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Hey everyone. In the process of trying to get my hub off to do a front cover reseal.
I did a bunch of research beforehand and decided to go with the all thread route.
I bought some grade 8 7/16-20 all thread, and cut a section out. I threaded this into the crank until it bottomed out and then installed my puller. As I was cranking on the jack screw, the engine was turning over so I counteracted that the best I could with my other arm using a pry bar against the flywheel. This worked until I really couldn't turn the jack screw any longer while holding the flywheel all by myself.
It doesn't appear the hub has moved and the ears have slightly deformed. I took everything apart to see what happened and all I can tell is that the jack screw must have turned the rod all the way into the crank - downside is I have no clue how much torque was applied while I was trying to remove the hub.
Any tips? The all thread is really tight into the crank now, so that needs to stay until the hub is off. I'm sure I'll be able to get it out of the crank once the hub is out of the way. Should I keep trying to tighten it further to get the hub off?
You really need the correct puller. For whatever ds reason Chevrolet decided not to locate the 3 bolts in the hub 120 degrees apart . Because they aren't the standard puller and hub bind on crank snout as bolt is tightened.
Hi - I'm working on my LT4, too. I just got my hub off tonight. I had bought a hub puller from Harbor Freight but I was also watching eBay for the right Kent Moore puller - J-39046. There is a seller on eBay with the plates, which is probably the most important part as @Kevova referenced. It has the correct spacing. It made short work of getting the hub off. I don't know if your force screw will work on this plate, but it's worth having the right puller for this job. They are expensive, but sometimes you can find a deal. A complete kit went for $180 a few weeks ago, so you have to be ready to buy and set alerts to find them. Some of them go much higher, though.
I'm down to the timing cover. It's loose, but now I need to take the oil pan off to release the bottom of the timing cover. I made some good progress today after struggling to get the pulley out - tried jacking the engine up via oil pan... of course the whole engine moved with both mount nuts removed - then tried via one mount bolt directly and that got it. So much easier to work with the pulley removed, and there was no way the hub was coming off with the pulley in that small space, at least not for me!
Hi - I'm working on my LT4, too. I just got my hub off tonight. I had bought a hub puller from Harbor Freight but I was also watching eBay for the right Kent Moore puller - J-39046. There is a seller on eBay with the plates, which is probably the most important part as @Kevova referenced. It has the correct spacing. It made short work of getting the hub off. I don't know if your force screw will work on this plate, but it's worth having the right puller for this job. They are expensive, but sometimes you can find a deal. A complete kit went for $180 a few weeks ago, so you have to be ready to buy and set alerts to find them. Some of them go much higher, though.
I'm down to the timing cover. It's loose, but now I need to take the oil pan off to release the bottom of the timing cover. I made some good progress today after struggling to get the pulley out - tried jacking the engine up via oil pan... of course the whole engine moved with both mount nuts removed - then tried via one mount bolt directly and that got it. So much easier to work with the pulley removed, and there was no way the hub was coming off with the pulley in that small space, at least not for me!
Good luck!
Mike
Hey Mike! I have looked into the KM tool, the one I had my eye on seemed to be missing the large screw. Did you use the Maddox puller with the very robust looking plate? That’s going to be my next move. You used that with no issue?
as far as the oil pan, I actually removed that before trying to get the hub off. Reason being, you don’t have to lift the engine as long as the crank is in the right position so the counterweight in the front is not in the down position. I wanted to be able to turn the engine over to get it to clear, so I left the hub on so I could do that and keep track of the TDC marking. With cyl 1 at TDC the oil pan came right out, zero issues!
Hey Mike! I have looked into the KM tool, the one I had my eye on seemed to be missing the large screw. Did you use the Maddox puller with the very robust looking plate? That’s going to be my next move. You used that with no issue?
as far as the oil pan, I actually removed that before trying to get the hub off. Reason being, you don’t have to lift the engine as long as the crank is in the right position so the counterweight in the front is not in the down position. I wanted to be able to turn the engine over to get it to clear, so I left the hub on so I could do that and keep track of the TDC marking. With cyl 1 at TDC the oil pan came right out, zero issues!
Hi - sorry, I reread what I wrote, and I wasn't clear. I did get one of the Kent Moore pullers. Made the job very easy once I did it correctly. I had bought the Harbor Freight puller but then found a decent deal (not great) on the Kent Moore puller and decided to go that route.
I worked on the oil pan most of this afternoon and I'm stuck. No issues in the front as the timing cover is off and clear (and oil pan gasket destroyed there), the problem is the studs in the back in front of the flywheel cover. So... let's try to get the flywheel cover off. I think there is a fifth bolt behind the starter. So let's get the starter off. Nope, there's a very difficult bolt inaccessible due to the exhaust. Let's take the exhaust off... done for the day
I'd LOVE to know the secret if you can get that oil pan off without removing all of that. I am going to look for a tool to remove the studs in the back of the oil pan. Also need to remove the oil pickup.
<Edit> Some other threads mention raising the engine is helpful to remove the pan, so either raise via pan and support via block of wood, and/or raise by transmission. That's how I got my pulley out. Guess I'll try that again when I get back to it. But after being under there all afternoon, I'm still not really able to envision how that works. The back is stuck on the flywheel cover, and that all raises up together. Interested in how you removed yours. Thanks. </Edit>
<Edit 2> Maybe those studs with the torx end come off? That’s the next attempt. </Edit 2>
Hi - sorry, I reread what I wrote, and I wasn't clear. I did get one of the Kent Moore pullers. Made the job very easy once I did it correctly. I had bought the Harbor Freight puller but then found a decent deal (not great) on the Kent Moore puller and decided to go that route.
I worked on the oil pan most of this afternoon and I'm stuck. No issues in the front as the timing cover is off and clear (and oil pan gasket destroyed there), the problem is the studs in the back in front of the flywheel cover. So... let's try to get the flywheel cover off. I think there is a fifth bolt behind the starter. So let's get the starter off. Nope, there's a very difficult bolt inaccessible due to the exhaust. Let's take the exhaust off... done for the day
I'd LOVE to know the secret if you can get that oil pan off without removing all of that. I am going to look for a tool to remove the studs in the back of the oil pan. Also need to remove the oil pickup.
<Edit> Some other threads mention raising the engine is helpful to remove the pan, so either raise via pan and support via block of wood, and/or raise by transmission. That's how I got my pulley out. Guess I'll try that again when I get back to it. But after being under there all afternoon, I'm still not really able to envision how that works. The back is stuck on the flywheel cover, and that all raises up together. Interested in how you removed yours. Thanks. </Edit>
<Edit 2> Maybe those studs with the torx end come off? That’s the next attempt. </Edit 2>
Mike
Hey Mike. I will try the HF puller since the threaded rod I have is now very tight into the crank snout with no way to remove it until the hub comes off....if I can get the hub past the threaded rod and out of the car that is....hoping I don't have to yank the motor due to my idiocy.
In order to remove the oil pan, I removed the starter, oil level sensor, and the inspection plate between the engine and the bellhousing. All bolts were reasonably accessible and it basically slid right out! I did not have to touch the elevation of the engine, so you likely won't have to do that.
Hey Mike. I will try the HF puller since the threaded rod I have is now very tight into the crank snout with no way to remove it until the hub comes off....if I can get the hub past the threaded rod and out of the car that is....hoping I don't have to yank the motor due to my idiocy.
In order to remove the oil pan, I removed the starter, oil level sensor, and the inspection plate between the engine and the bellhousing. All bolts were reasonably accessible and it basically slid right out! I did not have to touch the elevation of the engine, so you likely won't have to do that.
Thanks! Yeah my hiccup here is the starter. Can't get to the side bolt. I’ll keep messing with that. Don’t want to have to remove exhaust and heat shield too.
Alternatively I picked up a socket set to see if those studs will turn on the back of the oil pan. Not sure if those come out or not. (Edit - it turns… will continue on that, too).
LT4 Crank Hub Help
