Impact on Flywheel Nuts: Risk?

[ChillyB]

Harley cranks are three pieces. It’s not advised to use an impact on them because one can knock the left and right sides out of time. Is that true of chainsaw cranks, too? I just gunned off my Husqvarna 350 flywheel nut, then immediately wondered if that was smart.

 

[HarleyT]

All I use is an impact drill driver, an air impact if needed. I have not messed up one yet.
You will however see hundreds of threads on here of guys trying to remove the clutch or flywheel, and following some of the bad advice here, damage their saw.
Do not use a piston block, or you will do damage.

 

[Chevboy0167]

Spot on HarleyT. Removal I use cordless 3/8 drive with spark plug out. If really stubborn, I grab the 3/8 Snap On air.

When installing/assembling, sometimes use the cordless on low setting on cheaper homeowner saws. Bigger pro saws I use the pull start rope down the plug hole trick for a piston stop and torque the nut.

I will also add 1 drop of blue Loctite to the threads before tightening anything down.

 

[jolj]

Impact is like good whiskey, all n moderation.
I used impact on a 1995 Nissan truck, no problems.

 

[BrettS]

I use my impact to take the flywheel nut off, fill the cyl with rope and use my torque wrench when putting the nut back on. On some saws I will fill the cylinder with rope and impact the clutch back on, no problems yet.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

yep you’re fine. I use my Milwaukee impact wrench and impact driver on every nut and bolt I can get them on. I’ll only turn sockets and screw drivers by hand if I really have to.

 

[camel2019]

My buddy used an impact to take the flywheel nut off a homelite super2 and it was left with basically no threads he payed $10 for the saw he threaded the nut on tight as he could and tack welded it on now he has a running top handle for small stuff.

 

[ericm979]

Remember that some have left hand threads

 

[9050lx]

Rattling a nut off by impact (IR 231 oughta do it) seems less stressful than the prolonged torque required to manually break a nut loose.Not to mention trying to stop your flying knuckles crashing into sharp objects.

 

[KASH]

I remove nuts with an impact but hand tools for tigtening on anything less than 1/2 inch.Learned my lesson on several occasions when the bolt snapped.
Kash

 

[motorhead99999]

I take them off and put them on lightly with the impact but if you aren’t familiar with your impact don’t do it. Iv never heard of not using a impact on a Harley crank. 99 percent of the time a impact is less likely to screw stuff up in a situation like that

 

[farmguywithasaw]

I snapped a crank with one and I was not being rough with it either

 

[rocketnorton]

i impact hd [and saw] stuff all the time
dont need much holdin back for impact to do its job
no piston stops or rope used here
hd clutch hubs are just hand held while doin so
3pc hd cranks are bit of a joke to begin with - not rebuildable
seen few tweaked from ridin, not impactin

 

[BrettS]

I snapped a crank with one and I was not being rough with it either

Imagine what would have happened if the crank broke while in operation....

 

[SweetMK]

yep you’re fine. I use my Milwaukee impact wrench and impact driver on every nut and bolt I can get them on. I’ll only turn sockets and screw drivers by hand if I really have to.

+1 for using a Milwaukee impact driver for almost everything.
I ended up cleaning out one tool drawer and only keeping 1/4" hex tools that fit the impact driver in that drawer.

I have a Milwaukee 1/2" drive impact wrench, but, it is seldom needed,,
the impact driver can do almost everything I want, as far as turning fasteners.

As far as tightening, you have to use some caution, especially on small fasteners,,
one impact driver has especially nice control on tightening,, it seems to vary with the length of time it is tightening.

I do not know how my wrists survived, when I had to hand crank ratchets,,