This morning I tried to install the Underdog underdrive crank pulley, but could not remove the fan and thermostatic clutch assembly to install the harmonic balancer puller.
The shaft is hex shaped so I suspect it unscrews from the water pump hub.
Has anyone removed the thermostatic clutch and fan assembly before?
If this were my Jeep Cherokee.... I would not be posting this question...., but working on the Ranger is always a learning curve....
This vehicle is the truck in my signature below.

Thanks for your assistance.... and early Merry Christmas.

OR 4x4

 

It does. I'm not sure about the 4.0 OHV. The 3.0 has a reverse thread on the clutch, and the 4.0 SOHC has a normally threaded fan clutch thread.

So, I guess #1 is knowing which way it goes.

The way I took mine off, when I went to an electric fan, was to use a chisel and a hammer. You can use the chisel to strike the hex obliquely and it works like an impact wrench -- you break loose the thread without having to worry about slipping of the belt.

Still, you need to know which way to go. I'll pull out one of the service CD's for that year and see what it says and post back.

 

you use a tool that holds on the 4 bolt heads sticking out..
its like 40mm or so

the tool looks like a giant open end wrench but thin.

Then you turn the hex shaft to loosen.

I did it with the belt off.. its alot easier with the belt on.
Rand

 

John and Rand,

Thanks for your assistance.
I measured the hex and it appears to be 1.5" or 38mm.
The service manual CD I have is so VAGUE.... it is almost useless !!!!
Just says you need a couple special tools, but says nothing about the hex size or what direction to turn it.

OR 4x4

 

Okay, verifying from the manual that the 4.0 SOHC and 4.0 OHV are the same. Both have a fan clutch that is threaded on with a "normal", right hand thread.

Rand's right, there is a special tool. But if you're ditching the clutch especially, the chisel method works fine. I don't know why so many folks have cringed when I've spoken of it though, lol.

 

In the one I have, which is from Ford, there is a "highlighted" (bold) note in the section, right after where they show the special tools. It says something like, "For the 3.0 only, the fan clutch mounting nut threads are left handed." That would seem to imply the 4.0's threading, even though it doesn't state it. I know from what folks have told me that the 4.0 SOHC is definitely left-handed. No surprise that the OHV is, I just wanted to check before I had you banging on it with a hammer, lol...

 

John,

Thanks for the info.....
My largest wrench is a 1 5/16" and 30 mm; so I am having a guy from work bringing home a 1.5" wrench so I can loosen it....
Tonight after the engine cools down.... I will try again....

OR 4x4

 

John,

In you first post you said the threads are right hand thread and then in your last post you state the OHC and OHV are the same; left hand threads. Am I reading one of these wrong ???

OR 4x4

 

The 3.0 is threaded backwards, the 4.0 SOHC and OHV come off the right way. The chisel and hammer method works well, it got the clutch off my 3.0:)

 

No, but I typed one wrong!

Correction: 4.0 - right hand (standard); 3.0 - left hand (reverse)

My inattentiveness, sorry!

 

Tried again this evening to remove the clutch fan... Looks like I am need to locate the special tools.... While I can use a 1.5" open end wrench on the hex shaft I could not locate anything to stop the water pump pulley from spinning. Unless the clutch fan can be removed.... there is not enough room to remove the harmonic balancer.
So close and yet so far......

OR4x4

 

Often, a sharp impulse will loosen it when steady torque just makes the belt slip on the pulleys. Just hit the wrench with a brass hammer and it will probably come right off. Mine did.

 

I'm surprised the chisel method didn't work.

 

Today after eating Christmas lunch... I decided to try removing the fan clutch !!!
First I removed the K&N FIPK air tube and the factory fan belt.
Using a rubber strap wrench to hold the waterpump pulley I used a 1.5" wrench on the clutch fan hex shaft and tapped on the wrench lightly with a ballpean hammer.... VVVWHALA the shaft was loose.
Next came the crankshaft pulley... the bolts that came in the ASP kit for removal were TOO long..... Needed to locate (2) 8x1.25x100mm bolts, screwed them into the crankshaft pulley and used a harmonic balancer puller and it too was removed.
Removed oil seal from the factory pulley, installed the factory oil seal on the ASP pulley, applied a small dab of RTV to the hub key, warmed up the ASP pulley hub and put a little synthetic grease on the crank hub, pressed the ASP pulley on half way with the provided ASP bolt and the remainder of the way with the factory bolt.
Installed a new Gatorback POLY-V belt 6PK2195 (4606865) which is exactly 1.9" shorter than the factory belt.
There is quite a noticable difference in acceleration..... Time will tell if there is any increase in MPG.

OR 4x4

 

i did it and it was not fun my wrist looked like i had been slitting them

 

I had to call some connections to find a wrench that would fit. We then had the pound the hell out of it with really big hammer and it came right off.

 

When i rented the special too "for all ford trucks" there was about 9 wrenches
in there... none fit.. so i fixed one
:)

 

None of the rental wrenches would fit mine. I put vise grips on the pulley and rotated it till it was stopped. Then took a wrench (I think it was 7/8) and put it on the shaft. I had to hit it for all it was worth woth a hammer but finally it broke loose.

 

Here is how you can hold the waterpump still without damaging it. Just take a 2" pipe (fence pipe is what I used), smash it flat, and drill / grind the end such that it fits over the hex clearing it. Then unbolt two of the pulley screws and bolt on the pipe. Now you have a huge lever that you can use to hold the pump still and NOT damage or scratch the pumps pulley.

Rich

 

The autozone fan wrench worked perfect for me. No effort to remove the clutch at all.

I think mine must be the exception.

 

I also had a miserable time also removing the fan clutch from the water pump pulley. I purchased the special 36mm removal tool set from Amazon for $20. This consists of a long bar pulley holder that is bolted with two pulley screws (takes a while and a lot of patience to bolt this on by the way) and a 36mm thin open ended wrench for the fan shaft nut which on my 2005 4.0 Ranger was regular threads - lefty loosey to remove. After soaking the fan nut in PB blaster overnight and using a rubber mallet to tap on the wrench it wasn't budging at all. I used an additional bar on the 36mm wrench for extra leverage and tried for over an hour to remove it and in no way was it comming off. I was able to wedge the holding bar on one of the AC compressor clutch pulley bolts which worked out really well, it held the bar and water pump pulley very solid. Out of frustration, I used a map gas propane style torch to carefully heat the 36mm fan nut on both sides being careful not to come close to the plastic fan blades. Once the nut was very hot, just a few seconds on each side, I tapped on the wrench again with the mallet and it finally broke loose! I couldn't believe it, it was finally off. When it goes back on again it is going to have plenty of anti seize compound and it will not be overtightened, never again will I go through this hassle!