Topic: HOW DO I GET THIS F*CKING FLYWHEEL OFF????

[Terry in Australia]

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days. The weather here is magnificent today, only six weeks from winter and it was 35 deg C, (95 F) so I thought I'd take the F2 for a short ride. Now that the carbs are sorted it fired up straight away, but the howl from the starter clutch reminded me that it was time to sort that out too, it being the one area left untouched from before the bike's resto last year. I did make a half-hearted attempt when the crank was sitting on my workbench last year, but gave up when it proved too much for my puny efforts.

Anyway, I went for a ride and it was great, sun shining, birds crapping on cars, all that summery stuff, so when I got home I thought "this is it" and removed the alternator and transmission covers, (to make it easier to remove the stator and wires) undid the alternator bolt, and looked around for something to thread into the rotor to use as a puller.

Hmmnnn, I remember someone saying that a rear axle would do the job, so having a couple of these in a box, I tried that, to no avail (the internal thread is 20mm x 1.5 and the axle is only 18 x 1.5) so that myth is officially busted, then I found a bolt that was close (probably UNF, but no banana) I ratted thru a drawer with some 2 stroke flywheel pullers but they were all too big, in fact the only thing close was an oil filter cover bolt. Bugger. I did manage to put a metal "slug" between the oil filter bolt and the end of the crank and tried tightening the bolt with a "rattle gun", but that didn't work, so I tried hooking up a slide hammer but even that wasn't enough to "crack" the rotor off it's taper.

Tomorrow I'm gonna turn down a piece of hex brass (I don't have any hex mild steel which would have been better) to 20 mm dia and thread it to 20 x 1.5, then internally thread it to 14 x 1.5mm so I can thread the 20mm piece into the rotor and then holding that piece with a spanner I'll thread a 14mm  bolt thru that and with another spanner hanging offa that I'm praying that it'll be enough to crack the bastard, or I'll start looking for a box of matches again, ha ha! Any thoughts guys? Cheers, Terry.

[Hop on a Honda]

Terry.
Trust me, post it to me I will post the alternator back to you minus the bike.
Need the parts.
Dave Benge

[MRieck]

Re: HOW DO I GET THIS F*CKING FLYWHEEL OFF?  BUY THE F*CKING TOOL FROM HONDA!!!!! Ha, Ha - couldn't resist there Terry. A buddy of mine made a tool such as the one your describing and it worked great. Tighten the internal bolt down and tap it (the bolt) with a hammer. Tighten some more and tap- it should pop off pretty quick. Be ready or it will fall on foot!

[Terry in Australia]

Well I made the tool outta brass, looked great, threaded it into the rotor nice and snug, then wound in the bolt, tightened it, gave it a tap, tightened it some more, and "BANG" the f*cking brass tool let go! Buggar. The internal thread still looks ok, so I'll try and find some hex steel bar and try again, but I'd rather find the right tool, do you have a line on one Mike? Anyone? Cheers, Terry.

[bryanj]

You can actually buy the four legged tool (different thread on each leg) that pulls all the rotors from Honda but its about £40 english. I am sure i have seen Dennis Kirk with some at about $12 US plus shipping. It needs to be made right as the end of the tool needs to push on the crank end not go up the inside hole.

[jesse]

hey terry
take a deep breath and count to ten then slowly exhale.now find an air operated impact hammer with a flat end tool.back the bolt that holds the flywheel out about a quarter inch .place the flat end tool on the bolt head and give it about a 5 second shot with the air hammer.it should break loose .i have removed a lot of the flywheels this way and have never had it fail.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks so far guys, I've looked at Dennis Kirk, JC Whitney, Motion Pro etc, and I'm disappointed by their flywheel pullers for our old beasts, all they really are is a hardened 20 x 1.5mm bolt! The trouble with this is that it's bloody hard to hold the rotor tight and stop it from tuning while you're trying to turn the bolt once it's butted up against the crank? Unless I'm missing something, it's just dumb.

I still think the two piece puller is the go, it will need a hardened 20 x 1.5mm bolt to secure it to the rotor, then a smaller bolt (14 x 1.5 would be ideal) threaded up the inside, with a 20 x 3mm steel or brass "plug" (possibly a valve shim) to cover and protect the threaded hole in the crankshaft. I'll work on that, and report back on it's success! (or otherwise..........) Cheers, Terry.

[Terry in Australia]

hey terry
take a deep breath and count to ten then slowly exhale.now find an air operated impact hammer with a flat end tool.back the bolt that holds the flywheel out about a quarter inch .place the flat end tool on the bolt head and give it about a 5 second shot with the air hammer.it should break loose .i have removed a lot of the flywheels this way and have never had it fail.

Hey Jesse, what is this "flat end tool" of which you speak, something like this? Interesting................... Cheers, Terry.

[Kimze]

Godaw makker (means g'day m8 in Denmark
Hi Terry
I read about your problem with the siezed flywheel, I had a similar problem last year when i stripped my engine for a total overhaul.
I bought a bolt (see attached picture) at my locat "ironstore".
the strenght is 12.9 and treadsize is 20 mm. 1,5
I mounted the bolt in the flywheel and tighed it quite hard up by hand using a spanner,and then i heatedup the BOLT and only the bolt until it was nearly red.
after a beers time (0.33cl.) i went back and gave the bolt one single hit with a hammer and off the flywheel go.

Hope it will work for you.
Best regards Kim Boldrup Denmark

[bryanj]

Terry, using he genuine Honda Tool i have always got the rotors off by tightening in by hand then simply whacking thr apropriate horizontal leg with a hide or hard rubber mallet. Her in Uk i got a couple of patern pullers of a similar design but only haveing 2 different sizes on each, and guess what the 750 is on one and the 500 on the other!!!! They cost me £8 each trade.

[MRieck]

Terry, using he genuine Honda Tool i have always got the rotors off by tightening in by hand then simply whacking thr apropriate horizontal leg with a hide or hard rubber mallet. Her in Uk i got a couple of patern pullers of a similar design but only haveing 2 different sizes on each, and guess what the 750 is on one and the 500 on the other!!!! They cost me £8 each trade.

Yep, the the exact same method I use. Terry I'll chack on the tool and see if it is still available. It wasn't very expensive when I bought it.

[mcpuffett]

hi terry, there's another tool to hold the fly wheel to stop it turning as you tighten with the other tool it's like a steel band with a handle that you tighten on to the fly wheel and you or a helper hold then tighten your bolt, puller, whatever then wack it with a hammer and off it pop's (the holding tool locates in to some dimples or holes on the outside edge of your flywheel? anybody else seen em')?  mick.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Guys, I haven't tried heating the bolt (Tak Kim) yet, but I've certainly wacked it a few times. I'll try Kim's suggestion tonight after work (Monday here in Oz) and see if that works.

 I found a puller I'd made last year similar to the one in the factory manual with the sliding cross bar, so I'll use that with some heat from my oxy/acetylene welding torch.

This sucker has probably never been off before, and I guessed that after 28 years it was gonna be tough, I just didn't realise how tough, boo hoo!  Cheers, Terry.

[CHUNG]

I've had to pull quite a few rotors from the Ole SOHC 750s. I just tapped their side with a soft metal hammer and most fell onto the floor/bench. (Just don't wale away and damage the crank bearings) It's just a lump. no winding to damage. Stuff a big screwdrirer in there and lay it across the foot peg to stop the crank from turning when inserting the "puller" on the tougher ones. Crank that puppy down for all the screwdriver is woth and then tap on the end of the axle and/or side of the rotor. You seem to already know the size/pitch of the threads, go scrounge around a boneyard for an axle that fits. I have several sizes for different bikes and pulled at least 6 from different Honda last month alone. But I have NEVER pulled one w/out a hammer

[jesse]

hi terry
the flat end tool is just a round tool that fits in the impact gun and is flat on the end so it doen't tear up the bolt head.just be sure to only back out the bolt about a quarter inch or you might screw up the threads on the rotor bolt.it also helps to pull out on the flywheel with your hand as you use the impact gun.if you can't find a flat end tool then cut off an old impact tool that you don't need.
jesse

[Mark M]

Used side hammer method on a Z550 last week, first time I ever pulled a flywheel and made me wonder what all the fuss was about, then again we are talking about Mr Prendergast.......

The next trauma will be how to refit it and how to cure the paranoid fear of it making it's bid for freedom, to join prodigal sidepannel no 1.

[Patrick]

For what it's worth, self-confessed novice that I am, when I had to pull the flywheel off both my '78 cb400t and my '78 cb750K, I went to the local bolt house, got a 20 mm 1.5 pitch bolt, screwed it in til it was flush and then hit the bolt with a jolt from my air impact wrench. Both came right off (almost certainly for the first time in their decades of life) with no damage to the rotor threads. Of course, if you don't have an air compressor or an impact wrench, this is probably not the method for you. Was this the right way? I dunno, but it worked. 

[jesse]

i guess that i should stress that the air impact tool i am talking about is the air hammer type,not the kind you would use to loosen bolts.it is normaly used to cut mufflers off.
later
jesse

[Terry in Australia]

Used side hammer method on a Z550 last week, first time I ever pulled a flywheel and made me wonder what all the fuss was about, then again we are talking about Mr Prendergast.......

The next trauma will be how to refit it and how to cure the paranoid fear of it making it's bid for freedom, to join prodigal sidepannel no 1.

What's that supposed to mean Mark, are you calling me a "Drama Queen"? Geez, you know how to hurt a blokes feelings, and after all the times I defended you too! Only yesterday someone said "I wouldn't piss on Mark if he was on fire" and I leapt to your defence and said "Well I would"!

Anyway, I'm more worried about getting that bastard off than ensuring it stays on once I've (finally) repaired the starter clutch, I'll just smear loctite over the bolts threads and torque that bugger down tight, if it stuffs up again while I own it I'll just take the baffle out of my exhaust so I can't hear it howling away! Cheers, Terry.    

[Mark M]

Terry - how could you even think such a thing 

[Terry in Australia]

Well guys, as always, Uncle Mike Rieck (a Legendary "Top Bloke" and ace engine builder) has come through and without me even hinting (no, really ) has ordered me the correct Honda tool! What a great guy! Hey Mike, are you a catholic? I'm just thinking, there's a really good job going in Rome right now, it's a "Job for Life" and I reckon there'd be heaps of room in the Papal Palace for working on your bikes? Ha ha, Thanks mate, I hope there's enough thread left inside the rotor,  Cheers, Terry.

[MRieck]

 Thanks Terry. Does the Pope get parts at cost? I might be interested in the job then.

[Terry in Australia]

Hey Mike, even better than cost, he gets them all "Tax-Free"! What a wonderful world it'd be if we all could register as a religion and just buy whatever we liked tax free. That's how David Koresh and co were making money from buying and selling guns, I believe, before the government took a particular interest in their activities? Cheers, Terry.