While replacing the shift centering spring in my 2002 Pro, I wanted to take off the center hub/basket assembly, which in this engine is a very tight fit, so I made a tool to do so. I remember someone posting that question lately but could not find the topic in a search so I thought I'd post the solution.

If you've looked down inside the center hub, you would have noticed that it is threaded for a short distance at the very bottom (the center stepped washer bottoms against those threads and it has that short-headed 4mm capscrew that strips easily). Those threads in the hub are exactly the same size and pitch as an 18mm sparkplug (18X1.5 I think). I made a slide hammer out of stuff in the scrap bin but you can also go to a machine shop and have them made you a 6" length of 18X1.5mm threaded rod with a little T handle welded on it. Screwing the rod into the hub center will pull the hub up and out very easily.

Jon

Hi John are the later models different. When I have split pro motors previously I have took out the allen bolt and the basket just slides off ?

Hi John are the later models different. When I have split pro motors previously I have took out the allen bolt and the basket just slides off ?

Some slide off easily and others are a bear to remove, even the same year and model.

Jon