Looking for alternative to a flywheel puller tool

[Palm Bay Chuck]

So the weekend is here and I have my new trigger and stator assemblies. Now, upon reading the docs, I see that I need a flywheel pulled to create the force necessary to lift the flywheel from the crankshaft. I don't have one and don't think I can get one in quick order. Is this a common part that I might be able to purchase from an auto parts store?

It would look something like this...


Thanks!

 

[RiverPro]

Marine shop...maybe. Regular parts store? Doubtful, however I have never checked. I know lotsa regular OB guys who have the more common Merc lifting eye. Should you have one or know someone who does, it may work just fine...if you are careful. Put a dab of lube on the threads and gauge how far you can thread the eye before it bottoms out on the flywheel. Then set a spacer on top the crank that allows the eye to thread most of the way down, contacting the top of the spacer, but not bottoming out to the flywheel. Whack the eye (to get it spin it tighter of course) one or two times with a small hammer. It's just an option to consider...cheaper than puller, and useful to have around.

 

[buckeye_paul]

Speaking from experience. Just buy the right puller. It will save you a headache in the long run.

 

[Palm Bay Chuck]

Bought a steering wheel puller from AutoZone for $17.95 and it worked fine. The flywheel has 3 bolt holes all 120 degrees from each other and it worked fine. Thank you for your advice. I was more interested in getting the job done quickly! I will purchase the correct tool though.

 

[RiverPro]

Speaking from experience. Just buy the right puller. It will save you a headache in the long run.

Forums are a great place to share and learn new stuff. However, I often I am a bit timid offering advice that others may consider to be outside the norm or outright stupid. To that end, I understood the poster was asking for "quick" options to the pictured puller. To be clear, I wasn't suggesting he not buy the correct tool. My thoughts were he might have or know where to get his hands on a lifting eye (in short order). It almost always works well and most could use a lifting eye more often than the Mercury flywheel puller. The end result here is the poster was able to complete his task another way, so the point is moot.

However and with the utmost respect, could you share the experience you referenced above? I strive to learn things, maybe I can avoid making the same mistake down the road. THX KT!

 

[Palm Bay Chuck]

You want me to share my experience?

Okay, well AutoZone sells one of these tools... Here's a picture of it...

The tool has a variety of bolts to connect to wheels, hubs, steering wheels, etc, that have bolt holes. Here's a picture of a mercury flywheel. So you run 3 of the bolts into those three bolt holes then start tightening down on the large center bold that pulls the whole kit and kaboodle up.

The primary problem with this solution is that you have to make sure everything stays lined up when pulling. The 'lining up' will be automatic with the factory tool. The upside of this tool is that I'll be able to use it for other things as well.

 

[RiverPro]

The primary problem with this solution is that you have to make sure everything stays lined up when pulling.

Yes, thank your for sharing your experience.

Now that I have given this some additional thought, it is evident I read too much into your first post. Being as it is not unusual for PH's to show up at my shop with one or more of the 3 holes stripped or have broken "steering wheel" puller bolts in the flywheel, I jumped to the conclusion you were needing something similar to the tool you asked for and posted a picture of. In the future I will try to dumb down my thought process and ask what I deem to be "no-brainer" questions. I thought most anyone attempting to change the parts you are...would have known a simple steering wheel puller would work if the holes are in tact. Best of luck...KT

 

[Luv2Camp]

Harbor freight.... Not that it matters for your situation because you are replacing your stator but for those that are just removing, don't do what I did and tighten down the bolts for the puller. I ruined my coil on the stator by crushing it. Just get the bolt int he threads a few turns ...

 

[buckeye_paul]

Forums are a great place to share and learn new stuff. However, I often I am a bit timid offering advice that others may consider to be outside the norm or outright stupid. To that end, I understood the poster was asking for "quick" options to the pictured puller. To be clear, I wasn't suggesting he not buy the correct tool. My thoughts were he might have or know where to get his hands on a lifting eye (in short order). It almost always works well and most could use a lifting eye more often than the Mercury flywheel puller. The end result here is the poster was able to complete his task another way, so the point is moot.

However and with the utmost respect, could you share the experience you referenced above? I strive to learn things, maybe I can avoid making the same mistake down the road. THX KT!

I needed to pull my flywheel as well. I didn't want to wait for a tool that I would have to order so I used a piece of 3/16" plate steel, drilled three holes in the plate and used three metric bolts to secure it to the flywheel. I also cut a quarter sized piece to lay on the crankshaft end to prevent damage. Then I drilled and tapped a 1/2" hole in the center of the plate. I sprayed some WD40 in there and let is soak. So I'm thinking this thing is going to pop right off. Nope. I actually bowed the plate and stripped the center bolt hole. I was terrified I was going to split the flywheel or damage something else. I ordered the flywheel puller and it took me less than 30 seconds to get it off. The crankshaft splines and surfaces of the flywheel were rusty. Sure I probably had it almost there with my homemade puller, but like I said, if I had ordered it to start with I would have saved a huge headache. Additionally, the kit I ordered had the lifting eye included. It was $40 off of ebay.

 

[RiverPro]

I needed to pull my flywheel as well. I didn't want to wait for a tool that I would have to order so I used a piece of 3/16" plate steel, drilled three holes in the plate and used three metric bolts to secure it to the flywheel. I also cut a quarter sized piece to lay on the crankshaft end to prevent damage. Then I drilled and tapped a 1/2" hole in the center of the plate. I sprayed some WD40 in there and let is soak. So I'm thinking this thing is going to pop right off. Nope. I actually bowed the plate and stripped the center bolt hole. I was terrified I was going to split the flywheel or damage something else. I ordered the flywheel puller and it took me less than 30 seconds to get it off. The crankshaft splines and surfaces of the flywheel were rusty. Sure I probably had it almost there with my homemade puller, but like I said, if I had ordered it to start with I would have saved a huge headache. Additionally, the kit I ordered had the lifting eye included. It was $40 off of ebay.

Good info, thx. The reason I asked you about your experience was to see if I was not considering something you had learned about using the lifting eye. Normally I use the Merc puller, however in pinch I have used the lifting eye. Most often the wheels pop off rather easy...and then every once in a while I get a stubborn one. Quick story: A friend dropped by the shop asking if he could use my puller. I hesitate to loan my speciality tools out, so I gave him the lifting eye, spacer, and quick demo of how to use it. Later he called to say the flywheel wasn't budging and he was afraid to hit the eye ring any harder. I said drag the boat in and I'd pop it off. Well...when I gave him a quick rundown of how to use the eye in lue of the puller, I failed to explain he must remove the crank nut first...lol

 

[Coastiejoe]

Stupid crank bolt. But that would surely explain the issue he was having.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk