The CVT nut from hell: Air Impact Wrench advice

Posts: 3348

Is yours a 3/8" driver. I like that better so my 6 sided metric sockets will fit withought an adapter.

Posts: 1684

Posts: 3348

Got a link to the $50 doller one that produces 400 ft/lbs at 90 PSI, I would like to take a look at it. Smile

I am 10 minutes from the door on the next air wrench adventure... Smile

Posts: 551

Talonman, I've got a cheapo underpowered impact wrench too and I could not get the nut off my Twister CVT either. Then I grabbed a rubber strap wrench and wrapped it around the pulley (carefully) and the nut came off just fine.

All that to say, more impact power should do it, but if you are able to hold the pulley (I've used it on both drive/varitor & driven pulleys) without damaging it, then that can also be the ticket to getting those nuts off.

Here's an example of a rubber strap wrench I'm talking about...

http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/200306403.htm

They sell these type of strap wrenches at a lot of places and probably Wally World too. They are cheap and the rubber strap will not damage anything unless you do something crazy like just wrap it around the fan blades on the variator. You need to be sure to wrap it around something solid and be sure to have the strap wrench wrapped in the right direction so it helps provide some resistance while the impact wrench pounds the nut off. Basically, it just helps transmit more of the torque from the wrench to the task of loosening the nut - rather than just bouncing around the pulley.

Hope you get those nuts off. I've worked on a lot of engines over the years, and dealt with some tricky situations, but at one point while I was fighting that CVT nut on my Twister, I just about felt licked! I almost gave up! Then the rubber strap idea came around. A bigger, more powerful impact wrench should also work - but it just costs a lot more money.

Posts: 9836

No, mine is 1/2 inch.

The 1/2 inch sockets would hold up better to the high impacts, I'm sure.

-Steve

Posts: 237

Good luck, don't do the stupid move I made Very Happy

Posts: 3348

O.K. I am off!!

I am going to look for a strap wrench too.

Posts: 6290

Get a 1/2" not 3/8" Smile

Posts: 803

The belt is still on.Take a sock and put it between the pulley and the belt at the top of the VAR.If it does not have a washer under the nut IT will be hard to take off.I have taken all of the Blades nuts off with a 3/8 " drive.I have a nut spliter but have nut had to use.I have a 1/2" drive that put out 600# if you lived closer.I have yet to see anything that it would not take off one way or the other.Even if you get a bigger and better it may not take it off.If it want take it off let me know.James

Posts: 3348

50% success.

I baught the Huskey with 600 reverse Ft. Lbs of maximum torque. The clutch finally let me have my way with the nut, but the fan is unimpressed with the Huskey.

I think they use more than 600ft lbs at the factory.

I wonder if soaking the nut in WD-40 overnight might help me break it free in the AM.?

I baught a strap wrench too.