removing stock fan on 5.3L ?

[CHEVYISLAW]

hey guys, could anyone help me out. i will be getting an electric fan setup soon for my 01 silverado 5.3L. i was just wondering if there is a special tool needed or a certain way you can keep the water pump pulley still so you can bust the nut loose and remove the fan. i tried a strap wrench but failed miserably. any advice would be much appreciated. thanks

[honkydaddy]

They make special wrenches for those.One goes over the nut and one stradles the nuts on the pullys.Some are left handed threads also.Should say in the manual if it's left handed or right handed threads or it may say on the fan shroud.Should come off the opposite way the belt turns it.Parts house should have the wrenches,but they're kinda exspensive.Might be cheaper to go to a shop and let them bust it loose,then you can get it off.Those suckers can be real tight.

[1978steven]

If you get a wrench the size of the nut (don't remember what size it was) and hit it with a hammer it will bust the thing loose. I believe it was a left hand thread also. Hope this helps.

[honkydaddy]

Have used a chain wrench to hold the pully,but you've got to put a rag or something between it and the pully so you don't eat the pully up.Make sure you're undoing the nut in the right direction or you'll strip the threads on the water pump shaft.Bump your wrench with a soft hammer like an impact to break it loose,don't hit anything else.

[farmtruc]

I'll just confim what the above guys said. Get a big cresent/adjustable wrench, put it over the nut and tap/hit it with a hammer. Looking at the front of the engine, it will loosen to the left, just like normal.
Leave the belt on , that helps to hold the pully.


good luck,


allen

[01Thunder]

theres always wrapping the serpintine belt around the pulley and the around the alt pulley. thats what i did to hold the fan pulley in place. came right off.

[Hit Man X]

I put a pipe wrench on it. Then got another 2' of cheaper bar. Left the belt on. Firmly strike that cheater bar to the LEFT (PASSANGER SIDE). Should take 2-5 hits.

Enjoy the new found power and no more "wrrrrrrrr" from that flyswatter too.

[Rooster]

Honkydaddy is right. They make a special tool for that. I changed out the waterpump on my dad's old truck and had to go down to the local parts place and borrow one. Several places offer that service where you can put down a small deposit to borrow their tools. That thing helped me get that fan off there without hardly any effort.

[agreif]

I did the same as HitMan, pipe wrench and some whacks of the hammer - good to go.

http://james.jaguar.net/agreif/fans/fanstech.htm

[CHEVYISLAW]

thanks for the help guys, i was oblivious to the fact that the thread might have been different. now i just have to wait for the money for some nice electric fans. guys know of any good deals/websites?