Restoring old Lockerbie kick wheel

by Karen
(California)

Question: I just brought home an old Lockerbie Model K kick wheel which is in need of some TLC. It dates back to the 1970s. I am in the process of taking it apart to clean, sand, repaint, and most importantly cleanup the bottom and top bearings. All in all the kick wheel is in fairly good shape.

I've managed to remove all the set screws but still cannot get the wheel head to come off the shaft. I cannot find any documentation on the Web to tell me if the wheel head is threaded onto the shaft or just slides on/off. (It may just be stuck with years of grease and paint buildup.)

Do you know if Lockerbie published an Owners Manual and/or a parts schematic for their wheels?

I would really appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

Karen

Answer: Thanks for the question, Karen. I've never owned a Lockerbie wheel, but your problem reminds me of a recent post about at Randall Kick Wheel that had a stuck wheel head.

We did a bunch of research and found some interesting solutions ranging from heating the wheel head with a blow torch to spraying around the drive shaft with WD-40 and tapping it upward with a rubber mallet.

I'm inclined to think this might be similar to your problem if there is some rust on there. I like the WD-40 idea myself, but hopefully another reader who owns a Lockerbie can offer some insight.

Anyone out there got a Lockerbie and know some tips for Karen?

Thanks,
Steve

Comments for Restoring old Lockerbie kick wheel

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Aug 25, 2023
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Replacing the concrete flywheel NEW
by: Brandon Blaylock

Hello Anonymous,

Yes, it is possible to replace the concrete flywheel on your Lockerbie K. As of August 2023 you can order one directly from Axner here: https://www.axner.com/concreteflywheelforlockerbiekickwheels.aspx

Keep in mind that you will likely need a dead blow hammer to seat the shaft and a dial indicator to true the wheel head. If you have specific questions about how to replace parts it's best to call Laguna Clay directly and ask for technical support with your Lockerbie kick wheel.

Good Luck!

Dec 03, 2022
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Repairing Lockerbie cement kick whee. NEW
by: Anonymous

Is it possible to remove and repair the cement kicker? Can it be ordered separately? Old 70s wheel that still kicks.

Nov 29, 2022
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2022 NEW
by: Brandon Blaylock

First and foremost, the lockerbie kick wheels are still manufactured and repaired by Laguna Clay company. Lockerbie was purchased by Axner and Axner was purchased by Laguna. Laguna still employs technicians who know how to work on these wheels. It may take a few phone calls to get to the technicians but you can reach out to them using the contact information here: https://www.axner.com/contact-us.aspx (Currently by calling (407) 365-2600).

The older Lockerbie kickwheels tended to have the wheel head friction fit onto the shaft, and even for ones where there is a set screw time and water tended to fuse the head to the shaft as well. This is to say that removing the wheel head from an older shaft can be very difficult to do without damaging either the wheel head or the shaft.

However! It's almost always unnecessary to remove the head from the shaft. The lockerbie wheel shaft is designed to slide through the pillow bearing (top bearing), the concrete flywheel (bottom heavy thing), and the bottom bearing with the wheel head still attached! Once the shaft and the head are removed as one piece they are easy to clean while together.

To remove the wheel head and shaft together the shaft will need to be loosened from the flywheel and the pillow bearing and then slid upward towards the ceiling through both. It's best to remove any rust or debris from the shaft first using a drill with a wire brush attachement. If the shaft is tight in the pillow bracket or the flywheel be sure to remove the set screws and apply some Kroil or mineral oil and let the lubricant sit for a few hours. If the shaft is still tight you can unmount the pillow bearing (top bearing) and try to loosen just the wheel connection first.

If all of this still doesn't work be sure to contact Axner for any further advice, and good luck with your Lockerbie!

Sep 19, 2020
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Lockerbie wheel
by: Anonymous

yes I got myself a older Lockerbie wheel hammered the cement off and used a grinder to take the shaft off easy greased the bearing sand paper on the shaft works great

Jul 17, 2020
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Need a shaft for a Lockerbie EK NEW
by: Anonymous

I got a Lockerbie Kickwheel second hand but they could not find the shaft. I need to buy one to replace it. Do you have these?

Aug 26, 2017
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Lockerbie head removal NEW
by: RonB

I was just given an very old (#495) kickwheel. Decided to take it apart to move it home. Could not move the head off the shaft. Karen, did you have any luck?

Oct 17, 2015
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lockerbie wheel head removal
by: martin

I'm not sure how old this post is, today 10/17/2015, but on the older wheels the hed is permanently attached to the shaft and so must be removed as a unit. Newer wheels have the head and shaft as two parts.

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