Key stuck in hydraulic pump

[Workinprogress]

Wanted to rebuild my hydraulic pump. Carefully removed it and cleaned all the dirt off. Was able to remove the nut holding the gear on but gear was stuck on. Using a puller I was able to remove the gear.

Unfortunately the key doesn’t want to come out. I tried grabbing it with vise grips and taping on it with a fine screwdriver. No movement. Key starting to deform but not moving.

Any ideas?

[ricky racer]

See if you can grip the key in your bench vise then pry or tap with a dead blow or plastic mallet on the pump shaft to see if it will remove the key.

[Dale Finch]

I have had success with stubborn keys using a GOOD pair of dykes to grab the key flush against the shaft, then prying up. But they need to have good flush sharp edge, and you'll probably need to put the pump in a vise.

[Bob McCarty]

Spraying it with a good penetrating oil for a day or two may also help.

[Workinprogress]

Not enough key to grip in my vice. Currently soaking it in pb blaster. Will give it some soak time.

[Workinprogress]

From my repeated failed attempts to grab the key it is starting to round. Fingers crossed on the pb blaster!

[Eugene]

Flat nosed punch. Punch on high end of the key, rap punch with hammer. This should rotate the key, bringing the short end higher in the slot.

[SamsFarm]

It is a woodruff key, also known as a half‑moon key, is a semi-circular machine shaft key.

Do as Eugene says, but I would use piece of aluminum or copper as the "punch". Hit it on the high undamaged edge like you are trying to rotate the damaged side up!

[Glen]

Hi,
Below is a listing at TM Tractor for a new pump gear key, you can look at the pics.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/hy/821fp.htm

Below is a post from the How To Forum showing repairing a Touch Control pump, if you don't have it.

viewtopic.php?f=141&t=44196

Below is a post I made about Checking and Changing the Touch Control fluid, it tells how to fill it, and remove the air from the system.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106664

[Workinprogress]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have hit both ends of the key with a punch in an attempt to get it to rotate. No luck. Still soaking right now.

[Cubfriend]

Backup the shaft with a board and hit the high end of the key with a brass drift. (Hit it hard)

[Matt Kirsch]

I hate to say it but I think you're wasting your time "soaking." It's not rusted in place.

What I would do is get a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel, and CAREFULLY start cutting the key in half the "long" way.

[Stanton]

I was thinking of using a little heat (propane) on the shaft from below; not on the key. The expanding metal in the shaft may free up its hold on the key.

If that didn't help, I'd do what Matt suggested and carefully cut a slice long-ways into the key and remove it bit by bit.

Sorry to hear you're going through this. It's always the little unexpected things that stop us dead in our tracks, isn't it?

[Dusty B]

Heat the shaft around the key - hit the key with freeze-off then use the hammer treatment! Has solved more than one of my “frozen “ projects!!!

[Jim Becker]

I would try every other possibility before applying heat. There is too much high precision aluminum involved to risk heating it.