Clutch Puller seems to be cross threading

[jbenjamin]

Hi All,
I just picked up a 1978 440 Intruder for $400.00. The body and most parts of the sled seems to be in good shape. I did a compression check and it seems pto side is at 80 psi and 110 psi on the mag side. So with that information I am pulling the engine to do a complete rebuild. So when I went to pull the drive clutch I removed the single bolt and went to thread in the clutch puller that I purchase from Dennis Kirk https://www.denniskirk.com/parts-unlimited/clutch-puller-kawasaki.p28146.prd/28146.sku
While trying to thread the puller in (by hand) it just feels like it is cross threading. When I remove the puller the threads on the puller look like they are being slightly damaged. My question, is this the right puller, or could there be enough corrosion on the clutch threads that it would go into the clutch with some difficulty? I've never removed a clutch before so I thought that the clutch puller would have threaded in by hand until it bottomed out on the crank with more ease.
Any comments would be helpful.

Thanks

JB

[Interceptor398]

It could be possible the the internal threads in the clutch are dirty or your not the first one in there?  Be sure to use some grease on the threads and the tip of the puller.  Sometimes these things can put up a real fight. 

[mswyka]

Looks like a good sled and sounds like you have a good question.  I can only speak from my own experience having popped about 100 or so of these clutches.  In all those times I have never had one that didn't come off and have never had one that damaged the puller.  I am still using the same puller that I started with 20 some odd years ago. Perhaps run a wire brush in the threads to clean them up before inserting the puller.

Our biggest problem has been with stubborn clutches that didn't want to budge and needed some pursuasion.  If they don't want to come we would  run the puller in as hard as we could and then take a decent sized lump hammer and give the end of the puller a blow right down the central axis of the crank.  If that doesn't work the first time we hit it with some PB blaster, let it sit and then go through the proceedure again.  They have all let loose.

And for what it is worth our 78 Intruder was always the favorite sled for all of our kids.  They fought each other to drive that one.

[jbenjamin]

Thank you both mswyka and Interceptor398 for your feed back. It worked.

I put grease on the threads and tip of the puller and then threaded it in by hand as far as I could. Put an Impact driver on it and- it went in pretty slow and then toward the end a little faster. Then you could tell it bottomed out but kept turning and then bam it came off. Nice!! The puller looks like it went thru battle. 

Thanks again for all of your help.

JB

[mswyka]

Good news.  You are on your way. 

[Interceptor398]

It is a nice looking sled!  Might be worth chasing out the clutch threads with a tap.

[jbenjamin]

Thanks Interceptor398,

I agree, I will plan to get them cleaned up. The next thing is to have the cylinders bored out, new pistons, rings, seals and gaskets.

JB

[Interceptor398]

The cylinders are crome plated,  do you have some cast iron liners for it?

[jbenjamin]

Wow, I didn't know that. This is why I think this forum is so valuable. Thanks for that info.

Here is a place I am bringing the cylinders to, I'll see if they will install liners. https://www.billbune.com/

Again, thanks for your input.

JB

[gixxer6]

Wow, I didn't know that. This is why I think this forum is so valuable. Thanks for that info.

Here is a place I am bringing the cylinders to, I'll see if they will install liners. https://www.billbune.com/

Again, thanks for your input.

JB

IMO you would be better off sending your cylinders out for nikasil plating, the cost will about the same as the price of sleeves and installation, but you will end up with a much better result.

[mswyka]

Wow, I didn't know that. This is why I think this forum is so valuable. Thanks for that info.

Here is a place I am bringing the cylinders to, I'll see if they will install liners. https://www.billbune.com/

Again, thanks for your input.

JB

IMO you would be better off sending your cylinders out for nikasil plating, the cost will about the same as the price of sleeves and installation, but you will end up with a much better result.

Ditto

[jbenjamin]

Thanks Guys for the information. I did some checking and I now think I will send them out to https://millennium-technologies.com/ for the nikasil plating. I very much appreciate your opinion on this.

JB