Dewalt DW734 Type 1 Planer problem

[koreywill]

Hello!  Brand new to this forum and hoping that someone will help.  I picked up a very new looking DW734 thickness planer from my neighbor for $20 for my woodworking nephew.   The neighbor said it was boken and he didn't want to mess with it.  I took the covers off, got familiar with the workings that I could see, and discovered that the nut that holds the pulley on the cutter head assembly (the belt end) was missing.  I also found the damaged "Key" (that keeps the pulley from spinning on the cutter assembly shaft) at the bottom of the unit.  I ordered the parts and have them on hand.

What I can't figure out is how and where to install the key.  If you look at the end of the unit where the belt is located,  the threaded rod that raises and lowers the cutter blades is dead center in front of the pulley with maybe 1/2" of space between them.  There is no opening between the pulley and the shaft where the key would go in so I'm assuminbg that you have to take the pulley off to find the slot for the key. 

Is that where the slot is located?  If so, how do you get the pulley off to insert the key with that theaded rod in the way?:

Appreciate any help you can give.

koreywill

[koreywill]

For those that ever have this problem here's a solution:  I solved the problem with a lot of head scratching and a whole bunch of luck.  That area behind the pulley IS where the key goes. I l positioned the keyway at the 12 o'clock postition and I pulled the top of the pulley as far as I could towards the threaded rod.  That gave me just enough room to finesse the key almost into the slot with a pair of needle nosed pliers.  it wasn't quite in the key way so I bent some stiff wire and with a few postioning experiments pushed the key into the slot.  Could've used a third hand to hold a flashlight for sure.  After the key got into the slot I pushed the pulley on as far as I could then tightened the nut as much as possible by hand.  I used a lightweight plastic mallet on the pulley to tap it (gently) further and further onto the key. 

At that point I was flummoxed as to how to get the nut really tight.  Box end wrenches won't fit, crescent wrenches won't fit, and channel locks don't fit either.  It finally dawned on me to use a long nosed pair of vice grips.  There was enough depth in the throat to go around the threaded rod and the tips were small enough to get to the recessed nut.  I had to hold the belt while I tightened the nut little by little but I finally got to the point where I couldn't tighten it any more.  I have no idea what the torque value is but I know it's tight.  Plugged it in, fired it up, and it purred, well roared, smooth as silk.  Typical sound of a planer.  Perfect.  Put the cover on and sent a video of the working planer to my nephew.  He's happy to get a good planer for $20 bucks and change and I'm happy I could fix it for him.

I hope no one else shears the key but if you do the above might help you replace it.

koreywill