How to fix my loose F pulley

[Radish150]

I'm glad I did not pay 300$ for Caterpillar's (yah, now I know how to spell it ) superman glue kit, didn't work. So, it's time for me to get serious and get the damn thing bolted on like it should have been from day one. So I plan to machine the hooks off of the front of the pulley and cap it with a steel blank, then drill it for a bolt hole. Then the issue is the crank itself. I could drill it and tap it but I could weld a large nut to the snout of the crank with rounded edges so it would fit in the empty space in the back of the pulley. This would be easier, quick and dirty even but, I dunno just an idea. I think drilling and tapping would be better, but is there anything really wrong with the welded nut idea? Is there danger of warping the cranks?

Well, I gotta do something, machine-head types please advise if I can weld or if I have to drill and tap, which btw I hate.

Thanks
mark...

 

[inkpot]

I'm glad I did not pay 300$ for Caterpillar's (yah, now I know how to spell it ) superman glue kit, didn't work. So, it's time for me to get serious and get the damn thing bolted on like it should have been from day one. So I plan to machine the hooks off of the front of the pulley and cap it with a steel blank, then drill it for a bolt hole. Then the issue is the crank itself. I could drill it and tap it but I could weld a large nut to the snout of the crank with rounded edges so it would fit in the empty space in the back of the pulley. This would be easier, quick and dirty even but, I dunno just an idea. I think drilling and tapping would be better, but is there anything really wrong with the welded nut idea? Is there danger of warping the cranks?

Well, I gotta do something, machine-head types please advise if I can weld or if I have to drill and tap, which btw I hate.

Thanks
mark...

Howdy! If you decide to tap and drill for a retainer bolt, could you just make a "T" block that would fit into the crank hooks, intead of grinding it flat for a washer? OR, could you just weld a big fat bead on the end of the shaft after you install the pulley. I would not weld the pulley to the shaft, but just a 1/4" nub, or maybe two of them, just into the crank. It would only take a few minutes of grinding to remove the weld if you need to remove the pulley in the future. I've got to admit, I do like the idea of welding a nut onto the end of the crank. It really should not take much to hold the pulley on. It may be bent on the outer rim creating a vibe that makes it walk, or you could a a slight belt alignment problem. Is there any play in the pulley when it is on the shaft? John

 

[Radish150]

Howdy! If you decide to tap and drill for a retainer bolt, could you just make a "T" block that would fit into the crank hooks, intead of grinding it flat for a washer? OR, could you just weld a big fat bead on the end of the shaft after you install the pulley. I would not weld the pulley to the shaft, but just a 1/4" nub, or maybe two of them, just into the crank. It would only take a few minutes of grinding to remove the weld if you need to remove the pulley in the future. I've got to admit, I do like the idea of welding a nut onto the end of the crank. It really should not take much to hold the pulley on. It may be bent on the outer rim creating a vibe that makes it walk, or you could a a slight belt alignment problem. Is there any play in the pulley when it is on the shaft? John

Hi Ink, well though it's too late now I'm curious about your tblock. I decided not to wait for a green light from the support crew though and went free agent and did the nut weld. It was a slightly scary experience but I think it turned out pretty well and I'm just waiting for the stores to open tomorrow so I can buy the right length bolt. What I did was had the hooks machines off on a lathe, then opened up that space in the end of the pulley a little, actually eliminating about half of the thickness of the shoulder that is in there, left plenty of room for a tall, grade 8 14mm nut. I found a tool that just fit into that divot in the front of the crank, then wrapped the shaft of the tool in elect. tape to make the nut fit snug on the tool which centered it pretty well. I Wobbled it around as best I could to find really where it should be and had someone put a tack on it. Then I put a 6" bolt into the nut and turned the motor over by the starter and watched the movement of the bolt. The tack weld stretched enough so that I could really center the nut on the crank, then it was just a matter of tapping the bolt head around a few times till it was basically perfect. Then hit it a couple more times in opposite spots, then nailed it on. Some of the welding climbed up a bit on the surface of the crank snout, but a few careful minutes with a dremel cleaned that up just fine. So, I would not want to be counting my chickens before they hatch but I think it will work out fine. I would have drilled it but just felt I could to a better job of making a nut straight than trying to drill a straight hole with the crank still in the motor and the motor still in the rig. Using the nut method you get a second chance, or third even to get it right, with a drill, you screw up and your done.

Anyway, Ill try to get some pics up of the pieces.

In answer to your questions, honestly I have two pulleys and the one that did not want to walk did have some play, I think the groove for the woodruff key was a bit enlarged. The other balancer tho actually had a larger opening than the other one, and the rubber seal on the pulley was going bad and figured Id be safer with the one that seemed stable on the truck for quite some time. That other one wanted to come off so I let it have it's way stay off of my motor.

thanks all

 

[Ian Rogers]

I just removeed the front motor mounts jacked up the motor. removed the front clip and rad, got out the drill and drilled and taped it. I did nothing the the pulley (well i had to replace mine because it got run over by an 18 wheeler). I found some washers that fit and bolted it on with red lock tight. Done deal, i have not thought about it since.

 

[Radish150]

Crank weld cucess

I just removeed the front motor mounts jacked up the motor. removed the front clip and rad, got out the drill and drilled and taped it. I did nothing the the pulley (well i had to replace mine because it got run over by an 18 wheeler). I found some washers that fit and bolted it on with red lock tight. Done deal, i have not thought about it since.

Well, I might have taken the road less traveled but it worked nicely, pretty easy too. Honestly your way is probably better but I didn´t have the confidence in my ability to make a straight hole. Also where most people are your fix would be cheaper cuz due to the fact that machine work here costs basically nothing. Anyway, 14mm bolt torqued to 85lbs with red LT (ABRO pUKE) should keep it happy. More than one way to skin a cat.

I went to take some pics but last time I used my camera it was acting funny and this time it was totally screwed from the Amazon humidity, so sorry bout that.

Curious though how your pulley got run over, did it actually come off while driving? Damn that must have been exiting.

Cheers people,
Mark...