1966 straight 6 harmonic balancer removal help!!

WarHorse66

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Dec 18, 2018
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Wisconsin
Help! I have a 1966 Mustang 3.3l straight 6 that I am in the process of rebuilding, and I am stuck now trying to remove my harmonic balancer from the crank shaft. I have a puller but that isn't where my problem lies. I cannot get the bolt to turn and come out of the crank and I cannot find a harmonic balancer holder to keep it from turning the crank as I try to loosen it. Along with using my 1/2" impact I have tried the belt trick, and also using hardened bolts and a pry bar to try to hold it steady. All I accomplished was bending the hardened bolts right over. Should I try buying a 3/4" impact to see if the extra "kick" knocks it loose or is there another option?
 

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there are a few methods for removing the crank bolt, be very careful with one of them though, it can bite you hard.

1: have someone use something that will lock the flywheel in place. there is actually a tool for this, talk to your local tool man

2: put the car in gear and set the emergency brake, and then try using the impact wrench

3; use a llooonggg breaker bar, one long enough to run from the crank bolt to the front frame section, and use an impact socket, and with the bar set in place, bump the engine over a couple of times. DO NOT CRANK THE ENGINE OVER FOR MORE THAN A SECOND OR TWO at a time.
 
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The biggest problem I have found with stuck bolts is the slack in all the tools. The most rigid tool you can use is a box wrench, NO MOVING PARTS to flex. Make sure it's a good fit, sometimes I even use a metric and drive it on with a hammer to get a better fit. Now if your alone you need to hold it in place, make a small bracket to go from puller bolt hole to puller bolt hole across the wrench to hold it steady. Grab your mini sledge and give it a good wack. By the way , it's a lot easier on the engine stand than under the hood.