1996 ranger 2.3 2wd

[samx227]

hello rangerstation!
picked up a 96 2wd ranger for a prerunner project. picked it up cheap because it threw the timing belt. in the middle of doing the timing belt job as we speak and i can not get the damn crank pulley off. it doesnt have threaded holes to use a harmonic balancer puller. and i am hesitant to use pry bars since there really is no place to pry from on the pass side due to the crank sensor being right there. i have searched you tube and this forum and a couple others and i am led to beleiving that my ranger is 1 in a million with a crank pulley that doesnt have threaded holes for a puller. ive tried using jaw pullers but cant find one that will work. i work at autozone as a second job and none of our pullers will work. toyota is my main job and none of my pullers or my coworkers pullers work either. any tips or tricks? this isnt my first rodeo with working on engines and this thing is kicking my ass. 190k miles on it but have service records from po that say its had the timing belt done at 120k. any advice appreciated thank you!

 

[tomw]

If I remember, the pulley is at least a two-piece assembly. The outer pulley is for accessories, and can be removed. Once the outer is removed, you'll see a cast iron pulley with three 'fingers' or spokes, (from memory) and at least two drilled holes for attachment of a puller. Memory is from some time ago, so it may be more or fewer, but there should be puller holes behind the first pulley.
If it doesn't look that way, take a pic & post so we can all be 1000 words more informed.
tom

 

[samx227]

I wish this one was. But it has a single serpentine belt for all the accessories. Lol

 

[RangerFabWorks]

If you remove the water pump and the accessory bracket on the left side of the engine. You can sneak the cover off without removing the balancer.

 

[samx227]

So uhh... my coworker came and just pulled it off by hand... makes me feel like a...well...yeah. Still don't understand why they don't have threaded holes!!! Any way it's off. Timing belt on and it runs woo hoo

 

[Mark_88]

With the engines that I worked on I never had to pull that off because I was able to slip the belt over the crank gear...but I'd heard people having problems removing them on later models.

Sometimes things are just easier than we think but we gear our minds up to find challenges when we imagine the task is harder...

 

[mavereq]

I just use a rubber mallet and hit it at the best angle I can manage

 

[samx227]

Mark88 definitely have been there. That's why it's nice when someone can come along with a fresh mind and find the problem out easily lol

 

[Mark_88]

Mark88 definitely have been there. That's why it's nice when someone can come along with a fresh mind and find the problem out easily lol

LOL...always good to get a fresh perspective on a problem...sort of what makes TRS so great...