Engine pulley crisis

[Jovee 0]

I'm out of ideas. Replacing (or trying) a crank seal on a '99 20hp Briggs Vanguard. No problems until the drive pulley refused to come off the crankshaft. I can't get it to budge with a puller without bending the sides of the cheap steel pulley in. Tap them back out and try again with the claws grabbing on two wrenches to even the pull but it keeps bending instead of sliding. Sprayed it down with everything I have but nothing happens. I have no access to heat sources. Is there any trick you guys know to remove this thing?? Thinking of making the engine the heat source [:0]

[Ronald Hribar 91]

If you have damaged pulley, try cutting it off with saw

[sandyhillbill 12]

after soaking it throughly with a good penetrating oil try using a peice of brass or some other impact device that can be hit with a large hammer and strike it as close to the center as you can and as hard as you can. It is ok if you drive it a little farther on the shaft as long as it moves one way or the other. once it moves it should be easier to move back the other way. Good luck.

[patrician12 0]

Since you are replacing the seal anyway heat the pulley shaft.The steel crank will not be affected and the only damage that could occur from the heat is seal damage.Two dissimilar metals always present this problem.An electrolysis process takes place that fuses them together like the plating process.

[Jovee 0]

Thanks guys. I will try smacking it the other way and see what happens. I wasnt sure if it was on all the way or not but I will see if it moves. I was able to tap the sides back in place so cutting it off would be a last resort. I dont own a hot wrench so thats out too. I knew it was going too easy. Hope something works. I talked a finicky relative into letting me do this. Shhh!

[JJ MARSHALL 0]

did you remove the bolt? jj

[Boney 0]

I had trouble getting a pully off. Every day I hit it with PB Blaster, after a week I put a big socket over the end of the shaft and hit it with a hammer, couple of stikes moved it in, Then just worked it back and forth adding WD4O as I go, eventually it cam off.

[Mick14 0]

One of those "bernz o matic' propane torches might help,try the "MAPP" gas instead of the propane,pretty cheap at any hardware store.

[EDS 2]

You might try drilling the key out if it is the square type. Usually this is where it binds up and replacing the key is easy.

[Jovee 0]

This thing has one of those keyways that is cast into the pulley. Tried to wedge that out to no avail. Tried beating it in the other direction but its up against the taper and there is no going that way. I actually took the sawsall and cut a large notch into a 3 lb cast iron freeweight so it would fit around the crank and pull this thing evenly. It still bent the pulley side in. With all this practice restraightening the sides, I might be able to start making horseshoes and other hammer fabrications. I am going to get a bernz o matic type setup tomorrow. Hopefully it gets hot enough to make a difference. I'll cross my fingers now - Joe

[2burning 1]

Isn't the right tool a puller that is a big flat piece of metal with a profile of the pulley cut into the metal. This way the force of the puller is moved much closer to the shaft instead of out on the delicate pulley. Let me see if I can search and find a pic of one online... I can't seem to find a picture. I had one fall off, and the other I had to totally destroy to get off. I bought a new pulley for that one. You might try hammering on the shaft area. Not too hard to bend the crank though.

[RayS 79]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ronald Hribar
If you have damaged pulley, try cutting it off with saw

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I would try Rons method since the pulley is damaged. Take a sawsall and cut thru the hub of the pulley right above the keyway and it will come right off with out damaging the crank. I have had to do this to alot of the cheap stamped steel pulleys.

[2burning 1]

Here is the link of the "Stack Pulley Remover" tool I was trying to find earlier: https://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/32-6910.html

[Jovee 0]

Game over! Mapp gas - God bless America! Thanks Mick - I had never heard of the stuff before but there it was at Sears. Thanks to everyone with suggestions ( except that bolt comment:p). This place keeps the do-it yourselfers doing it ^. I checked out that link. It's an interesting device but I can't understand how that would work pulling off the crank unless I'm not seeing something in the pic ? Thanks again! -Joe

[JJ MARSHALL 0]

JOE WASN'T TRYING TO BE SMART ABOUT NOT REMOVING THE BOLT I HAD AT 2 PEOPLE THIS SUMMER THAT I KNOW OF TRY TO REMOVE THE PULLY WITHOUT REMOVING THE BOLT. JJ

[Jovee 0]

No problem JJ. I was just having fun with it. The bolt wasnt an issue on this engine. It only held the electric pto on. Unfortunatley my blacksmithing skills made a mess of the cheepie steel piece and will have to relace it otherwise it will chew the belts up eventually. I've always been anti-torch for safety reasons, lack of safe storage, and having something I would hardly use. But this Mapp stuff works exceptionally well. I dont bother with propane from past experiences of it not being hot enough. Did I mention this Mapp stuff works really well?? lol - -Joe

[BigSix 0]

Joe: Glad you got it off. Just wanted to mention that I've had pretty good luck with a plain, old, Bernz-o-Matic propane torch. After all, even if it's only 800 degrees (is that right?) that's a lot of expansion over ambient temp, right? I never explored the MAPP gas, as I also have the oxy-acetelene torches, but I'm glad to know it works well, as I need something for my cottage, and I'm not about to lug the oxy-acetelene torches into my boat again--been there, done that--lol! So thanks for the info. Peter

[Conrad 0]

HI, The next time you might try a bearing splitter. It puts pressure on the hub and not the sheeves. (works behind the pulley) can use a regular puller against the splitter. They are not too expensive. Might save several pulleys. Sorry I'm late with the info., been on vacation. Conrad

[Jovee 0]

A good idea but the problem I had here was the pulley hub was all the way up to the machined lip of the next thickness of the crank leaving only a crack which was just inside the pan hole. Thats why I fabricated the old cast iron weight to sit in the pulley sides to pull even pressure from as close to the center as I could. Good in theory but the pulley was just too cheaply made and still bent. Picked up a brand new pulley yesterday to play it safe with the belt - Joe