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Author: Subject: Removing Alternator Pulley
coozer

posted on 8/1/08 at 11:57 AM Reply With Quote
Removing Alternator Pulley

Whats the best option for removing alternator pulleys?

I am using a small Focus alternator but I cant find a belt the right length and have on the garage floor a Mondeo unit with a bigger pulley that I would like to swap over.

How do I 'lock' the pulley to undo the big nut in the middle??

Thanks,
Steve





1972 V8 Jago

1980 Z750

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nib1980

posted on 8/1/08 at 11:59 AM Reply With Quote
Don't forget swapping the pulley size will affect the charge ratio.

as for getting it off I'm not really sure on the fords

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BenB

posted on 8/1/08 at 12:03 PM Reply With Quote
Couple of options

1) air ratchet
The sudden spinning force of the ratchet (and the inertia of the alternator) can be enough to "crack" off the central nut even without clamping the pulley

2) stick a screwdriver or similar wrecking device up through a rear ventilation hole and through the alternator (obviously between the poles ) and if you're lucky and you've got a long enough screwdriver through one of the vent holes in front. Then use a breaker bar or air ratchet on the nut again...

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BenB

posted on 8/1/08 at 12:07 PM Reply With Quote
If you're scrapping the alternator pulley then you can just try clamping it in a vice. If it still slips then grind flat survaces on the edge of the pulley (cover up the alternator vent holes first else if the pulley is ferrous you'll get a crunky alternator due to the swarf being attracted to the magnets).

Another option is to put some water pump pliers around the pulley, clamp the handles in the vice so the vice is squeezing the grips shut and then go at it with a breaker bar.

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mookaloid

posted on 8/1/08 at 12:09 PM Reply With Quote
Using an old fan belt round the pulley and pinching the belt in the vice so it grips the pulley sometimes works.

Cheers

mark





"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."


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r1_pete

posted on 8/1/08 at 12:21 PM Reply With Quote
As Per Mark, use an old belt in the manner of the strap type filter wrenches, unless you're scrapping the unit I wouldn't poke a screwdriver in there.

P.S. which focus is your alt from? the one that came with my 1.8 Focus motor was kin huge....
Cheers.
Pete.






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britishtrident

posted on 8/1/08 at 12:57 PM Reply With Quote
Most these days have a hex for an allen key in the middle of the fitting.





[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]

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coozer

posted on 8/1/08 at 01:20 PM Reply With Quote
Focus alt is off a 1.8, it is smaller than the Mondeo one. I don't want to damage either one, just want to swap the pulley.

Both have a hex hole in the shaft but obviously the socket covers it up. I tried holding the socket in my vice with an allen key through it but with the weight on the alt and the tightness off the nut couldn't get it off.





1972 V8 Jago

1980 Z750

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BenB

posted on 8/1/08 at 01:48 PM Reply With Quote
This is where a hollow socket set

(like http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=125319&Referrer=Froogle )

is useful...

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BenB

posted on 8/1/08 at 01:51 PM Reply With Quote
You could make a simple breaker bar from a length of tube with a ground down bit of metal bar (to the size of your socket set) welded onto the side of it with a hole drilled through it. Attach socket, pass allen key through hole in the ground down nugget. Voila....
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roadboy

posted on 8/1/08 at 01:58 PM Reply With Quote
If using an old belt doesn't work use a ring key & an allen key in the middle.
regds
Ian





Jude Performance Services

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02GF74

posted on 8/1/08 at 02:03 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
Most these days have a hex for an allen key in the middle of the fitting.


indeed - I have been trying to do that on an alternator - but it is on really tight - it is looking like the hex hole is starting to go.

last time I have to do this I ended up grinding away the nut - they can't be that hard to obtain - I reckon I will have to do this again I did consider taking it to alternator spares place but reckon it would cost me more than the price of a new nut.

If you take of the rear cover, you may find there is a hex end or some other way to grip the shaft and stop it from turning. ~(depends on make/model)

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britishtrident

posted on 8/1/08 at 04:16 PM Reply With Quote
I use a socket welded to a bit of 6mm x 40mm x 200mm bar with a hole drilled for the allen key.


keyless pulleys have to be really tight + use Loctite.





[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]

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mconley3

posted on 8/1/08 at 06:34 PM Reply With Quote
This is what I have. Should be something similar in the UK.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40749

Mark

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rusty nuts

posted on 8/1/08 at 06:51 PM Reply With Quote
Decent air wrench would get it off in seconds
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Peteff

posted on 8/1/08 at 08:09 PM Reply With Quote
Both have a hex hole in the shaft but obviously the socket covers it up

That's what cranked ring spanners are for,







yours, Pete

I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.

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coozer

posted on 8/1/08 at 08:30 PM Reply With Quote
Old belt round the pulley in the vice That got both off and was able to tighten it back up.

Thanks for all your help

Steve





1972 V8 Jago

1980 Z750

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Schrodinger

posted on 8/1/08 at 08:49 PM Reply With Quote
Measure the length of the belt you need and go to halfords the number on the belt is the length. They do all manner of length belts.





Keith
Aviemore

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thomas4age

posted on 9/1/08 at 07:47 AM Reply With Quote
I wrecked a perfectly good lexus V8 alternator last week by putting somting in the alternator when trying to release the locknut, we first tried with a holow key and a smaller one on the shaft, no luck the shaft was wrecked within a minut.
after half an hour trying to loosen it up
a mate reminded me of him having an air wrech, it took 3 seconds for the lock nut to get loose.

so unless you have air power, you'll have a nightmare getting it off.

grtz Thomas





If Lucas made guns, Wars wouldn't start either.

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