I was planning on replacing the seal on the fan side of the main shaft but I am having some trouble getting the fan hub.

For now, I have applied some penetrant liquid on it and I will let it soak some time, but then, what is the best way to get it off.

Lightly prying it off going around? I guess that a puller would be useful, but I only have a very large puller that does not fit there. Can I apply some heat in trying to get it off?

Any other tricks or advice?

Thanks
Click to view attachment

Buy a steering wheel puller.

https://www.harborfreight.com/bolt-type-whe...-set-62620.html

I use the shit out of mine but almost NEVER for steering wheels!

"Load it up" and smack the side of the flange with a brass drift and hammer to shock it loose...

Not near the garage/workshop today, so can't take a photo of the homemade tool.

But it's a pretty simple tool to make. A piece of thick sheet metal with a slot the width of the crankshaft snout cut into it. Then harden it.

Like this guy did:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DZU_-BLDNAU

Here's the super-specialized tool that works a trick:

A "church key" bottle opener, or another thick, flat piece of metal.

The three fan mounting bolts.

Hold the church key up behind the fan hub. Thread in a fan bolt until it touches the key. Give it 1 complete turn. Loosen it a bit, move the key to behind the next hole in the hub. Thread in another bolt until it touches, then give it 1 turn.

Continue this process, going around to each of those three holes, until the hub pops off. Shouldn't take long.

For the extra-fancy version, you can use three church keys or fender washers. That way you don't have to back off the bolts to move the key.

--DD

Thanks for the replies.

Will probably be the ''Church key'' method although I just realized that I also have a steering wheel pulley. So I have all in hand to accomplish this.

Hopefully this will be done later today.

I’m going to piss off the guys that use the flat metal or church key approach; yeah it works and 99.9% of the time isn’t going to harm anything but it is poor form.

You want all the forces kept between the hub and the crank. Steering wheel puller or pulley puller is the correct tool.

Using the flat metal and three hub bolts approach transfers the axial forces into the case.

If you’ve already removed the flywheel, there is nothing to react against the main bearing with the thrust surface. You’re now pulling the crank journal radius into the sides of the main bearings. The main bearings aren’t designed for this sort of axial force.

If you’re replacing the main bearings - oh well, who cares. None the less, not the right way to disassemble the hub from the crank.

If you have the steering wheel puller, use the right tool.

EZ button for sure. Prying and other "methods" may work, but the possible damage isn't worth it

A steering wheel puller does work if it's a three prong/hole version. But, it also needs to be the right size. A two hole version won't really cut it.

Or an harmonic balancer puller of the right size.

Either way this job can justify getting another new tool. But, if you don't have the right tool, a piece of sheet metal works, even if it pisses off those with all the right tools.

Got it off using the small steering wheel pulley that I had. Seal and o-ring replaced.

Job done!

This is the tool

Click to view attachment

That would work KICK ASS as it allows even tension to be applied and is stupid short.

You could use that with all the sheet metal in the way.

I'm happy the OP was able to find something to work but @914werke did come up with a truly excellent suggestion...

That is little different from the "church key" method. It's still spreading the load out to the case.

--DD

This is what I use:


Snap-on bolt grip puller set. Bought mine years ago. Silver bolts are SAE, black bolts are Metric. Mine has a socket on the puller that got stuck on there 30+ years ago and I never bothered to remove it.

I've got a 40 years old "Matco" version of that.

Mine came with two mandrels: one long, one short.

The long mandrel might have trouble with clearance in chassis.

That seal and the surrounding fan shroud make that job difficult enough that I would most likely pull the motor.

Most of the time, by the time you are having trouble with the front seal, you should replace multiple rubber pieces (like the oil cooler seals) and pulling the engine makes more sense in my book.

Once out all this junk gets easier...

And a real puller becomes "the way"...