Flywheel Puller

[Timbercruiser]

Just wondering what i should buy for a flywheel puller for working on saws sure would be nice to have some help picking one ? 

[sawguy21]

One size does not fit all. I generally place the saw on it's side without resting the weight on the clutch and  wind the nut on until it is flush with the end of the shaft. Apply a bit of pressure with a screwdriver to the underside of the flywheel in line with the key and give the shaft an authoritative whack with a hammer. Don't keep beating on it, once should be enough. Some like the old Stihl's with Bosch ignition do require a specific puller.

[weimedog]

Jump about a third of the way through this one... 372 flywheel removal & case splitter. Also I have accumulated a pile of pullers from years of working on motorcycles and outboards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CFO_qfGdNc

[joe_indi]

These are my flywheel pullers that work for nearly everything. The one on the left can be used for any flywheel that has bolting threads on them. The one on the right is a Stihl flywheel puller, this one works for most saws. I have a similar but bigger version for the 660.

[fossil]

I use a steering wheel puller like this with the appropriate size bolts. It has worked well for me.

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/steering-wheel-puller/A-p8408387e

[CR888]

I like the look of Joe's flywheel puller, that looks fairly universal. Often Joe will post something of interest with many hours of experience behind him....you can tell he knows a thing or two about saws.Joe, did you make it yourself or can they be purchased? I know under 'special tools' in an ipl you can get part no's for pullers but l presumed they would only fit one model. And lets face it between various saws of various vintage l have seen many different flywheel designs. A puller like that could have saved a lot of skin off my fingers and hours of frustration. I hate stubborn flywheels and are not a big fan of locking up the piston and putting heavy stress on the crank setup.

[Jiles]

Just wondering what i should buy for a flywheel puller for working on saws sure would be nice to have some help picking one ? 

I posted this on another forum--take it for what its worth to you---

Any time that I need to remove a flywheel, I try a simpler method first.
Over the years, I have found that you can loosen the flywheel nut until it's flush with the crank threads.
With a helper, support the weight of the chainsaw by the flywheel, and have your helper tap the flywheel nut.
If this doesn't work, look at the surface behind the flywheel, determine if it's metal or plastic.
If it's plastic, find a suitable piece of flat metal to use as a backup.
You can use a large flat blade screwdriver or a small crowfoot for the next step.
Place the screwdriver beneath the flywheel, preferably under the thick part of flywheel and the flat piece of metal, or case.
Twist or pry gently while TAPPING the flywheel nut with a small hammer.
Caution and common sense must be used to avoid damage.
In most cases, the flywheel will pop free with two or three taps but if not, you may have to use puller.  Very few times have I had to and I have never damaged anything.
I am not necessarily recommending this procedure, just describing the way I have done it for many years.
It has worked well for me, it might work for you.

[joe_indi]

I like the look of Joe's flywheel puller, that looks fairly universal. Often Joe will post something of interest with many hours of experience behind him....you can tell he knows a thing or two about saws.Joe, did you make it yourself or can they be purchased? I know under 'special tools' in an ipl you can get part no's for pullers but l presumed they would only fit one model. And lets face it between various saws of various vintage l have seen many different flywheel designs. A puller like that could have saved a lot of skin off my fingers and hours of frustration. I hate stubborn flywheels and are not a big fan of locking up the piston and putting heavy stress on the crank setup.

The one on the left is 'home made' the one on the right is an original Stihl flywheel  puller

[CR888]

Very crafty Joe! Its looks as good as a tool out of an expensive tool shop. I'd buy one!

[celliott]

Just wondering what i should buy for a flywheel puller for working on saws sure would be nice to have some help picking one ? 

I posted this on another forum--take it for what its worth to you---

Any time that I need to remove a flywheel, I try a simpler method first.
Over the years, I have found that you can loosen the flywheel nut until it's flush with the crank threads.
With a helper, support the weight of the chainsaw by the flywheel, and have your helper tap the flywheel nut.
If this doesn't work, look at the surface behind the flywheel, determine if it's metal or plastic.
If it's plastic, find a suitable piece of flat metal to use as a backup.
You can use a large flat blade screwdriver or a small crowfoot for the next step.
Place the screwdriver beneath the flywheel, preferably under the thick part of flywheel and the flat piece of metal, or case.
Twist or pry gently while TAPPING the flywheel nut with a small hammer.
Caution and common sense must be used to avoid damage.
In most cases, the flywheel will pop free with two or three taps but if not, you may have to use puller.  Very few times have I had to and I have never damaged anything.
I am not necessarily recommending this procedure, just describing the way I have done it for many years.
It has worked well for me, it might work for you.

I've never used a puller either. I wrap some string around the back of the flywheel and suspend the saw with the string, then tap the loosened flywheel nut (I use a deadblow hammer or wooden mallet or similar)

[BubbasDad]

Same here, usually a flat bar and brass mallet. Only thing i ever needed a puller for is to pull worm gear on echos due to being pressed on. For that I modified a cheap 2jaw puller from advanced auto

[SwampDonkey]

I've used Joe's puller on my brushsaw FS550, works just fine. Costs less than $5. :D But I also have a Posilock that I also use to pull the bearings. I don't like beating things with hammers unless it's nails. ;D

[joe_indi]

Very crafty Joe! Its looks as good as a tool out of an expensive tool shop. I'd buy one!

I think a couple  of oceans and continents lie between us or I would have been happy to sell them to you. Here are some pullers that I am getting made for my brother's shops.
It is much better to get them made because the crankcase pullers are of heavy gauge steel. They have been gas cut  for that perfectly finished edges. The business ends that go onto the bearings have been extra hardened. And the base is not hollow steel but solid square rods. Very heavy, but they dont loose shape like the original Husky pullers.
The flywheel puller is an experiment of mine. They are a combination of the pullers in the previous photos I had posted earlier. Now it is a truly universal puller.The center portion has the same outer thread as a Stihl puller. So if I need to remove the flywheel of a Husky or Makita I use the whole puller. And if it is a Stihl, just the central portion.
Crankcase puller cost me the equivalent of 50 USD and the flywheel puller nearly 20 USD.
The only work left is to get them galvanized 

[sawguy21]

The last picture is ingenuity at it's best.  8) Well done.

[CR888]

Very ingenious Joe! I like them! I was thinking being in India and all people would really get the most out of their saws and keep them in service a lot longer than western countries. I would imagine you would do a lot of repairs thus why 'needing' some of the tools you have made. I have enjoyed reading your knowledge on all things saw related and some of the differences in your clients cutting needs and how they set up their saws.