I recently bought JL's #4 pulley, and finally had the time to install it today. I did everything fine up until my breaker bar broke in half from trying to remove the stock pulley. I have not turned it clockwise and tightened it more, I have only turned it clockwise as in the directions. Why is this thing on so tight?? I got a new breaker bar that is 2-3ft long, and still cant budge the bolt on the pulley. I actually bent this new bar and am pushing the bar with both legs! I have had 4-5 guys try to get it off with no avail. Instructions say a sharp pull on the breaker bar will break it loose.

I'm in a real bind here and my poor truck is in the garage on jackstands waiting for a remedy. Please help!

 

I'm not sure which way your are trying to move it since you said clockwise for both directions. But the pulley is reverse thread, so you need to spin it clockwise to loosen it. I've had some that were real tight, but a good yank or two usually break it free. Worst comes to worst, if you can get a short impact gun inside the fan shrould and clear the fan, you could try that.

 

Using a hammer on the breaker bar acts like an impact. About 3 whacks and it's loose.

 

I've already tried the hammer, and doesnt work.
I'm putting so much force on this thing that i feel like the engine is going to turn or the tool that locks the engine is going to come off.
I might try the impact wrench like you guys said, but how could that work?
Is it possible that the guy that put on the pulley tightened it too much?

 

What brand breaker bar are you using? I have used a Craftsman on mine and it was tough and I thought the same thing as you that I would damage something. Just as long as you are turning the bolt clockwise(to the right) you will be ok. The reason I ask what brand breaker is because I have seen guys put some much torque on Craftsman breaker bars that they broke before bending...has something to due with the hardness of the steel. Good luck. Jeff

 

It took about a 4ft breaker bar and a whole lota grunt and groaning to break ours loose to put on the PSP pulley. You might want to take off the fan and fan shrowd to give you alittle more room for the impact.

 

Forget a real breaker bar. Get you the end of a heavy duty jack's handle, stick the end of it onto a 3/4 inch ratchet that's at about a 180 degree angle (str8 down), put your feet on one side of it, and have a friend pull from the opposite direction, and PRESTO!

I did this technique MANY a times on 302 Stangs trying to break the crankshaft bolt off (one time I didn't remove the washer and bent my crankshaft pulley remover in half, HAHAHAH LoL, hell, the washer looked like a bullet hit it!).

One other time I actually stood INSIDE of the engine bay (my rad. and everything was removed), put both my feet on the breaker (which was at about a 90 degree angle), and pushed down with all my might on the breaker bar with my right foot (taking care not to slice my leg open on something exposed if I slipped) and used my hands to hold on to something. I doubt this is an option for you, though.

BfB

 

Put a pipe on the end of your breaker bar. Lay on your side on the driverside of the truck. Have the breaker bar pointing straight down so the floor will keep the pipe from sliding off. Put both feet on the end of the pipe and use them to barely lift it off the floor so it won't drag. Grab the sway bar with both hands and put just enough pressure on the pipe to take up any slack. A quick snap with both legs should do it. I found out the steady pressure won't do it. It takes a quick snap with a lot of torque to break it loose. Good Luck. I was in your shoes last Tuesday.

 

yea what they said JL

 

Ltnbolt has the right idea.I am the one that the neighborhood comes to when they have a problem like this and let me tell you that I have done my fair share of breaking loose pulley bolts, but I have never come across ones as tight as the L pulley bolts and I'm 240 lbs.I just did mine and I did it the same way as Ltnbolt said.One thing you should do is brace yourself real good against something(like another car's tire parked close to the truck) and place your feet against the added bar enough to apply some tension on it and give it a SHARP blow.That is the secret. A few sharp blows (or tugs) will eventually crack that sucker.You can also position the breaker bar for best leverage.And forget using a 1/2 ratchet unless you want to break it.Been there..done that! Its a bear..but persistance pays off. Good luck!!

 

Man, this happened to me too. That is one factory-torqued tough bolt! I tried and tried--finally drove to Sears and bot their longest 1/2" breaker-bar--still couldn't budge it. What to do, what to do???(light-bulb goes off above my head) I'll call Jim! Sure 'nuff, Jim drives righr over, slides under my L, grabs the b/b, braces his feet against the left tire and PULLS(turning the bolt clockwise), and it breaks loose--just like that.

01Lightningbolt, hope you've got a "Jim' near you, and that he's a good friend.

Dan

 

One thing to keep in mind guys is to make ABSOLUTELY sure your L is secure on GOOD jackstands. With all the pulling and yanking on that bolt you don't want your L to move in a manner that it will slide or fall off of what you have it jacked on...

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by LIGHTNINROD
[B]Man, this happened to me too. That is one factory-torqued tough bolt! I tried and tried--finally drove to Sears and bot their longest 1/2" breaker-bar--still couldn't budge it. What to do, what to do???(light-bulb goes off above my head) I'll call Jim! Sure 'nuff, Jim drives righr over, slides under my L, grabs the b/b, braces his feet against the left tire and PULLS(turning the bolt clockwise), and it breaks loose--just like that.

Even that sometimes involves several attempts.I practically bent the breaker bar and almost got a hernia, though it is probably the best way to crack it loose.

 

I've never had a problem breakin' bolts LOOSE, it's the tightening I have a problem with. Torque wrench? What's that?

Signed,
Tightens till it creaks

 

Maybe that's why you aren't in the 12s yet? Younuts is too tight!

Dan