[sanddrag]

Well, I did enlarge the end of the shaft when I beat on it. That was my mistake and I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I was in a hurry last night because it was getting dark. I've done it the right way many times before, I'm not sure why I didn't this time.

Anyway, I bought the gear puller. They had a smaller one (4" I think) that was only $6.49 so I got it. That might have been a mistake. It fit fine and everything, but right away the bolts in the thing started bending. I think I snapped like 3 of them by the end of this ordeal. You get what you pay for I guess. Additionally, the metal pieces started bending.

When I was first starting out, the point on the tip of the gear puller screw was just forcing itself into the shaft instead of pulling the sprocket off. I'd say the tip went a good 1/8" into the shaft.

Anyway, what it finally took to get this thing off was one regular adjustable wrench on one of the legs of the puller (to keep it from rotating) with a cheater pipe on the wrench. And then a vice on the shaft to help hold it and the sprocket and the legs of the puller to keep them from rotating. And then a huge 15" adjustable crescent wrench (I've seen bigger, but this thing is a monster) on the hex on the puller screw. With all the strength I had put into that 15" adjustable crescent wrench, I finally was able to get this thing off the shaft. I then ground the shaft a little and the new sprocket slides on and off just great.

All in all, I hope I never have to do that again. Also, strangely enough, the puller has a lifetime warranty so I'm going to take it back and get a new one. I think I'll replace the bolts with Grade 8s though.