Autolite Generator pulley nut

[jleer]

I need to remove the Autolite generator on our 1950 Chris Craft. I pulled out the sheer pin but cannot loosen the nut. There’s no way to hold pulley still. Do I need a wheel puller for this job? Or does somebody know how to get it off?

[TerryLL]

I need to remove the Autolite generator on our 1950 Chris Craft. I pulled out the sheer pin but cannot loosen the nut. There’s no way to hold pulley still. Do I need a wheel puller for this job? Or does somebody know how to get it off?

You will need an impact driver to get the nut off and probably a puller to get the pulley off once the nut is off.

Here's a how-to vid:

[nedL]

I have similar issues with my generators. I use a big pipe wrench and tren a proper wheel (gear) puller.

[WHYankee]

+1 on impact driver. Big pipe wrench can damage pully.

[Garret]

Before impact wrenches, people used strap wrenches - kinda like a big, rugged oil filter band wrench, only softer strap material.

If you don't have a strap wrench you can make one: take on old vbelt that's been cut & fits the pulley & an 8-12" piece of tube big enough to put the belt through leaving a loop at the pulley end & a few inches sticking out the other end (more is better). Loop it around the pulley, pull the belt tight & push the pipe hard against the pulley & loop the belt back over the pipe at the other end - and hold the belt tight with your hand. The "wrench will angle some, but you should be able to get it to hold.

A strap wrench is nice in that you can torque the nut when you put it back on.

[nedL]

+1 on impact driver. Big pipe wrench can damage pully.

A pipe wrench may leave one or two witness marks on each side. Im not sure I would call that “damage”, or are you thinking of something else?

[Garret]

A pipe wrench may leave one or two witness marks on each side. Im not sure I would call that “damage”, or are you thinking of something else?

Because of the small contact area, they can distort some pulleys - mostly stamped steel ones - a cast pulley is probably fine.

[nedL]

Because of the small contact area, they can distort some pulleys - mostly stamped steel ones - a cast pulley is probably fine.

ok, don’t disagree with this, I probably wouldn’t use one on a sheet metal pulley either. I would hope this one is cast.

[Canoeyawl]

Use an 1/2" drive air powered impact gun... You can hold the pulley in one hand to prevent it from turning and the nut will "zip" right off off, at which point you may or may not need a puller to remove the pulley.
If you don't have an air powered impact gun, take it to someone that does, it is pretty much the only way to do it. Other methods, hammer, pipe wrench, etc. risk damaging parts that might be irreplaceable.

[jleer]

Went back to guy who converted it to 12v, and he did just that. Impact gun - 2 seconds. Done.

Thanks for the advice.

[Slacko]

I just used an air impact gun to get the flywheel nut off and back onto my 15hp Mercury.
Simple operation!