help! can't remove the flywheel
 

it's a manual, the bolt came out pretty easily but I can't get the flywheel off, I've tried beating on it, I've borrowed (and destroyed) a gear puller from autozone, I've tried heating it with a propane torch, I can't get the thing off, anybody have any other tricks to try?

Rubber sledgehammer or slidehammer puller. Make sure the nut is on loosely so the flywheel doesn't fall off when it does break loose.

Steve

slidehammer won't hurt the shaft? there's just a little bit of wiggle room and I don't want to damage anything

I haven't done it myself(I used a hammer), let me find where I remembered reading this...

From user Barwick:

"Get a slide hammer puller and a 1/4" metal disc that fits just over the flywheel nut. Put the nut on loosely (so the flywheel can move, but not fly off), and put the slide hammer puller on it with like 3 washers behind it so it doesn't yank itself off (I bent 2 washers, but it stayed on).

Tighten the puller a little bit (don't twist it to try and pull it off, just tighten it "gudentight") Then just take some good thwacks with the slide hammer puller, tighten it again, thwack, tighten, etc.. it'll come off."

Sounds like it'd work fine to me. But it's a lot of work when a hammer should be able to get it off.

Steve

I did mine a little differently...

I made a puller from a 3/4" square solid piece of bar stock. Drilled two holes that matched the two holes that you will see along side of the flywheel nut (if I remember right, these are 8mm threaded holes). In the center of the bar lining up with the pilot bearing I drilled an tapped a 1/2" hole and inserted a 4" bolt. Next I covered the end of the 'e' shaft with a scrap piece of steel and tightened the 4" bolt end enough to put tension on the two smaller bolts threaded into the flywheel.

Essentially the 4" bolt is trying to pull the flywheel off of the 'e' shaft. So with the 4" bolt 'gudentight' I used 2 lb hammer and gave the head of the 4" bolt a few good whacks, tightend the bolt some more, and a few more whacks. I think by the third try I heard a loud clunk and the flywheel was free.

It was a good thing because I was about to give up!:D

I've been beating on it with a 5 pound slide hammer for a good half hour and shes not budging. I'm getting concerned because the e shaft play is getting worse.

i tighten a regular puller using the two screw holes provided, as tight as i can then just tap the flywheel with a 3lbs hammer and it pops off every time. harmonics!

Hey Philip, do you have anything putting pressure on the flywheel like I (or Rotariesrule) describe?

If not then don't keep hitting it, you may do damage!!!

I think you need a puller to put some pressure on it!

I use a RB flywheel puller, it works awsome. If you plan on removing a few flywheels, it's worth the money in my opinion.;)

Well since I'm pulling my flywheel off tonight, I'll just end up using a steering wheel puller.

I place a piece of flat iron accross the eccentric shaft to protect it from the pullers big main screw. Take some bellhousing tranny bolts and bolt the steering puller to the fly wheel. And Viola it comes off. Did this on my last rebuild.

I used a gear puller, which works the same way, two bolts into the threaded holes, (10mm 1.25 pitch BTW) and a large center bolt to put force against the E shaft, I used a large socket to puch against the e-shaft and keep the pointy end of the puller from doing damage to the bearing, I put enough force on that bolt that the end of it is now squared off, the same size as my socket... I guess a 4 foot breaker bar will do that :)

How long has that flywheel been on...forever?;)

It's unusual because between the force applied by the puller and a few good wacks with a hammer, they usually pop free.

I'll be in Westminster the first week of February if you still need a hand!

removing the flywheel when its been on the motor since like 1989 has always been hard.... so i loosen up the big ass flywheel nut then i hit the flywheel with my 12lb sledgehammer with a thin piece of 3/8 plywood on the end held on with duct tape...... works EVERY time ^_^ first hit and its off

this is fucking rediculous. I've beat on it so much that it's getting bent, and the teeth along the outer edge popped off! it's a fucking boat anchor now, and I STILL can't get it off.

Wow! Bummer man. :( Maybe it's time to take it to a mechanic? Upgrade to a RB 9.5! Best $400 and change you ever spent!

Steve

there is no fucking way I'm sinking 400 bucks into a god damn flywheel at this point.

put 2 bolts into the holes on the flywheel, it will pop out that way

I've never had a problem prying it forward with a pry bar while I hit towards the engine with a 2 LB sledge. Takes a few wacks, but always comes off...

FINALLY.
since it was broken already I just went to town on it and beat it long enough that it came off, of course it's trashed with the teeth coming off and the dents all over it..

Holy crap...
Damn... guess I was too late!
Here's a VERY easy way to get the flywheel off- for all those that have problems.
You jam a wedge of any kind (any peice of metal) in between the flywheel and the housing of the engine. Put another wedge opposite form that one.
Then, take a block of soft aluminum, or something simlar, place it over the end of the e-shaft, and whack the ESHAFT with a heavy mallet (I needed a 3-5 lb hammer)
Just pound the shaft a few times and the flywheel will pop right off. Just be carefull you don't screw up the threads on the shaft. I used a peice of mild steel as a cushion, and it wasnt soft enough- I defermed the therads on the shaft, I just ground the first 2 theads down and it was fine.

I tried this instead of using the gear/steering wheel puller. Worked like a charm

But I didn't use a sledge. Last Time I took a steel hammer to my engine I broke off one of the waterpump bolts and that really sucked.

I used a rubber hardwood flooring hammer and I didn't even have to use a pry bar either. I hit it all the way around on each side of the flywheel evenly until it just came loose. It was really much easier than I made it out to be previously. You just have to be patient.