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Once I accepted the inevitability of having to remove the fan and water pump as one unit I took the radiator out since it was only two more bolts at that point. It opened up a lot of space to work and I was able to stack every 1/4 extension I had and work with my ratchet outside the grille.
That’s a great idea. If I end up having to change out the pump, it’s the way I’ll choose to go. Planning to flush the system and change the coolant & thermo at some point anyway.
I have that tool too. That's the one I was rounding corners with. The pnuematic one won't take corners off the nut if you use the right size end.
Yeah, I tried that one. The closest fit for the clutch nut was a 36 mm wrench end, but it’s not a perfectly tight fit and the wrenches are, by design, so narrow that they don’t provide enough grabbing surface to avoid rounding the nut castellations. I’ve been spraying the nut with PB Blaster a few times a week and lightly tapping on the sides of it with a hammer, in the hopes that eventually, it may break up enough of the rust for me to get it off without having to remove the water pump.
When I first got my automatic Ranger I had the heavy duty fan clutch installed I love! it it sounds like a militaryJeep when it starts out cold! I'm not going to try and switch it to the truck I just got! But I most likely will get another Heavy Duty clutch for the fan on this truckYeah, I tried that one. The closest fit for the clutch nut was a 36 mm wrench end, but it’s not a perfectly tight fit and the wrenches are, by design, so narrow that they don’t provide enough grabbing surface to avoid rounding the nut castellations. I’ve been spraying the nut with PB Blaster a few times a week and lightly tapping on the sides of it with a hammer, in the hopes that eventually, it may break up enough of the rust for me to get it off without having to remove the water pump.
To that end, I bought this wrench to use on the nut: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Chrome-Vanadium-Steel-Adjustable-Wrench/50029432
I like the fact that the design of the handle allows one to slip a pipe onto it for extra leverage. BUT, it was expensive and I don’t know if there’s enough clearance for it to fit on the nut, so I’m keeping it in the original packaging in case I have to return it. The fan shroud is history and the fan blade is pretty busted up (which is why I bought new ones in the first place). I might be able to gain some more room in there by cutting some of the fan blades with my reciprocating saw, but then if the nut still doesn’t come off, I’m kind of boned. Decisions, decisions...
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