I purchased a Harbor Freight dust collector and intend to upgrade the impeller.  I am having a serious issue getting the stock impeller off.  I have never done this before and do not want to mess up the impeller (incase I need it for later) or the shaft.  I purchased a set of gear pullers and still cold not get it to come off.  Any suggestions.

Is there a set screw, or pin holding the impeller?

ok there was a cap with a screw that went into the shaft that I removed with a allen wrench. 

 

I purchased a set of gear pullers and tried using them to get it off and no luck. 

 

here is a picture of the shaft

 

 

Edited November 18, 20196 yr by Larry Blighton

Is that the motor shaft you're pulling the impeller off?  A used / old one?

4 minutes ago, PeteM said:

Is that the motor shaft you're pulling the impeller off?  A used / old one?

It is new, just picked it up yesterday.

 

Would it hurt to spray some WD40 on it and let it soak.

Edited November 18, 20196 yr by Larry Blighton

The wd40 won't hurt, but it may not solve the problem. Look to see if there's 2 set screws in the same hole, sometimes one is installed with another on top to lock it in place. When I tried to remove the impeller on mine (aluminum impeller) it took some heat, even then it wasn't easy. The trick I used the second time (yes, it ws so much fun I did it twice) was to set the assembly on the bench with the motor on the table and the fan/housing plate hanging over the side. Then I hammered on the motor shaft with a brass punch....took many hard blows, but it worked.

There should be a set screw that goes through the impeller and hits the key to lock it in place.  There may have been two in the same hole.  One to hold the impeller and one to lock the first set screw in place.  Wouldn't hurt to check for a second set screw too.

 

Curious to what you are looking to accomplish and how.

 

 

 

We had several of the harbor freight dc's and they worked fine by themselves...no upgrades...

16 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

There should be a set screw that goes through the impeller and hits the key to lock it in place.  There may have been two in the same hole.  One to hold the impeller and one to lock the first set screw in place.  Wouldn't hurt to check for a second set screw too.

 

Curious to what you are looking to accomplish and how.

 

 

 

I am not sure what that oval piece is, it actuall just looks like an imperfection in the shaft.

 

I want to upgrade the impeller from the 9.5 in. impeller to a 12 in. impeller and I want to rotate the housing which cannot be done without removing the fan.

Edited November 18, 20196 yr by Larry Blighton

That unit may not be design for such an upgrade. 

Never heard of anyone doing that.  Is there info out there where it has been done before?  I always thought the housings were tuned to the impeller size.

Have you made sure that large of impeller will work in the housing. Another those motors are kinda mated so if you go and add more resistant which the larger impeller will cause the motor to lug and burn out quicker...And do both impellers take the same size shafts?? It sounds like you did not know about the set screw. Is the oval piece hiding a key in the keyway? There should be a key in a keyway to keep the shaft from turning in the impeller housing?

Are you going from a 9.5" diameter (outside dia) fan to 12" with the same motor?  

 

And:  are you also changing the fan housing (aka "scroll")?

 

Reasons I ask:  12" impeller will greatly increase your power demand on the motor.  It may also stall the motor (motor doesn't have the torque to achieve full speed).   And the scroll/fan housing is sized to the impeller diameter, so if you change the impeller you should change the scroll.  If the new 12" fits inside the old scroll, you've changed all the air flow/turbulence design, and you've narrowed the gap between blade and scroll; that gap is designed to pass large particles, and the gap is also important in converting velocity to pressure.

26 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

Have you made sure that large of impeller will work in the housing. Another those motors are kinda mated so if you go and add more resistant which the larger impeller will cause the motor to lug and burn out quicker...And do both impellers take the same size shafts?? It sounds like you did not know about the set screw. Is the oval piece hiding a key in the keyway? There should be a key in a keyway to keep the shaft from turning in the impeller housing?

As far as the new impeller fitting the shaft and housing, everything I have found says that it will fit.  I have read alot about this upgrade has been done by several people on other forums.  

 

There is no set screw on the side of the impeller. I just double checked to make sure that I did not miss something.  There was a opposite direction threaded bolt and washer that was screwed into the shaft to keep the impeller from coming off, this was removed. 

Edited November 18, 20196 yr by Larry Blighton

17 minutes ago, PeteM said:

Are you going from a 9.5" diameter (outside dia) fan to 12" with the same motor?  

 

And:  are you also changing the fan housing (aka "scroll")?

 

Reasons I ask:  12" impeller will greatly increase your power demand on the motor.  It may also stall the motor (motor doesn't have the torque to achieve full speed).   And the scroll/fan housing is sized to the impeller diameter, so if you change the impeller you should change the scroll.  If the new 12" fits inside the old scroll, you've changed all the air flow/turbulence design, and you've narrowed the gap between blade and scroll; that gap is designed to pass large particles, and the gap is also important in converting velocity to pressure.

Yes upgrading from a 9.5" diameter impeller to a 12" outside diameter impeller.

No I am not changing the fan housing.

 

I do not know all of the specific numbers that are associated performance numbers with this upgrade (There are youtube videos about this). I do know that this upgrade has been done alot, I am sure there are even people on this forum who have done it.

 

Everything that I have read there should be a significant improvement in air flow with the larger Rikon impeller.

 

  

That's a fairly common improvement for the HF DC. There was a different impeller in favor (Jet, I think) and that particular one is no longer available...someone figured out the Rikon would work and the idea caught on like wildfire. No one has reported a problem with the motor (that I've read) and all report a significant increase in air flow. The fit with the fan housing hasn't been a problem either.

I try and figure out the more advantage in a small shop. I like to leave the table saw open all the time and use another at anytime. When running the dual router table there are 3 routers but there are two outlets . I can only create dust on one at a time. But.... I do have to shut the table saw off as the router creates chips and not dust....

Did you ever manage to get the impeller off the shaft?  I am doing the same upgrade and also running into issues removing the stock impeller.  

Ken, I was not able to get the impeller off.  So I shelved the upgrade until later and then would try again. 

Ok, just a curiosity question, has anyone ever hooked up 2 dust collection motors to their dust collection system.  If so how did you go about doing it.