Timing pinion removal.

I'm having trouble removing the timing pinion from the crank. Last time I removed it three years ago it was a pig to remove, and I seem to recall having "slightly eased" the crankshaft shoulder where it sits, to assist with future removals.

Today whilst trying to remove it, my three legged puller has lost on one leg, its hook, and the pinion isn't going anywhere. (I never had this problem on my previous two Commandos). So what to do next :?:

I have considered heating it up. I don't know anything about case hardening etc so am I likely to soften or damage the pinion in any way?
I would consider getting another puller (and may have to), but I lent the last one to a friend and that came back with a leg damaged which leads me to suspect that these pullers are not high quality. I realise also that you have to get all three legs engaged before trying to pull the pinion, which I did.

So would heating it be acceptable, or do I need to buy another puller. Any other offers of advice gratefully accepted.

After breaking all three jaws of my puller on the last one, I just popped the entire crank out with bearing & pinion by heating the crankcase, then used a bearing splitter/puller to draw everything off. This destroyed the seal plate and triangular pinion washer, but I just replaced them.

Mmmmmm, I never though of doing it that way :shock: That looks like the way to go. Thanks for that grandpaul.

If the puller is a silver coloured one then they all seem to be made of chocolate.

The original black oil-finished type seem much harder. They do turn up barely-used on ebay but they fetch £30 - £40. They are worth more than a new one.

Mine was made of decent chocolate, but the Laredo heat must have gotten to it and started melting it...

When I opened my tool chest after 25 years of storage I found my puller only has 2 teeth. I've actually coaxed 2 gears off with it since though. Too bad we can't just buy the teeth separately.




If anyone has any spare teeth let me know!

Mission accomplished

As grandpaul suggested, I heated the right hand case up, dropped the crank out with the bearing on and was then able to slowly pull the pinion off with my two err three legged puller. I think the heat may have assisted the removal, and it came off slightly off square, but no other problems, so jobs a gudun.

RennieK wrote;

If anyone has any spare teeth let me know!

Click to expand...

When I get down to one tooth on my puller, I'll give you a call :lol:

I will have puller teeth in a couple of weeks (I ordered several sets "for future use")

Drop me an e-mail grandpaulz@hotmail.com

A while back, someone showed his homemade puller, looked as good as a commercial one, but I just can't find it by searching the board.

Jean

Here is my complete range of special tools; there is no task that can't be accomplished with this vast array-



Not shown - "Blue-tipped wrench" (oxy/acet torch)

grandpaul said:

Here is my complete range of special tools; there is no task that can't be accomplished with this vast array-

Not shown - "Blue-tipped wrench" (oxy/acet torch)

Click to expand...

Stop wasting time and get back to work, those are Harley tools :lol:

I ground the jaws very shallow on my cast Harbor Freight 3 jaw puller and it worked okay.

Ground jaws will collapse easier than the cheap version of the proper puller if the pinion decides to be stubborn.

Again, don't ask how I know this...