What's the best way to remove a flywheel?

Al Smith · Nov 20, 2019

Now here is one for you .Kevin( cut for fun )had I think a Sachs 166 ,big old dude that he was having a problem I think with coming up with something to remove the clutch .I had the brain storm of what basically was a pin spanner .I used hardened dowel pins but they didn't gain enough purchase .Kevin replaced them with a piece from a square shaft screw driver also hard steel .Worked like a charm plus proved sometimes two heads are better than one .Never say die .

MustangMike · Nov 20, 2019

Persistence if often the difference between success and failure. Or, as Henry Ford put it: Failure is the opportunity to begin again, but with more knowledge.

Al Smith · Nov 21, 2019

Thomas Edison :"Success is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration "-----Well look at WD 40 : water displacement number 40th formulation .I rest my case

Stihl Potlicker · Jan 17, 2020

Mastermind said:
Questions ???

ya wheres the tannerite

Wood Doctor · Jan 17, 2020

Not to change the subject but I have run into cases where the clutch on a Stihl MS660 was impossible to remove. The flywheel came off like a piece of cake. I thought it was a quirk, but it happened again on an MS390 a month later. That time I destroyed (stripped) a 12-point 3/4" socket (1/2" drive) before giving up the ship. My thoughts were that the mechanic before me wrenched them both on way too tight.

Lightning Performance · Jan 17, 2020

Wood Doctor said:
Not to change the subject but I have run into cases where the clutch on a Stihl MS660 was impossible to remove. The flywheel came off like a piece of cake. I thought it was a quirk, but it happened again on an MS390 a month later. That time I destroyed (stripped) a 12-point 3/4" socket before giving up the ship. My thoughts were that the mechanic before me wrenched them both on way too tight.

Um....try removing them after running a 40 then a 60.
The 40 is not so bad. The 60 is a pia to remove. I greased the threads. It helps

Try a quality six point shallow socket half inch drive. Set the ratchet head or breaker bar on a wood pillow block. Pull gentle on the pipe handle or breaker bar.

Mastermind · Jan 17, 2020

Wood Doctor said:
Not to change the subject but I have run into cases where the clutch on a Stihl MS660 was impossible to remove. The flywheel came off like a piece of cake. I thought it was a quirk, but it happened again on an MS390 a month later. That time I destroyed (stripped) a 12-point 3/4" socket (1/2" drive) before giving up the ship. My thoughts were that the mechanic before me wrenched them both on way too tight.

6 point 3/4" socket with the bevels ground off so it engages more better....

Basher · Jan 17, 2020

Six point impact socket, end ground down on a 1/2" drive electric impact gun pops them off quick, no piston stop. Just leave the sparkplug in, decomp out and those suckers spin right off.

jakethesnake · Jan 17, 2020

Some of those pesky ones don’t have the nut

Lightning Performance · Jan 17, 2020

Basher said:
Six point impact socket, end ground down on a 1/2" drive electric impact gun pops them off quick, no piston stop. Just leave the sparkplug in, decomp out and those suckers spin right off.

Not always for me. I turn my gun down. It didn't work last time after running the 60". Worked on an 088 once and had to use a pipe and block. I'm afraid to hurt the rod bearing pounding on it with a good 1/2" gun full pressure. I called Randall about a piston stop.

Al Smith · Jan 17, 2020

They didn't leave enough "nut" to gain purchase with a regular socket .Ground socket,blocked piston,breaker bar with a cheater pipe .Come or bleed . A 12 point is not the type of socket to use BTW on any thing under high torque IMO .

Al Smith · Jan 17, 2020

I might mention ,since the subject came up what's called surface drive sockets .We used them on robotic assembly machines at work on things like torquing cylinder head bolts and main bearing bolts on automotive engines .They get a grip on the flats instead of the corners of the fastener .Google explains them

Basher · Jan 17, 2020

Flank drive.

Lightning Performance · Jan 17, 2020

Al Smith said:
I might mention ,since the subject came up what's called surface drive sockets .We used them on robotic assembly machines at work on things like torquing cylinder head bolts and main bearing bolts on automotive engines .They get a grip on the flats instead of the corners of the fastener .Google explains them View attachment 219084

That bevel looks like trouble on a skinny nut.

Al Smith · Jan 17, 2020

You would have to grind a surface drive down just like a 6 point socket until you get below the chamfer ----belt sander ,zip done .I just thought of something. Stihl being Stihl and bull headed Germans probably makes a special socket to remove clutches .They never thought we could figure it out--wrongo again Marylou

Al Smith · Jan 18, 2020

I might have figured ------

Looks kind of chinchey to me .

huskyboy · Jan 18, 2020

My Milwaukee plug in electric managed to get a 440 clutch off that some idiot put loctite on before, as well as a stubborn 394 clutch. The air impacts are way stronger yet. Really comes down to leaving the plug in and decomp out like basher said and hit the impact trigger in bursts to work at it. Easier on the crank/clutch.

Basher · Jan 18, 2020

Don`t make me break out the Ingersol Rand gear....LOL

MustangMike · Jan 18, 2020

My 18V battery 1/2 drive DeWalt works well on them. I used to use a 16 point socket just because the 8 point ones usually have too thick of a round lip. However, the Makita sockets I won at the Upstate NY GTG work the best, I love em!

May be work it for anyone who does these to PU a set at the next GTG.

Wood Doctor · Jan 18, 2020

Al Smith said:
I might have figured ------

Looks kind of chinchey to me .

I have to agree with that. It looks like a toy.

I had a 24" pipe extension on the 3/4", 1/2" drive socket and it still refused to budge. I'll get the 6-point socket that MM shows for my next clutch removal. That whole process was a 2-man job with one guy holding the saw body in place. We even had to tie it down to the bench with a lashing and put a socket wrench on the flywheel nut. No luck, the 12-pt socket stripped out.

I actually was afraid the piston rod was going to snap. I used a rope knot rather than a steel piston stop because otherwise the piston head would probably have fractured. Maybe somebody secured it with thread adhesive.

What's the best way to remove a flywheel?

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