Replacing the fan blade

[93_RangerSC]

Alright guys i gotta put a new fan blade on any suggestions on things i should do or things to avoid to make it easier?

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

unscrew the fan clutch, remove the 4 bolts that hold the fan to the clutch, reverse removal

 

[93_RangerSC]

well thats how to put it on i was just askin if there was any easy way to put it on or things to avoid doin

 

[AAAlovesME]

Don't let you're buddy try starting the motor while installing........

 

[r1hatman]

I used a pipe wrench on the big nut and a crowbar wedged in the bolts and it is opposite right to loosen left to tighten. Good luck.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

well thats how to put it on i was just askin if there was any easy way to put it on or things to avoid doin

thats about how simple it is.

 

[AllanD]

The "BIG NUT" is 36mm (or 1-7/16")

And the EASY way to get it loose is to get a correctly sized combination wrench
(preferably a cheap one, you'll know why in a minute), put the open end of the
wrench on the "nut" and smack the ever loving crap out of the box end of the wrench with a 3lb hammer and the fan will USUALLY just politely spin off the water pump threads.

NEVER use Loctite on the fan hub threads.

ALWAYS smear them liberally with never-seeze

Make sure "Conan the barbarian" is nowhere arouns when it comes time
to screw it back on.

and when the threads bottom givet the lightest tap with a hammer you can manage to seat it, the fan WILL work itself tighter in operation

It getting tighter in use is a function of resistance while the engine is turning and something I call thermal ratcheting on the threads as the engine temperature cycles.

In short it isn't going to spin off by itself under any circumstances in this universe.

AD

 

[93_RangerSC]

The "BIG NUT" is 36mm (or 1-7/16")

And the EASY way to get it loose is to get a correctly sized combination wrench
(preferably a cheap one, you'll know why in a minute), put the open end of the
wrench on the "nut" and smack the ever loving crap out of the box end of the wrench with a 3lb hammer and the fan will USUALLY just politely spin off the water pump threads.

NEVER use Loctite on the fan hub threads.

ALWAYS smear them liberally with never-seeze

Make sure "Conan the barbarian" is nowhere arouns when it comes time
to screw it back on.

and when the threads bottom givet the lightest tap with a hammer you can manage to seat it, the fan WILL work itself tighter in operation

It getting tighter in use is a function of resistance while the engine is turning and something I call thermal ratcheting on the threads as the engine temperature cycles.

In short it isn't going to spin off by itself under any circumstances in this universe.

AD

thats the kinda stuff i was askin bout.
thanks allan

 

[harriw]

Hey guys,

Sorry to dig up an old(ish) thread, but I'm doing this now and just hit a snag (should go without saying in this forum, but this is a 4.0). My new fan is a dorman fan, not a Ford part. The center hub of the fan (not the fan clutch - the mounting disc in the middle) is raised higher than on the stock Ford fan. To keep the blades in the same position, a spacer is shipped with the fan to go between the fan clutch and fan.

All is well until you go to put the fan clutch and blade back in the truck. Because of the shift in the mounting surface towards the engine, there is no longer any clearance between the fan mounting bolts, and the bolts that mount the water pump pulley in place to slide a wrench between. So, I've got no way to securely tighten down that nut (let alone hold the water pump shaft stationary while doing so).

Looks like I could extend the opening of the wrench to allow one of the nuts to sit inside the opening as well, but these spanner wrenches are loaner tools and I don't really want to buy them then cut them up.

As AllanD the wise explained, can I really just seat the nut best I can by hand and let the engine tighten it up? Or has anyone come up with another solution to this problem? I can't be the only one that refuses to pay $80+ for a plastic fan blade from the Ford dealer when everyone else is selling them for $25-30.... I've already called around, and nobody else around here has any other brand of fan in stock, and I kinda need this thing running to get to work on Monday.

Thanks a lot!

-Bill

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

yes you can just tighten the nut by hand.. it won't unscrew itself.

i've been in the same situation and i didn't use the spacer

 

[harriw]

I thought about just dropping the spacer, but your cooling performance will drop a bit won't it? I'm no expert in thermal dynamics, but I believe that with a fan arranged to pull air through the rad. with a shroud, you get better air-flow with the fan further away from the radiator because it helps eliminate the dead-spot in the center of the fan (where no blades are spinning). Did you notice any difference when you got rid of the spacer?

I'm also a bit worried about getting it back off in the future if necessary... I guess if that's ever necessary, I'd go buy a cheap 36mm spanner wrench and modify it to accomodate one of the nuts.

Thanks a lot.

-Bill

 

[Big Jim M]

If you can't tighten it now you won't be able to loosen it in the future... WHAT the hell are you thinking? I wouldn't put that thing on there if I was you. There must be some way to get a fan on there that is closer to stock.
I have had no experience with that particular fan. But it don't sound good to me.
Big JIm

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

I thought about just dropping the spacer, but your cooling performance will drop a bit won't it? I'm no expert in thermal dynamics, but I believe that with a fan arranged to pull air through the rad. with a shroud, you get better air-flow with the fan further away from the radiator because it helps eliminate the dead-spot in the center of the fan (where no blades are spinning). Did you notice any difference when you got rid of the spacer?

I'm also a bit worried about getting it back off in the future if necessary... I guess if that's ever necessary, I'd go buy a cheap 36mm spanner wrench and modify it to accomodate one of the nuts.

Thanks a lot.

-Bill

no difference in performance... the spacer is what? like 1/2"-1" thick? not a huge difference, it still sits in the shroud

 

[sholzy]

I'm also a bit worried about getting it back off in the future if necessary... I guess if that's ever necessary, I'd go buy a cheap 36mm spanner wrench and modify it to accomodate one of the nuts.

You can get it back off in the future. Just do like I did and remove 2 of the bolts that hold the pulley to the pump. With the belt on, use an adjustable wrench and a 3 lb (or so) hammer and give the wrench a sharp jolt. The belt will help hold the clutch still while you hit the wrench. Removing 2 pulley bolts allow an adjustable wrench on the clutch nut. You can tighten the nut the same way.

I also never used the spacer that came with mine.

 

[harriw]

You can get it back off in the future. Just do like I did and remove 2 of the bolts that hold the pulley to the pump. With the belt on, use an adjustable wrench and a 3 lb (or so) hammer and give the wrench a sharp jolt. The belt will help hold the clutch still while you hit the wrench. Removing 2 pulley bolts allow an adjustable wrench on the clutch nut. You can tighten the nut the same way.

I also never used the spacer that came with mine.

So that's the trick... I think I can get away with removing just one of those bolts on the waterpump pulley, and the other three should hold it good and solid. I'll give that a try tonight. Thanks!

-Bill