our 4640 this spring so I could plant with a six row. Got tired of my 12 row case ih 900 planter, I wanted liquid fertilizer, found a JD that fit the bill and I'm glad I did. I'll bleed red til the day I die, but those green planters are handy as the pocket on a shirt.

Never done it, but can you hammer them with an air chisel to break them loose?

Maybe? I need to get better pics. You have to drive/press/pull the hubs off the wedges. There are special "push" bolts that you tighten to push the hub off the wedge. I've tightened them as much as possible. I may need to find some longer bolts that are threaded the whole length of the bolt.

 

[SmokinM]

Only ever messed with one set and soak/beat/repeat is the only way I know of or heard talk about.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Heat and beat is the only way most of the wedges ever move after they have been sitting any length of time.

One time I fought with one for so long I ended up having to take the entire axle trumpet off with the cast center and hub attached. Then once I could block it up and swing the 20lb sledge hammer down it finially came loose.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I finally got the hubs for the duals loose and moved. Then hit a major road block on the inner wheels. There are 3bolts on the outside for half the wedge and 3 bolts on the inside for the other half. The inner wheels are set so narrow that the square axle housing keeps me from getting a straight on shot at the bolts. There are 450lb cast weights on the inside of the wheels so a breaker bar is out. I tried customizing a wrench and got it to fit, but I can't get enough leverage.

 

[Rmc]

Jack up the axle put the wedge you can't get loose pointed down . If possible remove the other wedge completely or as far as possible. It won't be easy but with the one wedge completely loose you will be able to move the wheel far enough forward to get to the other bolts. I have been able to completely remove a wheel with one set of wedge bolts still tight. Nothing like trying to remove that type of wheel that has been completely saturated with calcium chloride and left for a decade.