Ariens GT17 garden tractor repower

That clutch is not coming off with anything we've tried.

The magnum 18 is out of the crapsman.



We tried a little heat, as much as you can without destroying the bearing, while prying on the backing plate on both sides, and also tried the shock method on the We also soaked the clutch with more deep creep.

I forgot the freeze spray at home. I'll bring that in Saturday when I go back to work on the engine swap.

The ariens is now in the garage, and the crapsman is outside. Saturday looks to be extra crappy weather wise. Having the tractor inside will be a big plus.

We got the motor all freed up from the mounts and the rock shaft that feeds the rear hydraulics/ transaxle. So I have to take off the electrical connections and choke/ throttle cables and that kt17 can get out of the way.

There's a lot of oil/ grunge on the chassis of the ariens. The engine would've needed a major overhaul if it had not grenaded.

I'll have to clean that up before the magnum 18 goes in.

 

A couple more things to try...if you have an air hammer/chisel you could try CAREFULLY giving things a lil zip with it, see what happens...if that doesn't work, and since the engine is out, I'd hang it by putting some steel behind the clutch from both sides...steel sitting on something solid on both ends...have something like a piece of rigid foam under the motor so if it falls from your "bridge" (or the clutch suddenly lets loose ) it doesn't get damaged.
Drill a small divot in the center of a sacrificial bolt that will thread in and bottom out in the crank bolt hole...the divot is where you will place the point of the air hammer then (with the engine hanging) give it a little zip, see if things come apart...if not, then maybe try some heat/freeze treatments in between trying the air hammer...all the while using penetrating oil too...it will work eventually.
EDIT: A couple good whacks with a hand sledge on that sacrificial bolt while the engine is hanging is worth a try too.
If the clutch is such that you can't get anything sizeable (solid) behind it, you could split a solid board lengthwise, then cut the two pieces in the middle so they fit nicely into the V belt groove(s), put the two boards together so the pulley is captured, then screw them together with two more small pieces of wood laying perpendicular to the first two...now you can whale away on that bolt!

 

Added EDIT ^ ^ ^

 

This is just my opinion.....
Trying to save the crank is a waste of time since the rods are NLA there's lots of cranks available. Also I wouldn't worry about damaging a bearing that's been run since the 80's, it deserves retirement anyway.
Just start drilling out the crank.

 

I'd be fine with that.

We'll try the " hanging and banging" method first.

 

Since I'll have it upright, would the" Hydraulic method" work? Put water in the crank hole, then Teflon tape on the clutch bolt threads, and use a breaker bar? The water can only compression so much and it pops the clutch off, like in a snowmobile clutch?

 

Good idea...but that's just a blind hole, and the clutch is about even with the end of the shaft no? Unless I misunderstand how things are arranged there, I don't think this trick will impart any pressure to the clutch, in this particular scenario...

 

Correct. That trick wouldn't work here.

I've got better news though.

It's off!!!

After I left to go home today, my buddy texted me and told be it popped off after we set it up right, applied more deep creep, put a puller and applied tension, heated it, then he baked it with a hammer and it popped off.

I got a lot done today and the text from my buddy saying that the clutch is off was awesome news.

Here's some pics.


Kt17 in the ariens


Magnum 18


We pulled off the flywheel. There was a leak from the main seal. Easier to fix it now and replace the seal. I'll have to buy a seal, and also see if I can get a new screen for the flywheel so the build up on the charging coil doesn't happen again. Look at that crud. I'll get this all cleaned up before installing the m18 into the tractor.

Mostly clean, I'll need to remember the degreaser.


Here's the kt17 out of the ariens and the puller on it. We flipped it so the crank was vertical. This was minutes before the clutch let loose.

 

That's good news for sure ! Do a thorough cleaning and inspection of the pcv reed and seat. They are known to fail or plug up and cause pressure in the crankcase forcing oil out the seals.

 

I've not heard of that. I'll need to look into that.

 

It's in one of the valve spring covers on top. Should have a hose going to the air cleaner housing or manifold.

 

I'll look, but the magnum's didn't appear to have these issues as much as the courage series had with this issue. I'll check mine though.

 

I thought all the flathead twins had the same system. I have never been around a courage though so haven't a clue.

 

So that means you'll be able to make it over to Dennis' GTG next weekend then, right?!

 

I believe that you'll find it here.

 

Sure sounds like it to me !

 

I'm up in the air..

 

What?! I thought you were a definite?!

 

A courage is a v twin. Not a flat twin.

 

No, I'm a definite no idea.

The 6 hr each way drive is the kicker for me