old pitching machine wheel disassembly

[Ted Williams League]

Hi Everyone, the Ted Williams League is trying to restore this vintage pitching machine in which the original company is now long gone. We are trying to replace the tires but for the life of us can not figure out what is the wheel and what is the hub.... or better said what comes off and what stays....lol We have removed the old set screws to the shaft collar (an adventure) and the lug nuts and bolts but the wheel will not come off. I have some pictures I will load to this as well. I don't want to start banging...lol thank you.

[Cuttings]

It looks to me that the hub is sticking out through the center of the rim. You will need to clean as much rust off the end of the hub as possible and give it a good amount of penetrating oil where it passes through the center of the rim. I can't see if there is a cap or plug in the end of the hub. If you can get that off then you should be able to remove whatever is retaining it and get the wheel and hub off the spindle. If you can get that off then you should be able to press or use a block of wood and and a heavy hammer on the end of the hub to try and press or drive it out of the rim. With the amount of rust I see there it may give up on you and destroy the rim. Good luck with this.

[Ted Williams League]

Thanks Larry! There was a bolt and good size washer screwed down in the middle of the shaft. I am guessing to retain the hub / wheel. So the hub and wheel are one piece? Thanks, Steve

[SVS]

That looks like a small trailer spindle, hub, wheel, and tire that’s converted into a live, or powered axle by omitting wheel bearings and substituting bushings and spacers.

The green line is the wheel/hub interface. The wheel is rusted onto the hub pilot. Not unusual on old equipment.

The red line is IMHO a bushing that clamps the hub to the shaft via the bolt and washer previously removed. I doubt it will fall apart easily either.