I took the crank pulley and front hub off and now put it back on. We've tried the chain and 3/4'' drive 3' long breaker bar. Tightened it till I thought I was gonna break the bolt off.It will NOT pull in tight. Any ideas or tricks you guys now.

 

what do you mean it wont pull it tight? How far is the pulley from the timing cover? is it leaking oil from around the bolt? Did you replace the front seal? more details please.

 

yes new front seal. I cant tell for sure how far its sticking out. maybe 1/8''.just enough so when the car warms up and oil thins down it slings it all over.

 

You can try putting it in the oven.

 

Thats a good idea. I was thinking about heating it up with a torch but i've ruined front seals getting it to hot.

 

Was there any groove or imperfections on the hub where the seal rides?

 

Nothing I noticed. We cleaned it up and it looked to be in good shape.

 

We're gonna pull it back off make sure the seal ain't all F'd up and clean it good maybe some fine sand paper and throw it in the over.

 

did you have it clocked right to where the key in the crank can just start to engage??

 

I have no idea what your talking about. Is there a certian way it goes and would make it stick out a 1/8'' if wrong?

 

No keys in ours, it's not a harmonic balancer, even if our cranks ARE keyable.

Try stuffing the hub in the freezer overnight and try it again tomorrow. Just don't go beating it with a hammer as the metal will be a bit brittle and could crack.

 

putting it in the freezer will contract it and make it damn near impossible to put on so I would avoid doing that. AS for the key i know that the snout itself doesn't have a key but I am trying to remember, the crank gear and the reluctor are installed using a key. I thought that is the crank gear was seated all the way with the reluctor installed the key stuck out just a little bit and there was a relief in the snout to allow for this. If not than you don't have your crank gear on all the way and that is holding you up.

 

Well I can't remember if we put the balancer in the freezer or the repair sleeve in the freezer. All I know is, what ever we did put in there and installed, it went on easy as hell compared to being a pain in the *** the day before :\

 

Freezing the hub will make it even harder to get on. Physics tells you that cold contracts, heat expands.

If it still won't fit, you can use some fine-grit sandpaper on the inside of the hub if you need to. If you go this route, I recommend you have it keyed as sanding the inside makes the hub more prone to spinning.

 

Is this the same hub that came off the car originally? Easiest way is to heat it up and use the correct installer. Some people knock it on and then use a regular SBC installer while others use a threaded rod with a nut and thrust washer to put it on. Either way you shouldn't use the bolt to push the hub on because it can break.

 

Very true, except when it comes to water as it expands greatly when it freezes

Heat the bitch up then! I don't think I'd use the oven though, I'd still recommend a torch on the inner part of the hub that slides around the crank shaft.

 

Except we're not talking about water.

The oven is an alternative to those who don't have a torch.

 

The oven would be a better bet. That way the thing is heated evenly throughout. Put it in the over at 250* for 10-15 min. I have done this in the past for ABS reluctor rings that go on the differential carrier. I'm sure it would work fine on the crank hub.

 

we did get a pulley installer but it would not reach the threads in the crank because the hub has the washer piece in it and the pulley installer wont reach the crank threads im gonna try the oven trick tomorrow if i can get the dam thing back off lol im about an hours worth of work away from my car being done so i hope i can get it on. does any company make one that doesnt press on one that just has a key you can put in after the hub is on?

 

That's why I said heat it up and knock it part way on and then use an installer instead of using the stock bolt to pull it on. You can always get a longer length of threaded rod and then use your installers nut and thrust washer. Also all LT1 hubs aren't he same, some are longer than others that's why I asked if it's the hub that came off the car originally.