Flywheels

[Tony Fearn]

I'm sorry, I can't remember. It's a long time since I removed one and I have a feeling that as I was putting a new one on it didn't matter.

I expect that you'll need a rather delicate puller, but perhaps some of our expert garagistas will help.

Tony.

[AlanBartlett]

Now worries I've done it now, Geoff Wills suggested tyre levers if I didnt have the tool, I couldn't find my tyre levers at the time, sods law, but after a screwdriver, crowbar, chisel and a couple of flat plates and 2 hours later I finally got it off. Now to tackle this whitworth nut.... has anyone got any ideas of how to restrain the flywheel from turning while you are trying to undo the nut.

[george garside]

stick a longish metal bar through the crankcase (pots of of course) to prevent crankshaft turning, the long end of the bar rests against the ground so as to prevent the whole crankcase turning when pressure is applied to nut
george

[Tony Fearn]

Now this is something I do remember that I have done in the past whilst the cylinders were still attached to the crankcase. It might not be pure 'Braddock', but it does go back to wooden wedges again.

You must have been a Boy Scout with what Lord Baden-Powell called "Stickability"! Two hours to remove a little bearing is an admirable use of time. I'll bet there was a sense of achievement when it finally came off.

If you take the timing case cover off, and remove the timing chain, you can fashion a wooden wedge to fit between the crankshaft sprocket and the inner wall of the timing case. If you position it correctly against the thrust of the socket or box spanner on the rear end of the crankshaft, it should stop the crank turning when it beds in.

Plug the hole in the timing case which leads down to the oil pump with some lint-free cloth as you don't want sawdust and wood fragments falling down into the pump.

Take up the movement on the flywheel nut to be removed and when the wooden wedge is bedded in at the front, a fair bit of pressure on the flywheel nut should remove it.

It might just need a bit of a short, sharp shock on the tommy bar with a lump hammer to start it, unless, as George has mentioned, you have a 3 foot long bar welded to a hefty box spanner.

Best of luck.

Tony.

P.S. If you take the chain off, tippex the relative positions of the bottom tooth on the camshaft sprocket and the top tooth of the crankshaft sprocket for ease of reassembly with correct valve timing. If all the little bits are in a box then this won't be necessary!

A.J.

[AlanBartlett]

Finally after a days pulling power and a friends help the nut has come off, what a relief I thought clear road ahead now to getting the flywheel off, nope after several hours of knocking in various bits of wood and large screwdriver and crow bar tugging it has still yet to budge, so for now I have left it soaking in WD40 to see if that will make any difference.....Any other sugestions to the wedge technique?
This seems to be a one step forward and two steps back operation, I seem to be taking more of the engine apart that putting it back together

[george garside]

hi Allan
Just a bit of clarification re use of wedges. They need to be substantial & made of hard wood. The length probably needs to be at least 15" but could be greater and the width at least 3 inches

the wedges are inserted on the same axis as the cylinders ( but of course higher & lower) so with the crankcase standing the right way up on the ground one wedge would be going behind the flywheel from the right and the other from the left. The idea (I think!) of the long wedges is that the taper is by definition very gradual ? 2" down to zero over 15", and the wedges pass accross under the flywheel above & below the end of the crankshaft.rather than aiming inwards towards the end of the crankshaft.

clouting the wedges alternatly will then gradually build up a considerable force on the flywheel and steady thumps with a sledge hammer are probably the best way of applying the force.

sorry but more complicated to try to explain than to do, but hope it helps
george

[AlanBartlett]

I cant find any wood strong enough, so have left it for today as am having one of those days where I lack patience, does anyone know where I can get hold of a puller? Do they still make them?

[AlanBartlett]

Done!!! finally my method was two rather long heavy poles and a sledge hammer, just got to set up the timing chain and put the clutch plate back on, does anyone know what size chain it is? I've lost the two pronged joining link, it fell into the sump I think I didn't see it land, does anyone know?