I got the three claw puller to get the pulley off and the guy at autozone said that it would work on pulling the hub off also. How hard should I have to crank on this thing to get the hub off? I have been turning on it pretty hard and it doesn't seem to be moving at all. The puller has a point on the end, which I assume is used to keep it in place, but it seems like all it is doing is digging into the bolt and it is even ruining the point of the puller but it is still not coming off. I am afraid that I am gonna mess the bolt or the puller up if I turn on it too much more....

 

I have done a search and now I am confused...The posts I have read said that alot of you guys get a smaller bolt and bottom it out on the crank..what I am confused about is inside my crank hub there is just bolt with a nut on it. the nut came off but for me to be able put a smaller bolt in it, I would have to get the threaded bolt out....Have I done something wrong???

 

It sounds like you're using the wrong type of puller. The claw design is used to remove the pulley/balancer from the hub. You need a hub/wheel puller like this one I used for mine...

Puller.

You NEED to remove the center bolt inside the hub for it to come off. The large center bolt presses against a short 1/4" extension that I found fit in the center of the hole.

 

I told the guys at Autozone that I needed that puller and they said that the 3 claw puller would work fine...so I will go back and get that puller. Will I need the 3 claw puller to put the pulley back on? Also about the center bolt, it looks like mine is just a threaded rod...I don't see how I can get it out. Does anyone have a pic of the bolt you are referring to? thanks for the reply

 

If you told them "crankshaft hub" they should have pointed you in the right direction... You will not need the three-claw puller to put the pulley back on. Line it up with the right bolts (the holes are asymmetrical and can only go on one way) and tap it on lightly with a hammer.

Inside the crankshaft snout is a single bolt that needs to be removed. I used a 17mm impact socket. When I said "center bolt," I meant the one that's on the car inside the hub.

Remove the center bolt and washer, and install a longer, thinner bolt inside the crank snout (I used a shorter 1/4" extension instead) and assemble the new puller. Tighten the threaded rod until it contacts the bolt (or extension, whatever it is that you used), and keep tightening it until the hub comes off.

 

Cool. I will take this puller back and get the other one and see how that works out....I will reply back once I figure it out. Thanks again

 

this is why you need the longer bolt/extension in the middle

courtesy of shoebox

 

Alright guys, I got a closer look at my hub. It looks like instead of a bolt inside the hub, someone has put a stud in the crank....when I first started trying to remove the hub, I removed a nut, then a spacer, and now all I have is a threaded stud sticking out in the middle of the hub. I figure that I can just get the puller and push against that and it will be the same, but I just wanted to post my findings to see if any of you had aver seen this and to ask if this will ever cause any problems???

 

That's interesting. Someone must have put that stud in there (supposed to be a bolt). I would leave the nut lightly threaded on the end of it, so you don't hurt the threads. Be very careful that you don't bend the stud. Also watch closely when the hub pulls up to the end of it, where your nut is. Depending on how long the stud is, you will have to remove the nut to pull the hub all the way off.

 

Next question is, once I get the hub off should I replce the stud with a bolt so that it will be put back together the way it should be?

 

If that stud and nut are high grade ones, I would be tempted to leave it alone, as it actually has some advantages over the bolt. As long as it does not strip, you can use it to pull your hub back on.

 

Now I have another problem..I had the heads already removed when I decided to do the cam..now I don't have the compression to hold the crank from turning while trying to remove the hub...how can I stop the crank from turning with the heads off??

 

You can get something wedged into the flywheel to keep from spinning. Something that won't damage the flywheel...(Tool, aluminum, etc...) or do like I did. Get an air compressor and an impact gun! This is by far the easiest way to remove the dam hub!! I tried for 2 days and broke a breaker bar before I got the air compressor and impact. It came off in 15 seconds with the impact and went back on even easier....

 

If I can get a buddy to help me then I will try that...if not I guess I will wait until I put my new heads on and then let the compression hold it.

 

If you are using the three-toe puller in the picture I posted above, get a long extension (preferrably 3/8" or 1/2") and wedge it inbetween two of the bolts of the puller and lean it underneath the tensioner pulley. Turn the crank until it stops the hub from turning. Kind of like sticking a stick in the spokes of a bicycle.