How in the world am I supposed to get this off?

[mtcowboy77]

I'm at a loss. I'm trying to take my 61 apart to clean it up and replace a few parts on it. I'd also like to get a look at the piston from the exhaust side but I can't figure out how to get the muffler off! Maybe I'm missing something, or maybe I turned into an idiot all of a sudden. I don't know. I took the support bracket off just fine. But I can't find any other bolts or nuts holding the muffler on and it won't budge! However, when I look into the two top holes it looks like there are rivets in the back connecting it to the jug. ??? I tried prying on the back side of the muffler (gently) but nothing happened and I don't want to break one of the fins on the cylinder. Does anyone have any knowledge about this, or ideas on how to get it off? My other 2 Huskies came apart just fine, but this one is giving me fits! I can't seem to get the clutch to budge at all either!

 

[huskihl]

Is there 2 holes in front about 1/2" diameter? They're in there

 

[huskihl]

Try a 4 or 5mm Allen wrench. Not 100% certain on the size

 

[mtcowboy77]

Is there 2 holes in front about 1/2" diameter? They're in there

There is, but when I look in there I don't see any Allen heads. What's in there looks round, like a rivet. I tried sticking an Allen wrench in there and it didn't grab onto anything. I have pictures if I can figure out how to post them...There are also two other holes that had little screws holding the bracket on below the two bigger holes.

 

[cobey]

They are in there .....

 

[huskihl]

They might be stripped. I had to cut a rusted out muffler off with a cutting wheel to get to the bolts so I could cut them off. Took the muffler off and got the bolts out with vise grips

 

[mtcowboy77]

Nevermind. It's confirmed....I am an idiot. I had the wrong size Allen wrench.



The clutch is still kicking my ass though! I know I had the right size for that, and I know I was going the right direction. I even looked at the little arrow on the outside of it telling you which way to turn for "off". I beat the hell out of it and it still wouldn't move!

 

[huskihl]

Turn the clutch clockwise to get it off.

 

[huskihl]

It's probably got 30 years worth of self tightening on it lol.
Admittance of idiocy is commendable. Doesn't happen on here much.....

 

[mtcowboy77]

Turn the clutch clockwise to get it off.

Yeah, that's the way I was going. You're probably right. It's probably never been off and has just been getting tighter and tighter over the years. I guess I'll just have to strap the damn thing down and get a bigger breaker bar!

 

[treesmith]

Battery Impact driver

 

[johnny5ny]

Battery Impact driver

+1
Bigger breaker more likely to break something. Try an impact if you have one. Big bar as last resort IMO

 

[fearofpavement]

I'd definitely recommend an impact on the clutch, if it's turning that hard you're at risk of twisting the end off the crank. If you don't have an impact, borrow one or use this as an excuse to acquire one. I use a 3/8" air driven butterfly and there has only been one time on one saw where I had to "go bigger" to get a clutch loose. Also, if you have a piston stop in place, take it out before you use the impact so you don't damage something.
Glad you figured out the muffler and limited the "prying". You can see how that would have been bad if you were more intent.

 

[mtcowboy77]

An impact is a great idea. I didn't even think of that. And thanks for the tip on the piston stop. I'm just using the rope in the hole trick, but I would imagine with an impact I probably wouldn't even really need that.
As for the muffler, I figured that out pretty quick when it wouldn't budge. I just figured I didn't need to get the muffler off so bad that it was worth busting a fin off in the process. Definitely would have been the less intelligent way to go.

 

[SEAM]

A little heat on the clutch spider (repeatedly) helps loosening the threads...

 

[dswensen]

An impact is a great idea. I didn't even think of that. And thanks for the tip on the piston stop. I'm just using the rope in the hole trick, but I would imagine with an impact I probably wouldn't even really need that.
As for the muffler, I figured that out pretty quick when it wouldn't budge. I just figured I didn't need to get the muffler off so bad that it was worth busting a fin off in the process. Definitely would have been the less intelligent way to go.

If you are using an impact, I would NOT use any kind of stop. Leave the spark plug in and let the impact work against the compression.

 

[Mattyo]

Husqvarna 372xp xtorq dismantling, modding, assembly part 3:

Using an impact...use nylon rope for a piston stop

 

[TreeTangler]

I'm not going to tell you not to use the impact, but I have seen the results of this ending badly many times over from customers. Sometimes patience and the right tools are worth their weight in gold. Soak it in a good penetrating oil repeatedly for a couple of days. Use or make a good clutch removal tool and use strong steady force. It is usually not good or necessary to use sharp jolts and quick force. If you have the ability to apply some heat directly to the center of the clutch, that could also aid you in getting it off.

Now after that lecture telling you to do it correctly, I do prefer a large rope as opposed to a piston stop.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

What is the problem with using an impact gun?

 

[TreeTangler]

What is the problem with using an impact gun?

Sudden hard jarring impacts. Broken piston skirts are a common failure resulting in this.