I cant get my clutch off!

[Steelhead Slayer]

The last 2 times I tried to remove the Primary from my XP I threaded in my puller and it got super tight, to the point it felt like something was going to break. The clutch would not pop off. I even tried a little grease on the threads. I have used this puller to remover this clutch in the past. I was not using an impact wrench, just an end wrench. I started tapping at the clutch with my rubber mallet and the outer finaly popped off both times alowing me to do the clutch work I needed. Are there any tricks I can use to get my whole clutch off?

 

[fredw]

deleted due to Harris Publishing, Inc.

 

[Theron]

Get a cheater bar on your wrench and go for it. Thats what I do now. I used to hit it with a hammer but now I just torque on it till it pops. Have not had a problem so far. I learned it from watching Joe's video where he takes a huge cresent and just pops it. I figure he has done enough that he should have it down.

Skip to 2:50
http://www.youtube.com/v/dP0574kohm8

 

[machinest660]

try heating up the inner sheave with a heat gun, seems to work great for me. i also use an impact gun. hitting on the bolt with a hammer i use as a absolute last resort.

 

[Carlos Randolph]

Puller?

First thing you need to do is make sure that you indeed have the correct puller??? Even though you did get the whole clutch off with it previously, just check to make sure, so you dont end up damaging the clutch with the wrong puller. The reason I say this is because when using the correct puller, the operating half of the clutch should stay with the fixed half until the whole thing pops off. The correct puller actually pulls the fixed half off the crank, and should not contact the threads on the operating half durring this process. After the whole clutch has been removed you then smack the head of the puller with a hammer to split the two halves. I am sure you already know that, but just want to be clear on this.

Now getting a stubborn clutch off is a real pain, but keep your cool. I have had the best results with the grease by putting a glob on the end of the puller. When that does not work I put the end of the grease gun inside the bolt hole of the clutch and filled'er up(messy), then put the puller in and giver a go. Next to last resort is the impact (1/2" impact not 3/8 drive) and it should pop. If you still cant get it to go, I then have heated the shaft on the clutch with a torch, and hit it with a impact. when using heat, do only enogh to get it off, as the seal on the pto main bearing is danger close.

I am not a big fan of smacking the puller with a hammer while its on the machine, as you are in effect driving the crank through the block, and can result in what they call crank walk which can destroy the bottom end of a motor. This is also why the impact should be used as the last resort as well. It may be safer than a 2lb hammer but not much.

 

[winter brew]

I use a 2 ft breaker bar, tighten until it feels like something will break, heat the center shaft a bit and it usually pops.....if not, repeat until it does.

 

[Redneck Summit]

Use the water trick, Tip your sled slightly on its exhaust side pour some water in the hole where your clutchbolt was put teflon tape on the threads of your clutch bolt or your puller bolt thread it in and tighten it with a wrench or rachet the water will create a hydraulic effect and your primary will pop right off but you must teflon the threads or it will not work. The bang will make you flinch if it's on there tight . But it works every time

 

[smileyz]

X2 on the water trick!

 

[skidoo7691]

for next time

After you get the clutch off, when you replace it, I would recommend putting a very lite film of anti-sieze on the shaft to prevent it from sticking again. Put it only on the shaft and be careful not to get any on the threads.

 

[snowmanx]

X3 on the water trick, works EVERYTIME, on the hardess of pulls.

I would not recommend putting any antiseize on it though.

 

[Redneck Summit]

I agree, I would stay away from the anti-seize because we are dealing with a tapered shaft here and you want a tight fit if you have any lubrication and but some freak chance that shaft spins inside the clutch it will come off, the bolt will come out and we will be reading a post on snowest on why not to put on anti-seize. It's your choice but if you ride alot you will have your clutches of atleast twice a season for cleaning etc.

 

[farwest]

Water trick,...no lube,dry shaft only.

 

[dooguy]

water trick worked for me

 

[600xc4me]

Water trick or freezing it off works most times, but not every time. On a buddies sled we tried everything, from a 3/4 inch impact, while the sled was warm, to a cold sled, with the 3/4 impact, while heating the clutch with a cutting torch, to a flex handle with a 5 foot snipe, the water trick, and the one where you tip the sled on it's side, dump water into the whole, thread in a bold and bring the sled out side and let the water do it. Water expands when it freezes so it normally works for the most stubborn ones. Nothing budged it. Ended up cutting the thing off piece by piece. Had to come off one way or another. My dealer recently used the freezing method on mine. Worked great for him once again. Just takes a while.

 

[fredw]

deleted due to Harris Publishing, Inc.

 

[cfi]

my dealer says he boils water and pours it down the bolt hole, then tightens the bolt, pops off with a little tension

You don't need boiling water. Tap water is all you need. I'm sure a little cold beer will work. Try not to waste it though.

 

[thegeneral]

put the kettle on!

Thread puller until you think it might break, then pour boiling water on shaft. It pops EVERY time.

 

[baka]

Boiling water. Never use a impact or hammer, hard on the crank.

 

[Trashy]

Thread puller until you think it might break, then pour boiling water on shaft. It pops EVERY time.

This works.

Tried it on a friends sled who had tried *everything*

It makes sense too; the slight expansion of the heat from the boiling water is all it takes, and you have the safety factor of not worrying about over heating the parts as the hottest they will get is the temp of the water.

 

[XXL]

Let me start by saying the only primary clutches I have pulled were on 800R's. I literally bent the puller into an "S" shaped dog turd. It was a factory doo puller. Tried the boiling water between the sheves 5-6 times. was standing in a lake. Tried heating with a torch nothing. I had been at it for over an hour. I was killing time waiting for the wife to get off work and bring me a new puller from town when I did a search and found a thread on doo talk about removing stubborn clutches. Put sled on its side, remove primary bolt, wrap lots and lots and lots of teflon tape clockwise (important step) on the stock primary bolt, fill the hole the primary bolt with water, insert the stock bolt into the hole and turn with a short ratchet. The pop will scare you as the clutch comes off. That new puller still sits in my tool box, I have never used it since. Now I can have the clutch off in less than two minutes.