Using a floor jack to remove crank pulley

[doublestuff]

First, I have no idea if what I did was dangerous, terrible for the car, or in any other way bad. DO NOT do what I did based on this write-up!

Having said that, I'm slowly working on my first timing belt, FOES, water pump, etc. job, and today I wanted to remove the crank pulley. Even with my breaker bar I couldn't get the nut to budge, and I don't have air tools at the moment. I recalled that I read about removing rear wheel axle nuts (for bearing replacement) by putting a floor jack under the end of a breaker bar and jacking the bar up until - essentially - the weight of the car breaks the nut loose.

Having nothing better to do, I tried that on my crank pulley nut, and it worked like a charm. I may have been lucky, but I thought I'd post in case anyone else is similarly stuck/desperate and wants to try - at your own risk!

If someone more knowledgeable has any thought on why I shouldn't do this, I'd love to know. I have a second 944 that might need a timing belt one day....

[M. Murphy]

I wonder what that must have been torqued to. I think I recall it's something like 150 ft lbs. Mine came off readily with a two foot breaker.

[doublestuff]

It was either a whole lot, or I'm way weaker than I thought, because I put everything I had into a 2-foot break bar and it wasn't moving. The bar had a noticeable bend when the nut finally let go using the jack.

[Jfrahm]

I've bumped the starter with a breaker bar wedged against the shop floor to break 'em loose on Toyota trucks. Never tried to tighten with that method, I have a homemade crank holder for that. Using the starter is just easier. For tightening I'd be worried it'd break something with the starter motor. Not a lot of finesse.

[GTR34]

I used a 4 ft. Cheater bar on the end of a breaker bar while the car was up on a lift and it came off very easily at the end of that setup. Now i assume you can't get easy access to a lift but there are other methods - a guy on YouTube used a bmx bike handlebar to add more leverage to a breaker bar and had his buddy step on it. The advantage there was the bar had a bend that allowed more travel since it cleared the bumper and swerved up a bit from the ground. I'm not sure if using a jack on the end of a breaker bar is safe if the car is on jackstands or axle stands but let me suggest this - why doesn't anyone use ramps? Much, much safer and better on the car. My frame stiffeners are slightly deformed because of previous owners or garage workers. Also, let me know if you need any nitty gritty specific details on your adventure because I just did my belts, water pump and front engine seals.

[doublestuff]

why doesn't anyone use ramps?

I suppose there are some out there that would work, but I haven't seen any that I'd be able to drive on to without removing the front valence.

Thanks for the offer for helpful info, I'll hit you up if I get stuck for sure!

[Bradical]

I used a 3ft breaker bar with a 3ft extension and I felt it it for days, I think my eyeballs are a few mm further out of my skull than they used to be.

[ckelly78z]

I use a 3' pipe on the end of my 1/2" drive ratchet, or whack on the end of a breaker bar with a 2 lb sledge hammer.

[jhowell371]

I use a couple of wide boards to ease the angle up on the ramps. Floor jack sounds like good idea to me. I have an old Model T jack that has been very valuable over the years.

[GTR34]

That's pretty neat. The ramps I have clear the front valence, you must have higher ramps.

[Rasta Monsta]

Fully retarded.

[doublestuff]

Originally Posted by Rasta Monsta

Fully retarded.

That's a really helpful, well thought-out contribution to this discussion! Thanks for taking the time to share your wisdom.

[Rasta Monsta]

Pleasure is all mine.

What I should have said:

It is extremely difficult for me to imagine a breaker bar and pipe being unable to break that bolt if the flywheel is properly secured. Perhaps a gym membership is in order. Your method sounds inordinately dangerous.

[emoore924]

I use my mechanic to do it.

[s14kev]

Originally Posted by Rasta Monsta

Pleasure is all mine.

What I should have said:

It is extremely difficult for me to imagine a breaker bar and pipe being unable to break that bolt if the flywheel is properly secured. Perhaps a gym membership is in order. Your method sounds inordinately dangerous.

I have had ones that did not come off by hand with a breaker bar and pipe. I find some are actually more work to get off than the rear axle hub bolts which are torqued to 350ftlb. I've done rear axle bolts by hand with a 3/4 breaker bar. The crank bolt I often do with the jack method described by doublestuff mostly because it was easier to work under the car. I would guess that breakaway torque approaches 250+ ftlb on some of these due to corrosion. I never go full retard...

[doublestuff]

Originally Posted by Rasta Monsta

Pleasure is all mine.

What I should have said:

It is extremely difficult for me to imagine a breaker bar and pipe being unable to break that bolt if the flywheel is properly secured. Perhaps a gym membership is in order. Your method sounds inordinately dangerous.

Well, perhaps if I had a pipe laying around, that would have worked, but I didn't. I've been an avid Crossfitter for 5 years, and I can dead lift more than twice my body weight (although I am just a little guy), so I don't think a gym membership is the issue. The amount of force required to break the nut loose is the same whether I used a cheater bar or a jack, although with the jack method I was standing somewhat farther away rather than lying on my back underneath the bar should something let go. I did, in fact, ask for constructive criticism, in case there were some specific concerns about doing this, since I might end up having to do it again. Saying that it is "difficult for you to imagine" only expresses the limitations of your imagination and does nothing to explain why one shouldn't use this method to break loose a stubborn fastener, whatever the reasons for it being so tight.

[911tracker85]

one of my friends who wrenches on 928s a lot has a 'torque multiplier'. dont think it is cheap. like a breaker bar with two arms. wedge one against the frame or some immovable object, then turn the other arm. as you turn the arm, the fitting on the socket turns slower and has more torque being applied than to the bar. I dont recall what the multiplying effect was. worked great getting a stubborn crank bolt off when we were doing a TB/WP job.

something like this, but not sure if the same one.

Klutch Torque Multiplier | Torque Wrenches| Northern Tool + Equipment

[mattdavis11]

Awhile back, I was stuck on the SO's Toyota Camry crank bolt. I have an impact gun, but no dice. However, the starter did the trick in short order.

I'm going to quit wasting my time from here on out.

[JonA]

With a breaker bar or any set-up that flexes you lose a tremendous amount of torque. With a bar that has no give and enough length you can get any bolt. Go scrounge up a 3/4" bar if you have to. When using a 2700 lb car you have no control of the force, too risky for me.

Jon

[doublestuff]

Originally Posted by JonA

When using a 2700 lb car you have no control of the force, too risky for me.

Jon

My words might have been misleading, the car never moved from the jack stands. If the nut was torqued enough to lift the whole car, I'd likely never get it off... it's the force of the jack pushing the breaker bar AGAINST the weight of the car that does the work.