#&^#%$ Flywheel Removal

Does anyone have any advise on loosening flywheel bolts? I have an 88
Jeep wrangler and am working on replacing the clutch. I want to get
the flywheel resurfaced, but I can't get the thing loose. For one, I
am having a heck of a time trying to keep the thing from turning with a
pry bar in one hand, and having enough leverage with the other to
muscle up on the bolt. I don't have air tools at my disposal. Any
tricks on keeping the flywheel from turning so I can put my all into
the breaker bar?

I wish my new year workout would build muscle faster and maybe I could
do it

You can use the round end of a wrench on a bolt head wedged against
something. I have also jacked up a wood block to the crankshaft pulley. I
have also pulled the starter and wedged something between the flywheel teeth
and the hole in the bellhousing.

Hope this helps.

Carl


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Does anyone have any advise on loosening flywheel bolts? I have an 88
> Jeep wrangler and am working on replacing the clutch. I want to get
> the flywheel resurfaced, but I can't get the thing loose. For one, I
> am having a heck of a time trying to keep the thing from turning with a
> pry bar in one hand, and having enough leverage with the other to
> muscle up on the bolt. I don't have air tools at my disposal. Any
> tricks on keeping the flywheel from turning so I can put my all into
> the breaker bar?
>
> I wish my new year workout would build muscle faster and maybe I could
> do it
>

One other thing you can do, if I can explain this correctly with text.

The position of your wrench related to the bolts can be used to your
advantage. Basically, if your bolt is located at the 12 o'clock
position, have your wrench pointing toward 6 o'clock when you start to
loosen the bolt. This will give the least tendency for the flywheel to
rotate, and you may not even need to wedge the flywheel. Basically if
the wrench handle is near the center of the flywheel you will have the
best chance of the flywheel not rotating.

Chris

Carl wrote:
> You can use the round end of a wrench on a bolt head wedged against
> something. I have also jacked up a wood block to the crankshaft pulley. I
> have also pulled the starter and wedged something between the flywheel teeth
> and the hole in the bellhousing.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Carl
>
>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Does anyone have any advise on loosening flywheel bolts? I have an 88
>> Jeep wrangler and am working on replacing the clutch. I want to get
>> the flywheel resurfaced, but I can't get the thing loose. For one, I
>> am having a heck of a time trying to keep the thing from turning with a
>> pry bar in one hand, and having enough leverage with the other to
>> muscle up on the bolt. I don't have air tools at my disposal. Any
>> tricks on keeping the flywheel from turning so I can put my all into
>> the breaker bar?
>>
>> I wish my new year workout would build muscle faster and maybe I could
>> do it
>>
>
>

Yeah, and once you have the box end of the wrench solidly on the bolt, smack
the other end with a big brass hammer. If you don't have brass, be prepared
for some cosmetic damage to the wrench end.

Earle

"c" > wrote in message
...
> One other thing you can do, if I can explain this correctly with text.
>
> The position of your wrench related to the bolts can be used to your
> advantage. Basically, if your bolt is located at the 12 o'clock
> position, have your wrench pointing toward 6 o'clock when you start to
> loosen the bolt. This will give the least tendency for the flywheel to
> rotate, and you may not even need to wedge the flywheel. Basically if
> the wrench handle is near the center of the flywheel you will have the
> best chance of the flywheel not rotating.
>
> Chris
>
> Carl wrote:
> > You can use the round end of a wrench on a bolt head wedged against
> > something. I have also jacked up a wood block to the crankshaft pulley.
I
> > have also pulled the starter and wedged something between the flywheel
teeth
> > and the hole in the bellhousing.
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > Carl
> >
> >
> > > wrote in message
> > oups.com...
> >> Does anyone have any advise on loosening flywheel bolts? I have an 88
> >> Jeep wrangler and am working on replacing the clutch. I want to get
> >> the flywheel resurfaced, but I can't get the thing loose. For one, I
> >> am having a heck of a time trying to keep the thing from turning with a
> >> pry bar in one hand, and having enough leverage with the other to
> >> muscle up on the bolt. I don't have air tools at my disposal. Any
> >> tricks on keeping the flywheel from turning so I can put my all into
> >> the breaker bar?
> >>
> >> I wish my new year workout would build muscle faster and maybe I could
> >> do it
> >>
> >
> >

"Earle Horton" > wrote in message
m...
> Yeah, and once you have the box end of the wrench solidly on the bolt,
> smack
> the other end with a big brass hammer. If you don't have brass, be
> prepared
> for some cosmetic damage to the wrench end.

You don't have a Lead mallet?
I often use a prybar carefully engaged in the ring gear teeth and fulcrummed
against a bellhousing bolt when air isn't available.

--
Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

"Stupendous Man" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Earle Horton" > wrote in message
> m...
> > Yeah, and once you have the box end of the wrench solidly on
> > the bolt, smack the other end with a big brass hammer. If you
> > don't have brass, be prepared for some cosmetic damage to the
> > wrench end.
>
> You don't have a Lead mallet?
> I often use a prybar carefully engaged in the ring gear teeth and
> fulcrummed against a bellhousing bolt when air isn't available.
>
Somehow I acquired a brass hammer during my travels. It's awesome, much
better than lead.

Earle

> Somehow I acquired a brass hammer during my travels. It's awesome, much
> better than lead.
>

I have both. The brass is used way more often, but the lead comes in handy
for thumping things like gear teeth.

Stupendous Man wrote:
>> Somehow I acquired a brass hammer during my travels. It's awesome,
>> much better than lead.
>>
>
> I have both. The brass is used way more often, but the lead comes in
> handy for thumping things like gear teeth.

I like my deadblow, lead shot in a plastic sledge. Mainly because
it doesn't bounce. Need to redo my lead mallet. Basically I took
a steel hammer handle and poured a lead head around it. Apart from
making the sand mold it's not that hard. For the casting I just
use my small sledge as the form.

--
DougW

> it doesn't bounce. Need to redo my lead mallet. Basically I took
> a steel hammer handle and poured a lead head around it. Apart from
> making the sand mold it's not that hard. For the casting I just
> use my small sledge as the form.

I just used a hole saw in some 2x4s and plugged the gaps with wet paper
towels.. They catch fire, but the lead hardens fast enough to where it
doesn't run out. J&L industrial sells lead mallets for under $20, but
shipping is by weight.

Stupendous Man wrote:
>> it doesn't bounce. Need to redo my lead mallet. Basically I took
>> a steel hammer handle and poured a lead head around it. Apart from
>> making the sand mold it's not that hard. For the casting I just
>> use my small sledge as the form.
>
> I just used a hole saw in some 2x4s and plugged the gaps with wet
> paper towels.. They catch fire, but the lead hardens fast enough to
> where it doesn't run out. J&L industrial sells lead mallets for under
> $20, but shipping is by weight.

That's an idea. Bet I could make a mold using 2x4s. Could even hinge it
with a door hinge and use another hinge to close the mold. Once the wood
chars it should be good for a long time.

--
DougW