Sometimes the squirrel cage gets stuck on the motor shaft. Most I have seen have a nut on the end of the threaded drive shaft. Once the nut has been removed, the cage should pull from the shaft, however a bit of persuasion is sometimes necessary. Wedge a flat screwdriver between the motor housing and the cage and tap the shaft with the nut loosely on it, to help dislodge it. Be careful not to compromise the threads on the end of the shaft.
