clutch removal
Discussion
I assume its a verto? in which case this is quite common, you can try and soak it with wd40 or the like and load it up on a puller overnite. In the past we've had to resort to drilling the furkers off- usually ends up with a new crank etc. Remember its the clutch cover thats stuck not the flywheel (as in the earlier 3 piece type) so any attempt to hit it free through the starter hole is useless. Best of luck, if anyone else has any ideas i'll be interested. Rich
I'm about to give someone a hand who has exactly the same problem. The worst one I ever did eventually came off. It took three of us: one to keep the torque on the puller, one to work the blow-lamp and one to hit the big bolt on the puller with a large copper mallet. We soaked it with releasing fulid and left the puller torqued up for a couple of days befoer applying more torque and heat. Eventually it came free, but it was a real b****r. As 'cone' says, it can come to cutting the thing off, although I've never had to do so. I do know 2 people who have resorted to a large angle grinder and, yes, a new crank was needed as well as all new flywheel/clutch components.
Be brave!
Be brave!
I have had quite a few stick on, The best way i found is to tighten the puller up a much as you, then hit the flywheel a hard a you can through the start motor hole, then turn the engine 90 degrees repeat until you have done a least 2 full turns of the crank.
If that does not work heat up the flywheel but you need to do this for a long time (15 to 20 minutes) and move the flame around to heat all of it up.
If its still not off try tightening a bit more and another good hit with a mallet.
If you do resort to cutting it off you can save the crank if you are careful just remember that you only need to break the tension, so cut a small slot not quite all the way throw and put a large chisel in the slot and crack it.
As long as you have not done any damage to the crank you can get away with cleaning the taper up with emery paper, I have done this before and got the flywheel off next time.
With the bolt you might get it out with an easyout
If that does not work heat up the flywheel but you need to do this for a long time (15 to 20 minutes) and move the flame around to heat all of it up.
If its still not off try tightening a bit more and another good hit with a mallet.
If you do resort to cutting it off you can save the crank if you are careful just remember that you only need to break the tension, so cut a small slot not quite all the way throw and put a large chisel in the slot and crack it.
As long as you have not done any damage to the crank you can get away with cleaning the taper up with emery paper, I have done this before and got the flywheel off next time.
With the bolt you might get it out with an easyout
Mr Edd said:
I have had quite a few stick on, The best way i found is to tighten the puller up a much as you, then hit the flywheel a hard a you can through the start motor hole, then turn the engine 90 degrees repeat until you have done a least 2 full turns of the crank.
if you do this with a early fly wheel you run the risk of breaking the casing through a miss swung hit, or damaging the balance of the flywheel.do it with a verto and all you are doing is damaging the spring, its not directly attached to the crank!
either way, its not something i would do.
if it wont come off with a puller and a copper hammer hitting the puller, with a little bit of heat, then cutting it off is the only option (and its something ive never had to do, probably related to the fact that ive never brayed it off with a hammer from the back!)
guru_1071 said:
Mr Edd said:
I have had quite a few stick on, The best way i found is to tighten the puller up a much as you, then hit the flywheel a hard a you can through the start motor hole, then turn the engine 90 degrees repeat until you have done a least 2 full turns of the crank.
if you do this with a early fly wheel you run the risk of breaking the casing through a miss swung hit, or damaging the balance of the flywheel.Now he tells me! I did exactly that many years ago, so now I use a steel bar about 6" long and 1.5" diameter to do this.
do it with a verto and all you are doing is damaging the spring, its not directly attached to the crank!
either way, its not something i would do.
if it wont come off with a puller and a copper hammer hitting the puller, with a little bit of heat, then cutting it off is the only option (and its something ive never had to do, probably related to the fact that ive never brayed it off with a hammer from the back!)
Yes, if you heat it up to a dull red heat all around it should come if you tighten the puller then thump the bolt with a hammer. If not, then it's a grinder, I'm afraid.
Edited by Cooperman on Thursday 22 November 11:03
oldboyracer64 said:
hi the clutch will not come off the crank i have followed the manual and it will not move i have used a puller and broken the big center bolt one the tool any ideas please
thanks david
Well you obviously need to change the bolt, when you put it back on make sure the puller is on parallel to the flywheel otherwise it jams into the crank and won't budge.thanks david
If its one of the Clover leaf shaped pullers make sure the ribs point inwards towards the flywheel as the puller flex's too much and either you don't get enough force or it breaks the puller.
If the first time it doesn't shift after you keep applying force, back the puller centre bolt off and check the puller is still on straight. If the second time it doesn't shift leave with force for an hour, when you return slacken off and tighten again.
If its still not budging you'll need to apply heat to the central hub to try and get it to budge.
If its verto and welded itself to the crank (which they quite invariably do, when the flywheel comes loose) then thats a whole different challenge
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