Anyone reuse or pull out the Microtrains Z Scale Maxon motors?

[mmagliaro]

Microtrains used to use an 8mm dual-shaft Maxon coreless motor in their Z Scale GP-35 (and maybe others, I do not know).
Dual shaft Maxons and Faulhabers are rare birds, so when somebody parted one of these out on eBay, I couldn't resist.  Besides, I was able to buy just the motor for a good price.

Now I have questions.

The motor shaft is ceramic, and there are two little flywheels attached on either end.  I seem to vaguely recall reading in here that the ceramic shaft can be fragile and break off.  So I am concerned about trying to pull off the flywheels.   Even braced with a V plate and a wheel puller, that might be too much for the shaft to tolerate.

Has anybody fooled around with these motors?  Ever pull the flywheels off successfully?

[Chris333]

There was a guy taking the MTL locos apart to alter the frame to fit scratchbuilt locos. He had to pull the flywheels and broke the shaft a few times. He sold me the motors with a broken shaft on one side.

I never tried to pull the flywheel myself. The shafts are white so I do believe they are ceramic.

[DKS]

Many moons ago, I modified an MT mechanism once to convert a Geep into an MP-15, and had success tapping the shaft out of the flywheels. I put a homemade V-plate on one side, and tapped the motor shaft out using a broken drill bit shaft slightly smaller than the motor shaft, and a very small hammer, working slowly and gently. (I doubt I'd attempt it again.)