Alternator pulley nut removal methods?

69427

The Artist formerly known as Turbo84
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Clinging to my guns and religion in KCMO.
Anybody have a decent way to loosen the pulley nut other than using an impact wrench? This always seemed too brute-force for me, and I always felt uncomfortable doing it. However, any time I've tried other methods I've crashed and burned (success-wise). I've tried using a hex wrench in the shaft and a box-end wrench on the nut, but that never worked out well for me.
So, before I get out the impact wrench again (I need to re-clock the rear half of the alternator), how do you guys do it?

thanks,
Mike
 
Is the shaft hex keyed? if so you could use that, or otherwise a leather straps but the impact gun is the single best solution. I have done it so many times undoing and tightening those nuts, steel, aluminum pulleys...never a problem.
 
Just take out the 4 thru bolts and spin the rear half of the case. No need to remove the pulley for that. Or am I missing an alternator swap? If you're careful, you can pop the stator loose from the front case and turn it- won't even need to split it far enough to lose the brushes and need a toothpick.
 
Just take out the 4 thru bolts and spin the rear half of the case. No need to remove the pulley for that. Or am I missing an alternator swap? If you're careful, you can pop the stator loose from the front case and turn it- won't even need to split it far enough to lose the brushes and need a toothpick.

I have two alternators I'm working on (the original, and a slightly less old backup alternator), but you've slapped me up side the head and got me thinking straight. I'm so used to taking these things completely apart that I was in the pull-the-pulley-first mode. I wasn't aware there was enough slack in the system that I could slide the rear out enough to rotate the housing without the brushes popping out. Thanks for saving me some wasted time and effort on this one.

TT: Thanks for confirming that I wasn't a total neanderthal for using an impact wrench. I generally don't like brute force solutions, but if this is the most efficient way to remove the nut (and it doesn't cause any rotor/stator damage) I'll keep doing it this way.

Thanks again, guys!
 
Even if the stator is too tight to turn in the rear case- it's no deal to pull it all the way apart, put the brushes and springs back in with a toothpick and slap it back together.
I've done it both ways- I really think it's just as easy to pop it all the way apart and be done.
 
Even if the stator is too tight to turn in the rear case- it's no deal to pull it all the way apart, put the brushes and springs back in with a toothpick and slap it back together.
I've done it both ways- I really think it's just as easy to pop it all the way apart and be done.

That's what I ended up doing. The thing was so tight while I was wiggling the housing apart that I ended up popping the thing in half and the brushes popped out of the holder. Got it reclocked and back together. I'm now just waiting for the new bracket paint to dry and I can get the alternator move setup finished.
 
OH great, another thread on alternator clocking...just what we need...

TT is of course correct, I been hammering on alt bolts/pulley shafts for decades, no sweat.....

kinda like mains bearings, cyl heads, rod bolts, torque them down till they squeek....


just kidding.....:censored::hissyfit::flash:
 
Anybody have a decent way to loosen the pulley nut other than using an impact wrench? This always seemed too brute-force for me, and I always felt uncomfortable doing it.

Mike

Read all the posts.. The impact wrench is sooooo easy, myself I don't understand the issue. You could use your bare hand on the fan blades and an impact wrench to loosen the nut. I've always been squeemish and used a rag between my hand and the fan blades. Done this a few times. Doesn't seem to be a brut force method to me. In all occasions, the nut spun off easily. I typically yse 90 psi. I didn't have anything like a rust issue, so maybe that's why I had no problem.

...........................
PS: For readers. If you'd like to use a Saginaw PS hydraulic pump and an aftermarket aluminum billet pulley, use a pump and pulley that has a keyway. This is for the early 1970's and earlier pumps. This will prevent your aftermarket aluminum pulley from slipping.
 
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Oh my. Mike has gone off the deep end. Sometimes a hammer is just the best tool for hammering.:bonkers:
 
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