Hey guys,

My AC bearings fried up a few months back and since then I have been running a smaller belt and bypassed the AC compressor. I'd really hate to have to swap out the entire compressor, pay all that money, and have to get the system recharged if I don't have to.

I already pulled off the old bearing/clutch with a flathead screwdriver to see how bad it was...but I was going to get a junkyard compressor and just swap the clutches.

Does anyone have a method that will work without damaging the clutch? Or does anyone know of a type of shop that would be able to do something like this?

Thanks,
Matt

 

Hey Matt,

You can use a steering wheel puller to pull that clutch off. You can't really replace the clutch, unless you can find one on a scrapped max someplace. Then it's just the same issue taking that one off. It can be done, did mine. You'll have to rig it up a bit, but it's possible. Hope this helps!

 

Ok can we get some guidance on how to use the puller to remove the compressor clutch plate without warping or bending it?? This is what makes this job very difficult. Once that disc is bent, the compressor is done for.

 

Thats a good idea...I never thought of that. I'll have to get under the car tomorrow and snap a picture. I took the bearings out in March and I don't remember if I took the clutch out too but I was just planning on swapping in another assembly from another compressor.

Well the compressor isn't done for, per se, just the pulley. This is what I am trying to avoid because it seems foolish for me to spend hundreds of dollars to replace the compressor and pay to get the system recharged.

 

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...u=00960569000P

This is a similar tool to what I used, if not the same thing in a different color. The key is to slip the two threaded bolts into the holes on the compressor. Leave the center lock bolt in the compressor, but very loose. You need to center the puller on that bolt with the center of the puller. As you tighten the center of the puller, it will draw the clutch off via the two bolts you screwed into it. It's not the easiest thing in the world to do, but it can be done. Didn't bend the clutch at all when I did it. There's a locking ring behind the clutch, between the pulley and clutch. Pop that ring off, the pulley comes right off, bearing sits behind the pulley.


Hope this elaborates a bit! G'luck~!~

quick edit: You might try working a little at a time, you may need to move one of the bolts in the clutch to the 3rd spot and work it some more, back and forth a bit, just be patient and it will work.

 

99BlackMax - just to clarify your situation, do you already have the old clutch & pulley (with bearing) off the old compressor? if so, did you damage it with the screwdriver? if it's not damaged you can just take the pulley to any shop and have them press out the old bearing and press in a new one. just make sure you buy the right bearing. i've done this and it's a piece of cake.

if your old clutch or pulley is stuck on the old compressor, then you have a more difficult challenge. pullers are the only way to get it off.

you also mentioned buying a junkyard compressor to reuse the clutch - why would you need to do that?

 

Thanks for the link, I'll definitey give this a shot, rather than spending all that money to just get a new compressor.



I pried my old stuff off with a screwdriver and did this several months ago. I didn't save anything because I did hack it pretty good getting it off.

I am going to use a junkyard compressor (as long as the bearings don't make noise) to get the necessary parts to get the pulley spinning again.

 

Keep us posted on the results. This sounds pretty interested as a cost effective solution to a potentially expensive fix.

I know it must be mad cramped too lol

 

You should still have the bearing replaced, most shops would do it for ~$20 or so and the bearing you can get a variaty of places for cheap! If you're gonna go through all the trouble, do it right so you don't have this issue in 6 months (or less possibly). With the compressor off the car, it's not as difficult, but you might wanna mount that compressor to something while pulling the clutch asbly off, will make it much much easier.

Not too bad actually, the compressor sits low enough, you can reach right through the wheel well (tons of room if you pull the tire). Aslo, if it's off the car and he's pulling it, well ... lots of room.


Please do keep us posted, I hope it goes ok for ya! You can 'borrow' tools from most autoparts places (might be a small deposite, but I always get it back in full). That would save you having to spend $$$ on the puller.