Water Clutch Removal Technique

[lofsfire]

I was having trouble removing my Clutch with the puller. Then I found the "Water Clutch Removal Technique" over on Doo Talk, thought I would share it here:

I took my clutch off with the this way and worked perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Tip sled on side
2. Remove clutch bolt
3. Pour coolant (if outside), water (if inside).
4. Wrap Teflon tape on clutch bolt threads, making sure wound the right way so it doesn't push off.
5. Re install clutch bolt, turn with wrench until you can feel pressure. You shouldn't even need enough pressure to use a clutch holding tool,
you can use your other hand just to hold it. (I was able to hold it by hand and it only took 2 or 3 full turns)

Enjoy!

This was also add if the clutch was really stuck to try this: (I did not need to try this so I can not verify it)
If clutch does not pop off after 4 -6 turns of the bolt let sit in below freezing temps and when water freezes it will pop clutch off.

 

[dab102999]

I have always used grease myself but I am sure water will work. Grease is nice because you don't have to tip your sled on it's side.

 

[ezra]

2nd the dab of greese on the tip of puller I never used teflon but prob because greese is thicker

 

[HIGHLANDER]

3rd the grease

 

[legolamb]

Clutch removal

The use of water and teflon tape is due to the fact you don't need a puller with this method, you use the clutch bolt itself. Works very well.

 

[dab102999]

Oh I see. I didn't get that the first time when I read it. If that is the case I don't think I would let it sit outside to freeze if you had a tough one though. The chance of water freezin and striping those threads would be on my mind.

 

[racerx]

This thread got me thinking so I posted this on DooTalk:

Been trying to figure out how the water trick works. Being in a machine shop we have used this method to get pins out after we drill thru the center and fill up with oil or grease then make a pin to fit thru the hole that we tap with a hammer then the oil/grease pushes against the stuck pin which is then "pressed" out of the hole. If we can tap the pin we do that as well.

What I do not get is using the "stock clutch bolt". The stock bolt threads into the crank which if it is filled with liquid and then the stock bolt is threaded in the only thing I see happening is the pressure expanding the crank taper, the liquid is not pushing out the clutch like a clutch puller (with the understanding where actually the puller "pulls" the clutch in that the puller has threads that threads into the clutch itself and pushes against the crank).

So if this trick expands the taper then I get it, but that would develop a lot of pressure to overcome the stuck taper connection. What I'm thinking is another possibility is just like the method we use at work in using a clutch puller with the end cutoff and fill the hole up this way the puller compresses the liquid/grease instead of pushing against the crank (pushing against the crank is a metal to metal connection, when I have used a puller on my old POL I remember deforming the end some since the puller is rotating and the crank end doesn't leaving some deformation/scoring).

Yea I'm over thinking this, but sometimes you just have to know how things work...

 

[doomsman]

On pols the bolt threads through the puller threads and is slightly smaller behind the threads it then slides in and engages the crank. The water fills that void between the threads and the crank.

 

[stealthv]

What I do not get is using the "stock clutch bolt". ....

Yea I'm over thinking this, but sometimes you just have to know how things work...

Expanding the taper isn't what pops off the clutch, it's hydraulic pressure of turning the clutch bolt in on the liquid which is compressed between the bolt and the end of the crankshaft. Force = pressure times area.

Used the grease method on two sleds a week ago.

 

[02edgehead]

does this work on all sleds??

 

[racerx]

Expanding the taper isn't what pops off the clutch, it's hydraulic pressure of turning the clutch bolt in on the liquid which is compressed between the bolt and the end of the crankshaft. Force = pressure times area.

Used the grease method on two sleds a week ago.

Guess I will have to look into this as the clutch bolts I am use to seeing late 90s were just a long bolt with a washer that screwed into the crank and it was only tight when that washer contacted the clutch. The way I'm thinking is w/o that washer the liquid would just come out and would only seal when completely tight. Time to look at the microfiche..THanx

 

[stealthv]

To clarify, for the hydraulic method don't use the bolt that was taken out of the end of the crank, use a bolt that is larger in diameter and fits the internal threads (same as where a puller would thread in) of the clutch.

On an AC, you can use a 1/2" bolt or a chunk of 1/2" all-thread ready-rod, never had/will have a Poo, so my work here is done. =)

 

[lofsfire]

To clarify, for the hydraulic method don't use the bolt that was taken out of the end of the crank, use a bolt that is larger in diameter and fits the internal threads (same as where a puller would thread in) of the clutch.

On an AC, you can use a 1/2" bolt or a chunk of 1/2" all-thread ready-rod, never had/will have a Poo, so my work here is done. =)

I'm guessing this is where you will have to experiment between brands. I did use my Stock Bolt but since there are many different clutch pullers you may need to adapt the bolt size accordingly to your sled.

The answer racerx received over on Doo Talk was:"
The stock bolt has to thread through the clutch threads first and that is were the pressure is, when using this method the stock bolt should never come close to the crank before the clutch pops off."

 

[racerx]

cool. this makes more sense now. Thanx for sticking with me on this one!!!!