How to Remove a Flywheel (rope trick way)

M

metal man

New Member
#1
#1
ok here is how to get the flywheel nut or sprag clutch off a brigs and stratton with simple hand tools .

ok here we got a block we need the wheel off but cant get it to stop spinning .

well remove the spark plug


feed in some small rope here im using about 3/16 dia rope about 2 feet


keep feeding it in till you have a little tail sticking out to pull it back out


and now we have a motor that wont turn over

note do not use big pipe wrench on motor . just using it to show its locked up now
and here is what it looks like on the inside of the motor . note the rope is in the cylinder on top of the piston . you can also see the ports where the valves should be on the left side of the block


ok now for the sprag clutch . take a punch and line up to the big tabs on the clutch . hit the punch with a hammer and walk it around till you can turn it off by hand going counter clockwise . note plastic or wood is better to use then steel less chance of breaking the housing . but i have done it like this for years and only had like 3 break on me . your choice use what ya got .



what was that . i heard that ya you , talking about i have the newer basket type starter . well i did not forget about you here is how to deal with them too .
ok so we have the basket on there and the nut in the middle well we will need a socket and ratchet to fit on the nut


now you can ether pull real hard or its hammer time cant touch this my my music makes me so har...... oh what wrong hammer:doah:

ya this one will work better .and with a smack we have it loose

and with the starter removed we have a washer . remember how it goes , it will mess with you if you dont put the correct side in .
ok now we need to put some pressure on the flywheel . pry bar works nice here . you dont need to go wild on the bar just some push. too much and youll bust the case . or crush your points if you have a older motor . so look where you put your prying tool .
 
M

metal man

New Member
#2
#2
now you can pull the wheel with out using a prying tool just grab the wheel and pull like mad with the old fingers and bracing on the block .

not a fun way to do it but it can be done .
now you need to hit the end of the crank with a hammer as your prying or pulling . if you have the basket type starter run the nut to the end of the threads and hit the nut.

and with that OFF WITH ITS HEAD well flywheel at least

note the key is still in the flywheel dont lose that . and never use a steel key in a flywheel you will wreck it .the flywheel could split in half and kill you using steel keys , the stock key is aluminum only use stock keys .
and fun note the flywheel keys from a 1 hp up to at least a 12 hp are the same key (in the older ones at least ). so you can get one from a push mower and use that if need be . they work just fine .
and here is the key

its small so put it some place you wont lose it
sometimes they stay in the crank

now you should be able to turn the crank clockwise and remove the rope .

the sprag and basket starters remove counter clockwise . unless its a rope pulley one then its clockwise to remove and counter to tighten . but unless your working on a really old one you wont have one of these

and if you have one of them they go with a housing like this

and that is the trick to remove a flywheel with simple hand tools and some rope .

and we have a add in tip from jbrewton
the only thing I would add/change is to not hit the shaft directly with a hammer!
use some hardwood between the 2! good idea

i like to use a block of lead if i can or soft aluminum works too can help from maring the end of the shaft up
 
M

metal man

New Member
#6
#6
thanks guys :thumbsup: i have more threads planned , covering how to strip and check parts, and how to make some of the tools needed to work on small motors from junk and scrap , kinda a low budget thing .
most of them will be like this old school and low tech . simple to get things and common parts.

so if you like this kinda stuff stay tuned for more from the lab as we build a monster from spare parts ...........
 
M

metal man

New Member
#8
#8
jbrewton said:
That's just a great set of instructions! Great job!

But the impact wrench would be just one picture!!!!!:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
Click to expand...
yes it would be only one pic but i would like to see you use that impact in the middle of a junk yard . or carry the air compressor and hose and impact down the street on a bike . power tools are nice IF you can use them where you need them but with out air and all that they are useless. and the rig to use it is like $500 plus and this trick is well cheap .plus even if you have a compressor and impact you still need the $25 buck socket to fit sprag clutches .
for about $6 you can have all the tools needed to do it this way and they fit in your pocket .
i have noting against using power tools or air tools(i use both) just i know that not every one has them or can afford to buy them $$$$$. if you have them good for you use them , if not well here is a low buck way to do it with out the spendy tooling .
 
mmisterbungl

mmisterbungl

New Member
#9
#9
metal man said:
yes it would be only one pic but i would like to see you use that impact in the middle of a junk yard . or carry the air compressor and hose and impact down the street on a bike . power tools are nice IF you can use them where you need them but with out air and all that they are useless. and the rig to use it is like $500 plus and this trick is well cheap .plus even if you have a compressor and impact you still need the $25 buck socket to fit sprag clutches .
for about $6 you can have all the tools needed to do it this way and they fit in your pocket .
i have noting against using power tools or air tools(i use both) just i know that not every one has them or can afford to buy them $$$$$. if you have them good for you use them , if not well here is a low buck way to do it with out the spendy tooling .
Click to expand...
you go boy. and don't forget the Dr. Thunder :thumbsup::laugh:
 
jbrewton

jbrewton

#10
#10
metal man said:
yes it would be only one pic but i would like to see you use that impact in the middle of a junk yard . or carry the air compressor and hose and impact down the street on a bike . power tools are nice IF you can use them where you need them but with out air and all that they are useless. and the rig to use it is like $500 plus and this trick is well cheap .plus even if you have a compressor and impact you still need the $25 buck socket to fit sprag clutches .
for about $6 you can have all the tools needed to do it this way and they fit in your pocket .
i have noting against using power tools or air tools(i use both) just i know that not every one has them or can afford to buy them $$$$$. if you have them good for you use them , if not well here is a low buck way to do it with out the spendy tooling .
Click to expand...
I'm not dis-agreeing!!!!!! You're totally right!
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
maddcarson

maddcarson

Active Member
#12
#12
How would a steal key make the flywheel slit in half?? im running a steel one i made because aluminum ones sheared to easly.

I pull about 7500-8000rpms with a billet fly wheel..... no problemo!
 
M

metal man

New Member
#14
#14
maddcarson said:
How would a steal key make the flywheel slit in half?? im running a steel one i made because aluminum ones sheared to easly.

I pull about 7500-8000rpms with a billet fly wheel..... no problemo!
Click to expand...
well the info i have read on it is the steel key can cause a crack to from in the flywheel if the cranks stops or locks up . i have no idea if it works on the billet stuff or not but its from the stock cast iron flywheels .you would have to ask some one who messes with billet parts about that .
 
jrzmac

jrzmac

Active Member
#15
#15
I think thats the exact reason the key's made out of aluminum. they're made to break if they get locked up, so they don't crack the flywheel. If you put a piece of steel in there, and something gets hung up, it's gonna crack something!
 
Oldschool

Oldschool

New Member
#16
#16
turn the engine so the flywheel is facing down.

drop it ( in a controlled manner whilst still holding the crank case ) on a hard concrete or steel surface so the inertia of the flywheel itself is the force trying to knock it off the crank.
On clones for example I do this hold the engine in one hand and a brass drift in the other to proetct the end of the crank

95% of the time the flywheel will pop off like this without any mucking about with hammers or pry bars.

Never heat an iron flywheelwith a torch.
Never mallet away at one.

Uneven heat or a sharp blow can cause crack.
iron is weak in tension so forces that stretch of bend will cause cracks
 
E

ejoel

New Member
#19
#19
this is a great way of removing the flywheel nut you should always make sure valves are closed if still in the block
before compressing the rope they may get bent anyway my 2 cents later ejoel
 
M

metal man

New Member
#20
#20
ejoel while i have never bent a set of valves doing it like this i do see where your coming from . if you pack the rope in and the valve hits it you could bend it , what i do is make sure to run the rope into the cylinder and not on the valves . never had a issue doing it like that .

Wideopenthrottle did you get the points figured out on that motor your buddy ripped them off ?
im glad this helped you get your motor going :thumbsup: thats the reason i wrote this thread was to help the new members fix up there bikes .
 
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