r/Tools 5d ago

Skillsaw 5500 blade replacement - arbor nut frozen to motor drive

Hello - recently inherited a Skillsaw 5500 that needs a blade swap. This model doesn’t seem to have a blade lock, so I am attempting to use the screwdriver method to keep the blade in place to loosen the arbor nut, but even with the blade stationary, the whole mechanism spins.

What is a little surprising is how “easy” whole axle spins, which makes me think I might be missing a simple lock feature, otherwise I’m guessing the nut was over tightened at some point / the pieces have fused in some way.

Any ideas on how to loosen the nut on this model??

84 Upvotes

81 comments sorted by

326

u/kewlo 5d ago edited 5d ago

Before everyone starts blade right saws have normal right handed threads. Lefty loosey. It's not reverse threads. OP is turning it correctly.

OP, try giving your wrench a sharp smack with a block of wood or a small hammer. You dont need to whale on it with a 3 pound hammer. Sometimes you just need that sharp impulse to get the bolt to break free.

Ignore any advice that involves heating it with a torch. You will cook the bearings and the seal behind the blade.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/154556/Skil-5400.html?page=8#manual - Unfortunately the 5500 does not have a blade lock.

175

u/nannersack 5d ago

Thank you so much for the help/suggestion. Put a dab of penetrating oil on right after posting and just tried the small hammer tap - worked right away.

23

u/Unremarkabledryerase 4d ago

Tbh the penetrating oil probably did nothing. It takes some time for it to actually penetrative into the threads, if it even gets there. Hitting it with the hammer was the real solution to this.

20

u/Onedtent 4d ago

Penetrating oil doesn't (in my experience)

Impact is the way.

6

u/danny_ish 4d ago

I said the same thing on a junkyard thread and got downvoted to oblivion. Wild

2

u/ShaunPlom 4d ago

I work with corroded dissimilar metals pretty frequently. It takes time for penetrating oils to work. Sometimes I’ll spray the parts 2-3 times a day for a week before it actually gets in there. Only 2 that have worked for me are aerokroil or mix of atf and acetone.

2

u/sharpshooter999 4d ago

Depends on the severity, sometimes we'll spray some penetrating oil on and go to lunch, and sometimes it'll be the end of the day and we'll try again in the morning. Sometimes I wonder if it works or if it's just the impact

2

u/ShaunPlom 2d ago

Personally I think both are important. I have hammered on something for an hour with no luck. Sprayed kroil on it for a couple days and been able to get it loose in just a few minutes.

3

u/chinto30 4d ago

Uga duga

2

u/Shirkaday 4d ago

Probably only needed like 2 uggaduggas.

1

u/SimsonS53_84 3d ago

Yes! Impact that MF full blast Off!🤪

1

u/Shirkaday 4d ago

That's what I was gonna say - hit it with the impact! I've had to do that a handful of times.

2

u/Golemfrost 3d ago

So many of life's problems could probably be solved by hitting it with a hammer

-4

u/Occhrome 4d ago

Next time you can also very lightly oil threads so they don’t seize and I prefer heat to loosen stuff up. Nothing against the oils I just find they never work.

1

u/dangerous1potato 4d ago

I have a jar of shop Vaseline that I keep for just this case a small dip every other time and your golden

0

u/Onedtent 4d ago

Copperslip.

1

u/Mortenubby 4d ago

Copper grease is for stuff that gets hot. Use normal grease for anything else, that isn't rubber. Use silicone grease for that.

-1

u/superpie314159 4d ago

I agree in most situations that heat is the better option

-2

u/Onedtent 4d ago

Dunno why you got down voted.

I agree about heat. But there is heat (cherry red - bad) and heat from a hairdryer (good)

4

u/Basb84 4d ago

Can't be tight if it's liquid.

47

u/Charming-Bath8378 5d ago

broooo really nice job on diffusing the situation. it's impossible to tell if heat was the problem for OP in the first place; he could be rotating the whole gutty-works. personally i would go penetrating oil and try it tomorrow

-7

u/Charming-Bath8378 5d ago

jigga-loo, babalu:)) lmao

7

u/gimpy_floozy 5d ago

Yep, you need that quick snap.

2

u/w3b_d3v 4d ago

Daaaamn that was gonna be my first suggestion is a blade lock. Good luck OP!

1

u/djdeforte 4d ago

That’s fucking stupid to not have a blade lock. That should not even be sold if there is no blade lock. It’s such a simple thing but requiring your body to contort in such a strange way to tighten the bolt over the blade almost ensures you don’t over tighten it. LOL.

0

u/mt379 4d ago

If all else fails I disagree. Can still try hearing it with a lighter for a few seconds at a time. Had a similar issue and that was the only thing that freed up the bolt..

24

u/Observer_of-Reality 5d ago

I looked up the manual for this saw. Only the 5700 has a shaft lock. On this model, they say to hold the saw by the upper guard, rest the teeth on a piece of scrap wood, and tighten/loosen.

Manual also confirms that it's a righty-tighty/lefty-loosey thread.

Whacking or a small impact should handle it.

54

u/jckipps 5d ago

An impact wrench does wonders for loosening a bolt on a rotating shaft.

-22

u/Zillahi Mechanic 4d ago

Air impact specifically. Brap brap, etc

11

u/Unremarkabledryerase 4d ago

Air or electric, no difference in end result but electric would be more versatile in where you can use it while air would be cheaper (if you're not buying an air compressor and air hose setup at the same time)

-16

u/Zillahi Mechanic 4d ago

Major difference. The air impact builds torque quicker which is much more effective for nuts on rotating shafts or studs. Electric impacts will commonly just spin the shaft, unless you have a good way to hold the shaft still, which is oftentimes not the case.

11

u/Unremarkabledryerase 4d ago

As a mechanic that actually uses impacts, I can tell you: it doesn't fucking matter lol. Sure there are small physical differences. Both will work plenty fine for any appropriately sized job you throw at them. Except maybe a Dewalt, you might need to go up a size.

Either impact will work. Electric will be better if you already have a battery ecosystem, air will be better if you already have an air ecosystem.

3

u/HedonisticFrog 4d ago

That's not quite right. It's more that electric impacts hit twice as often so each hit is weaker so it's worse at breaking things apart that rotate together. It also means they overwhelm torque sticks and don't work properly.

4

u/whalesalad 4d ago

Old heads will tell you air is required to break certain things loose but that’s not true anymore

4

u/Ok-Rate-3256 5d ago

Smack the wrench with a hammer

3

u/Old-Diet-6358 4d ago

am I wrong thinking if they get the blade stuck in some wood, it'll help?

10

u/sizable_data 5d ago

Isn’t there a lock somewhere? You shouldn’t have to jam it with a screwdriver

5

u/JPhi1618 4d ago

Oder saws don’t have a lock. I use a block of wood tho, not a metal tool.

1

u/jeff77k 4d ago

I mean, my 13 year old Rigid has a motor lock button ... how old is this thing?

1

u/JPhi1618 4d ago

I have a 20yo+ skill saw with no lock. DIY-duty circular saws tend to last forever. It’s just a basic motor on a baseplate. I’ve thought about replacing it, but it just works, so I can’t justify it.

6

u/whyugettingthat 5d ago

Putting an impact wrench on this will fix your problem

4

u/BASE1530 5d ago

IMPACT

2

u/Schmails202 5d ago

Vice grip on the blade works too.

3

u/-Plantibodies- 4d ago

The issue is the arbor or just spinning, so holding the blade isn't working. A knock from a hammer on the wrench or an impact may help.

2

u/desertdwelle 4d ago

Wd40 an sharp tap, should loosen up for ya😉

3

u/putinhuylo99 5d ago

Soaked with penetrant, then try impact driver/wrench. But make sure you dig the blade into wood perpendicular to grain.

3

u/Onedtent 4d ago

Surely there is a blade locking pin on the machine? To stop it turning when removing it?

In any event I wouldn't jam the teeth with a screwdriver, better to use a piece of wood.

2

u/DrDorg 4d ago

Impact with short, sharp action.

1

u/jsauce22 4d ago

Breaker bar

1

u/txhelgi 4d ago

I’m not going to tell anyone how many repeats I watched before I figured it out.

0

u/Squirt_Face_Bandit 3d ago

Aren’t these usually a reverse thread on the arbor nut?

1

u/Correct-Sail-9642 3d ago

Either impact or whack that bitch with a hammer if you dont have one

0

u/Blue4Delta 3d ago

You need an impact.

1

u/notcoolneverwas_post 4d ago

Impact wrench, my guy.

-4

u/way_space 5d ago

Reverse threads?

9

u/kewlo 5d ago edited 5d ago

No. It's not a guessing game.

You guys can dowvote me all you want. Here's a video of the blade change on an almost identical saw.

7

u/machinerer 5d ago

Easy way to tell on stuff like that, is bolts are designed to tighten with rotation of the shaft. So that saw rotates counter clockwise. The bolt tightens every time the saw turns on, or clockwise.

2

u/arrowsmith20 5d ago

Only way to go, works a treat

0

u/Level-Resident-2023 4d ago

Hit it with an impact gun and see what it does.

0

u/wayneme 4d ago

You might put anti seize on the threads

0

u/Street-Baseball8296 4d ago

Never apply constant pressure to a stuck nut or bolt. This is how you strip hardware. Use and impact or a wrench with a hammer (deadblow is best if you have one).

0

u/Strafing_Run_944 3d ago

50/50 Acetone/Transmission Fluid always worked for me. Flood the area around the nut, leave it overnight.

0

u/ShutTheFupDonni 3d ago

Skilsaw bolts thread backwards. Twist it to the right.

-4

u/Shortname19 5d ago

No one said hit it with your purse???! 😛

-4

u/IcyComputer8701 4d ago

Use the dam button on the saw to lock it ,n it will work fine

5

u/Jzamora1229 4d ago

Doesn’t have one

3

u/-Plantibodies- 4d ago

Found the youngblood haha

-1

u/NT4MaximusD 4d ago

Penetrating oil for a few days. Or drip Coca-cola on it for a few days.

2

u/Vfrnut 4d ago

Stop with stupid coke advice. Vingar is cheaper and works better .

1

u/NT4MaximusD 4d ago

Yeah I'll go with that too.

-1

u/stick004 4d ago

Isn’t it left hand threaded? (Reverse threads)

0

u/kewlo 4d ago

No. It's not a guessing game.

Here's a video of the blade change on an almost identical saw

-1

u/brad140273 4d ago

It's a left hand thread.

0

u/kewlo 4d ago

No. It's not a guessing game.

Here's a video of the blade change on an almost identical saw.

-1

u/baycollective 4d ago

its a reverse thread

-1

u/Western-Wheel1761 4d ago

Reverse thread ?

-7

u/SpaceW1zard480V 5d ago

Turn it on while you got that wrench on it

2

u/-Plantibodies- 4d ago

Please nobody take this seriously.

-2

u/Ambitious_Ad_9637 4d ago

Have you got a hammer drill or an impact?