issues removing power steering pulley...

97snk

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So I tried removing it today using the kit from autozone and this is the outcome...

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What are my options on removing this thing...I m sure it's not gonna be easy...
 

Camfab

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I've never done one, but if it's plastic why don't you carefully cut it off with a die grinder? Use the die grinder to cut off the exterior untill you end up with a stub of plastic. Then carefully cut the plastic along the same axis as the shaft with a small od cut off wheel. Think Dremel size, but dont cut through to the shaft. Then place a screw driver in the relief and split it. That's what I would do.

Question..............why are you removing the part anyway? Are you going blown?
 

RTTTTed

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I think that the center is metal with the plastic pulley attached to it.

Camfab just suggested you last choice for removal. I tried all kinds of removers, heat, etc. and none of them worked. The proper tool/remover had to be held together until the stress held it all together and removed the pulley. If your tool is bent or damaged I'd be looking for about $250 to pay a machine shop to do the 2 hrs labor?

If all you've got is a Die grinder you could use a 3" cutoff wheel and cut on an angle and once you have only a tiny bit of metal left give it a whack with a hammer. Usually the shock/stress will break the little bit of metal left.


Ted
 

1TONY1

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It's very possible that if you use a real puller on it instead of one like you used it will still come off. I have taken two off that had parts of the lip busted by a cheap puller.
 
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97snk

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Here is a thread that would have been helpful...

PIA removing PS pulley

...but your only option now is to cut it off...it should be pretty easy since they are freakin' plastic :rolleyes:.

I checked and the tool I loaned from AutoZone was the same as the one you used - US General (item 40749)...I m going to try to use a chisel to get it off, if not I'll take it to a machine shop to be cut off...
 

Martin

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I wouldn't use a chisel on it - you might screw up the bearings in the pump. Your best bet is to use a dremel to cut it off at this point. For others that are in this situation, the easiest thing to do is to just buy a whole new pump assembly (with the good aluminum pulley already installed) and just swap out the entire unit. Then you can either sell your old one, or keep it as a spare. Once the unit is off the car, it's much easier to get the pulley off, and you can replace it at your leisure if you've got a whole new unit already installed. Then, once you replace the crap plastic pulley with a nice aluminum one, just put the whole unit up on the classifieds and someone else will buy it and do the same thing with theirs...

I don't know if Archer still has their upgraded pump/pulleys for sale anymore, but a few years back that's the route I went. I think it was about $450 for the whole thing, and I've still got my original pump as a spare in case I ever need it.
 
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97snk

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It's very possible that if you use a real puller on it instead of one like you used it will still come off. I have taken two off that had parts of the lip busted by a cheap puller.

Which one do you recommend? I might give it a shot before having to cut it off...
 

Nocturnal

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That is what happened to me. The only thing that worked is what everyone else is saying. Just ended up breaking off the rest of the pulley with a rubber mallet and took the dremel to it. What I did was cut three different cuts into the hub being careful not to go into the shaft. It took awhile and I used the little cutoff wheels that broke left and right but finally got it. The final step was to take a chisel/flat head screwdriver and carefully hit it until it broke in half.

Later
Dave
 

colo08

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You need to be very careful when taking the old pulley off. The shaft the pulley is pressed onto does not have any mechanical stop internal to the pump. So you can be moving the pump shaft in or out while plying on the pulley. Using a die grinder is the best way to remove the old pulley once the steel hub is broken. After you get the old pulley off check to make sure the pump shaft is sticking out of the pump bearing face by .930 +/-.02.If you do not have this length the new pulley may rub on the pump housing if to short and belt alignment maybe off if to long. You will also need to make sure the shaft has no marring mark from the removal process. Where did you get the replacement pulley from, if its a steel version you will need to press the new pulley back onto the shaft using the same tool. If it an Alum pulley from Jon B, then life just got better, as it does not need to be press onto the shaft. As it has a self locking hub design.
 

GTSnake

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This is a great opportunity for any VCA vendor. :2tu:

Offer an updated PS pump with the metal pulley and give a core trade in for the old pump.
 

RTTTTed

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Might be able to get that done if you have the time to wait. Sean Roe or BB Dave (JonB) would surely get a used pump and instal a new pulley for you if you asked them. It just cost more money and many of us prefer to do it ourselves. But ... money talks.
 

99 R/T 10

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I already have a pump coming, but just in case it fails, I want a pulley too I have really bad luck with these pulleys....:(
 
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97snk

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I've the Roe pulley...how much does the pump run?
 

Red Snake

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If you are going to try a better puller, make sure you shoot some penetrating oil on there and let it sit for a day or two. I did that to mine and when I was ready to pull it (with the autozone puller) it slid right off. This is probably the most important part to making this an easy job.

If you are going to cut it off, I guess it doesn't matter at this point.
Good luck.
 

BW96snake

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+1 Did the same and although it was on there, it came off pretty easy (with the same Autozone tool mentioned).

DO NOT hit the pulley, you will damage the water pump bearings and/or it will create alignment issues later. Simply cut it off.


If you are going to try a better puller, make sure you shoot some penetrating oil on there and let it sit for a day or two. I did that to mine and when I was ready to pull it (with the autozone puller) it slid right off. This is probably the most important part to making this an easy job.

If you are going to cut it off, I guess it doesn't matter at this point.
Good luck.
 

TorQ Junkie

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I had the same failure happen to me. I used a grinder and made a recessed ring around the metal collar. The puller has a smaller radius that fit into this; it came off as it should have.
 
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97snk

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I had the same failure happen to me. I used a grinder and made a recessed ring around the metal collar. The puller has a smaller radius that fit into this; it came off as it should have.

I purchased dremel 4000 locally for 55 bucks brand new, going to put it to work tomorrow...might try your idea first...
 

Viper Specialty

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The right tools make the job a snap! Just get a decent PS Pulley puller and it should still come off. The same tool is used to install the new pulley.
 

Viper Specialty

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This one would work fine:

Pulley Remover and Installer Set

If the damage to your pulley causes the pulley to rip the lip off the front of the pulley, your ONLY option is to cut it off, or have a machine shop cut it off for you. I would advise if you cut it off, to go MOST of the way through the hub after breaking the plastic pulley off, and then using a "nut splitting" tool (also available from HF) to crack/open the hub from the shaft. If you try to cut all the way through, you WILL nick the shaft 99% of the time.

Either way, use the above tool to install your new pulley. It is not a good idea to press a pulley on using the back of the PS pump as a stop in a regular shop press, you can damage its internals.
 

99 R/T 10

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Just a heads up, the new pulleys are re-designed to be taken off "better" when they come apart again. The lip on the old pulleys are plastic and break. The new one I got from Dodge yesterday had a metal lip. Only went that route because it was the most expedient. The right way is to get an aluminum pulley.
 
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97snk

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This one would work fine:

Pulley Remover and Installer Set

If the damage to your pulley causes the pulley to rip the lip off the front of the pulley, your ONLY option is to cut it off, or have a machine shop cut it off for you. I would advise if you cut it off, to go MOST of the way through the hub after breaking the plastic pulley off, and then using a "nut splitting" tool (also available from HF) to crack/open the hub from the shaft. If you try to cut all the way through, you WILL nick the shaft 99% of the time.

Either way, use the above tool to install your new pulley. It is not a good idea to press a pulley on using the back of the PS pump as a stop in a regular shop press, you can damage its internals.

That is the same tool I used on my car. It might be an issue with the higher mileage car, mine at 38k miles. I didn't have time to cut it last night but tonight should be exciting...
 

Viper Specialty

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If you used the proper tools and it still broke off, then you had a flawed part to begin with. I was under the impression based on earlier responses that you had tried to use a "jaw puller" or something similar to get it off.

Plan-B: Start cutting, split the collar, and start over with a new pulley.
 

AZTVR

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If you used the proper tools and it still broke off, then you had a flawed part to begin with. I was under the impression based on earlier responses that you had tried to use a "jaw puller" or something similar to get it off.

Plan-B: Start cutting, split the collar, and start over with a new pulley.

I had a problem when using that puller where the bent over "fingers" of the puller did not quite fit totally into the groove, and I didn't realize it and it slipped, damaging the lip a little. I took the pump out onto the bench and made sure the puller fingers were well seated and I might also have put a hose clamp on around them to make sure that they didn't slip outward.

If I had been more observant, I probably could have done it on the car like many others have done.
 

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