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Garbage clutch pullers?

SayatodaU.P.eh?

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Mar 23, 2008
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A couple of light taps, on the end of the puller, hurts nothing. The crank takes bigger hits during normal use. I’ve done this for years with zero issues and it always helps with getting the primary clutch to “pop” loose.

How could hitting the end of the puller bend it without completely destroying the threads in the clutch? My bet would be that it bent by cranking it down hard. Seen it before with cheap pullers.
 

Devilmanak

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I have bent a couple of Cat pullers. Before I started taking my time. Any time I have one that won't pop with my impact wrench, I hit the inner sheave with some heat. Then a light tap on the puller usually does the trick.
Heat is a good thing, I have damaged a lot less tools when I started taking some time and less force. (Pulling clutches, rotors, etc.)
 

AndrettiDog

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A couple of light taps, on the end of the puller, hurts nothing. The crank takes bigger hits during normal use. I’ve done this for years with zero issues and it always helps with getting the primary clutch to “pop” loose.

How could hitting the end of the puller bend it without completely destroying the threads in the clutch? My bet would be that it bent by cranking it down hard. Seen it before with cheap pullers.

I use the water technique and tap the clutch with a rubber mallet all around as I tighten. This is very much a finesse move and you don't want to hit it too hard.

On another note, I tell guys new to clutch work to not take it off unless necessary. You can change the weights and the primary w/o taking the clutch off. It's easy to damage the threads on the crank.
 

kiliki

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water and teff tape is the only way to go. if you hit a caged bearing with a hammer your a fawk9ing retard. you can do the grease if you like a lot of clean up time V water and air gun and towel. Love your story, shows your lack of experience with clutch pullers! and dealer input is why you ended up with the heckling. but love your rant!
 

BeartoothBaron

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Thanks for the responses guys, I will check the brand of the tool they sold me and post here soon, I need to get home and dig it out of the toolbox to confirm.

I did look into the water method but given that the sled only had 700km on it i figured how tight could it be.. As it turns out, pretty tight..

As for the dealer selling junk pullers, they told me that they continue using their bent tool(s) on customers sleds, in fact they also told me that they just tighten them up and then hit the end HARD with a 5lb sledge. When I questioned them on the technique and the effect on the crank bearings they started to back track quite quickly although they had already lost my confidence for any future servicing.. what a joke, these guys are experts??

I also agree that there should be some guarantee on a tool that bends and doesn't even get the job done, even the cheapest tool stores will provide you with this. Oh well!

OUCH! Yeah, don't take your sled to them ever! Not even warranty work. Once or twice I've torqued down on the puller and then tapped on the hub of the clutch (between the sheaves) when it didn't pop loose. It's really a matter of introducing a little vibration, and I'd think tapping downward on the end of the puller would do the same. I'd use an impact wrench long before wailing at it with a big hammer. Maybe the guy you talked to is just trying to make excuses for selling a junk tool, but if they're really doing the kind of things he's talking about, they're ruining engines. Not that a thump here or there will always toast the bearings – they withstand stupendous loads just in normal operation – but a heavy whack down the length of the crankshaft is not something it's designed for or likely to withstand!
 

Norway

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I've tapped many pullers with a small hammer just to make it let go. Learned from older guys and heard of many others doing this. Not much stories on crank problems going around..

But I'd like to bring another angle to light and would like your thoughts on this; make sure you tighten your clutch bolt!

Reason: to loose and your 160hp engine will spin the clutch on the crank stub and torque it for you. HARD!

So, true or false..

Sent fra min S60 via Tapatalk
 
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SayatodaU.P.eh?

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I've tapped many pullers with a small hammer just to make it let go. Learned from older guys and heard of many others doing this. Not much stories on crank problems going around..

But I'd like to bring another angle to light and would like your thoughts on this; make sure you tighten your clutch bolt!

Reason: to loose and your 160hp engine will spin the clutch on the crank stub and torque it for you. HARD!

So, true or false..

Sent fra min S60 via Tapatalk



100% true and in my experience, most clutches come off hard is because of this exact reason.
 

BeartoothBaron

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I agree that thumping here or there with a typical claw or ball hammer probably won't hurt anything (long as you're not hitting anything aluminum, especially the sheaves). A big swing with a 5lb sledge, like this dealer claims they do, will almost certainly damage something. Also, just an educated guess, but if you're using anything more than the motion of your wrist to swing the hammer, you're much more likely to hurt the bearings if you're hitting the top of the puller (swinging towards the engine) than a blow to the axis of the crank and puller.
 

indydan

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beartoothbaron:

The older pullers by EPI were better.

In the last 2 years we have destroyed at least 30 plus EPI pullers.

They look the same but they are not the same.


So we took the matter into our own hands and we sourced the best material, design.... and now offer the only puller with a money back guarantee.

It pops the drive clutch off with more athority then any puller I have ever used.

If it doesn't get your clutch off then send it back?..And we will refund your money.

It also has a life time warranty

Not cheap but really awesome.

$89.95 ( only limited quantities )

Dan
 
Last edited:

SayatodaU.P.eh?

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Mar 23, 2008
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beartoothbaron:

The older pullers by EPI were better.

In the last 2 years we have destroyed at least 30 plus EPI pullers.

They look the same but they are not the same.


So we took the matter into our own hands and we source the best material and not offer the only puller with a money back guarantee.

It pops the drive clutch off with more athority then any puller I have ever used.

If it doesn't get your clutch off then send it back?..And we will refund your money.

It also has a life time warranty

Not cheap but really awesome.

$89.95 ( only limited quantities )

Dan

I had a good, bad and now good again EPI puller. If this one starts giving me issues, I’ll look into yours.

I'd rather bend a puller than break a crank.

How on gods white earth are you going to break a crank by pulling a clutch?!? LOL
 

BeartoothBaron

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Interesting to hear that about the EPI puller. I bought mine just over two years ago, so either I got a good one, or I've been lucky so far. My impression is that EPI isn't tops in terms of quality – they make some decent stuff, but some cheap stuff too. So, while mine seems ok, it sounds like they're hit or miss at best.
 

blastco2

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Hydro method!
Absolute worst wreck possible would be having to back the bolt out and start over. You will never bend/break a puller.

Take that bent, or new, puller and cut the tip off at the beginning of the threads. Then and only then will it be fit for using to remove a clutch.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
 

OrangeKowJumper

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I dont recall where I read up on this ..mebbe here?..but this is what I use for a puller on the Axys 800 motor...tilt the sled up a little bit with the jack so the crank has enough angle to hold some of the water down inside..til it laps out at the opening..teflon tape the heck outta the end..thread it in and that clutch is coming off! . . . and it's not gonna bend either..grade 8 3/4-16x7 bolt

20190923_223152.jpg 20190923_223116.jpg
 

kanedog

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The Indy specialty custom puller! This woulda been nice to know 3 pullers ago! Hi Dan!
 
A
Feb 11, 2017
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Seward, Alaska
I use an SLP puller and have never had any problems with it bending, really recommend it! I've also found some dealers are a bit overpriced, I called a dealer to get new motor mounts for my Pro once and they priced me at $300 for a set, I was able to buy the whole set from Babbits for only $110 instead.
 
A
Nov 26, 2007
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Elko, NV.
If you can't get the water trick to work for you (water leaks) the grease trick works also (requires more cleanup). You can wrap Teflon or a couple wraps of Electrical tape, the grease does not leak out. The clutch will pop off before the puller ever bottoms out. With the water or grease method you don't have to purchase a $90.00 puller, your garbage puller will do the job.
 
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