An option to removing the clutch nut yourself (low cost)
This was a great install diagram with sweet pictures to boot. Everything went flawlessly except for the removal my clutch fan. If you're having the same issues as I am, try cutting it off.
Don’t pull it off, or have someone else pull it off. For me it was too much trouble.
First the Troubles:
After I removed the shroud, condenser fan, and serpentine belt, I got ready to take it off myself. I put a strap wrench around the water pump pulley, propped the handle on the pulley above it with a zip tie, grabbed a big 36 or 37 mm wrench, slipped under the truck and preceded to bench press the suspension of the truck up and down. After about 30 seconds of that I ended up snapping my strap on my strap wrench. Resisting the urge to beat a hole in the bottom of my oil pan with a wrench for trashing a good tool, I slid out from under my truck, grabbed an ice cold beverage from the fridge, relaxed for a second and came back at it with a cool head. I opted not to take the clutch off, and said I’ll just get the dealership to do it. I proceeded to install the E-Fan with the Clutch fan still in it. It took about 8 minutes. I drove up to the dealership, double fans and all, and requested that they take off the now useless clutch fan. Of course he gave me the old “I’d better check with my manager about this one” line, but I expected this much so I waited, and waited, and waited some more. Being me, expecting the task to be done by now after 45 minutes. The shop manager then finally steps into the waiting room and say's that he can’t do it. He said that “it’s an integral part of the engine, and we don’t want to void your warranty”. So I started off hoping that I could use reason and logic to make him understand, but he had no part of it, someone must have injected him with estrogen because I couldn’t get it threw his head that the part no longer serves any purpose and needs to be removed. So I walked away time and gas wasted, and started off by calling the other dealerships to save me the disappointment, and gas money. Three responded with “we don’t feel comfortable with that” and one woman refused to let me talk to the manager, and said she doesn’t know when he’ll be back in (Probably thought I was crazy).
Now the Solution:
So I’m standing there looking at the mechanical fan, fully frustrated, when my stubborn nature decides to cut that ******* off with a saw. It’s easier and quicker than it seems. Grab a Sawzall and a long metal cutting blade easily found at Home Depot ($12 Bucks) take the plastic fan blade off and slide it up against the pulley. If you look down you will see the big clutch nut is actually a solid aluminum shaft that gets skinner towards the clutch. Use the body of the clutch as a blade guide, and count to 10. Thud the front clutch is on the ground. To make it all perty-fied, or “custom”, take a metal file to the tip of the aluminum shaft and round it off until it looks like a giant lug nut. I could have saved myself a lot of time and hassle if I knew this solution (my poor strap wrench).
