P68 combustion blower

[Havilcek stole the ball]

Hello all you smart people,

I have a Harman P68 with a squawking combustion blower. I have a new one ready to go, and a new fan blade for the front. I can't move the set screw for the blade, and now a Lowe's socket wrench allen head is sheared off in it. I guess I expected not to be able to move the set screw anyway. The last time the tech was here he told me that I should cut the shaft with a reciprocating saw. Should I remove the blower from the back and then do that? Will the fan just pull out from the front at that point? Or is there a way to drill that set screw out? It's a tough spot to drill out that's for sure.

I'm pausing at this point before I do something I can't reverse. Many thanks in advance.

 

[Funnydirt14]

Don't know how you can get a reciprocating saw in there to cut it. If it was me I would use my dremel with a cut-off wheel and cut behind the collar holding the blade on.

 

[corkman]

I'm with funny on this. Either way it's a pain to do just because of the tight quarters. I've done 2 with the dremel. Be sure to put some never seize on the set screw when you install the new fan blade. If you go the sawzall route just back off the 3 screws that hold the fan to the back of the stove just enough to give you enough room to slide the blade in. Have someone hold the fan blade inside the stove while you cut

 

[jzm2cc]

Use a long blade on reciprocating saw so you can cut with the blade bent. Blade points towards the left and behind the fan, saw is pointing out door opening to the right. As long as the blade tip doesn't hit something it will not get damaged crunched up).

 

[Havilcek stole the ball]

Okay. I'll try the Dremel first. Sounds slower but more surgical than the sawzall; my sawzall tends to careen around, and I would like to avoid collateral damage. I doused the fan blade with WD-40 so I'll deal with it next weekend. Thanks all.

 

[bags]

Have you gotten it off yet? You could use a Dremel with a cut off wheel and make some relief cuts on the collar on the fan blade that the set screw is in. Or cut out a slice of it to make pulling it off easier. Maybe use a gear or wheel type puller that has a few hooks and a screw in deal set onto the shaft.

Or just cut the shaft. It is all junk anyway. I'd do whatever is the easiest and quickest with the least amount of knuckle busting.

 

[alternativeheat]

I think I would unbolt the motor and slip it back as far as I could, then get the saws all blade between the motor housing and the stove housing and cut the shaft that way. You should get just enough room to slip the blade in there and it's only a 1/4" shaft so it won't take a ton of cutting.