Flywheel removal 5HP B&S horizonatal shaft/rewind

[Cheap_Dave 0]

briggs makes a special wrench for that flywheel nut, but if your really careful, using a strap to hold the flywheel, and gently and evenly tap the nut off (lefty loosey) make a note of the way the compression washer under the nut goes on, to remove the flywheel, briggs makes another tool that is maliable to slip over the end of the shaft (protect the threads and end of the shaft)to tap (pound) on while using a something to pry on, in a non destructive area behind the flywheel. dont stick a screwdriver into the fins they will break off they were not designed for this use. the hardest part of all this is the reassembly, without the correct tool to tighten the flywheel nut to 50 FT LBS you may shear off the new flywheel key you just installed and while your at it you might as well spring for a new flywheel nut when you are at the parts store getting new points and flywheel key. personally I would rather install a more modern coil with magnatron (eliminating the need for points or for ever having to remove your flywheel), if you or a neighbor has an old worn out push mower thats 5 years or so old with a briggs engine , it probably has a magnatron on it. I get them a the my local land fill free. flywheel keys (5 to a box) $2 flywheel nut (recoil clutch) $7 points/condenser $6 (phasing out points briggs wants you to purchase a magnatron instead) $28 the above are prices at my local dealer last year. Its easy if you've done it a couple of hunderd times. Its tough if this is number 1. Cheap Dave

[HubbardRA 20]

There is usually four ears to mount the screen to on this piece. I usually sacrifice two of them. Use a Brass, aluminum or steel, if you have to, rod and hammer to peck on this piece to turn it. After you have removed the ratchet, you will need a brass or soft face deadblow hammer if you don't have the special nut to cover the end of the crank. You must pry with a big screwdriver under the flywheel and at the same time smack the end of the crankshaft with a hammer. Without the protective nut, you will probably damage the end of the crankshaft. All is not lost if you do. Just take a file and remove the flare at the end of the shaft until the ratchet once again fits smoothly onto the shaft without binding. I've done many of them, learned from experience. Rod H.

[Roy 0]

If you have a pair of large Channel Locks you can use them to unscrew the starter nut with the ears without using a hammer on it or hurting any of the ears the trash screen bolt onto. A pipe wrench will also work. Roy

[JonetteP 0]

Hi Rick, if you have access to some tools, you are in luck. You can make the tool to remove the clutch. We did it before B&s had one for the consumer. Take a piece of tubing that is slightly larger than the OD of the diameter of the clutch. Mark the tabs of the clutch as close as you can. Once you have the tabs marked, cut them out with a dremel or another power tool. Test fit the hub you have made. If it does not line up, grind a little away. As far as smacking the flywheel off, look for puller holes first. In this style of engine, a 1/4x20 thread is very common. So, take a heavy piece of bar stock and make a puller. 1/2 inck at least. If you do decide to do the smack way, (we do this), make a collet to go over the end of the shaft. Make it out of aluminum. The aluminum will transfer enough energy from the hammer to snap the flywheel loose. In addition, it will not damage the shaft.

[rickf 1]

Thanks for the insights! -Rick

[rickf 1]

Hi, Got given a lightly used Montgomery Ward Shredder with a 5HP Briggs (horizontal shaft). I was had to loosen up the ball bearings in the rewind pull start, and was thinking about taking the fly wheel off to check the condenser (weak spark) and key, but can't figure how to get the thing off, Normally there's a nut holding things down, this just has the back half of the rewind pull start on top of the flywheel. Does this part slide off or is it threaded? These engines are all over, figure someone out there musta pulled one apart before me... Thanks for the help. - Rick (checked the Briggs diagrams, but they don't show the rewind pull start - closest diagram doesn't show any nuts holding the flywheel down, that doesn't seem right)