Tool and procedure for alternator removal

[jlovaas]

Hi all- trying to make sense of the instructions for removing the fan belt on a Type 1 engine, and am thoroughly puzzled.

“stick a screwdriver in the slot and brace it against one of the through bolts”

I worked professionally as a motorcycle mechanic for 7 years, and don’t own a screwdriver thin enough and long enough to a) fit in the slot and b) engage with any bolts- the “through bolts” are outside and forward of the pulley.

I used old drill bits for applications like this, but I don’t own a drill bit small enough to fit in that slot.

If you recognize the style of pulley in the phot, I would appreciate a description of the screwdriver you use on this pulley, and what, precisely, you brace the screwdriver against.

I see a 44 ft/lb nut, and the only way to remove it is to brace a stamped soft metal pulley with a tool so thin it will bend, break, or damage the component- there’s something wrong with me, the procedure description, or the automotive engineers who spec’ed the pulley and alternator.

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1969 tintop Westy

[airschooled]

The manual only applies to Volkswagen parts.

That alternator and pulley are…. not.

Instead of the through bolts you’ll be using the alternator case. Any square shaft flathead will work, because you’ll hold everything carefully and perfectly angled and secure.

Rotate your pulley a few degrees clockwise and the slot will be in a usable spot compared to the case structure.

Some alternators even have a tab on their casing for this, around the 12:00 position but the people that thought of that have been dead for decades so yours is probably missing.

If you wrenched that long you probably have an impact to remove the pulley bolt ez-pz. Then you can get creative on installation, or search eBay for a good used VW pulley. I thought the new CB pulleys were good but reading more on here makes me feel otherwise.

Robbie
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WTB: 215mm Type 4 flywheel. Cash in hand.

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[airschooled]

duplicate post
_________________
WTB: 215mm Type 4 flywheel. Cash in hand.

One-on-one tech help for your vintage Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com

Road trip reports and tech blog:
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[jlovaas]

[busdaddy]

[jlovaas]

[kreemoweet]

The "through bolts" thing was applicable to the VW generators, those instructions needed to be updated for the alternators that replaced them. All of the alternators VW supplied for their beetles and etc. (and all Bosch aftermarket alts I've seen) had a tab at the top of the alt casing whose only purpose was to jam your screwdriver tip against when tightening the pulley nut. This traditional method mostly worked, but was not very satisfactory. The VW steel pulleys held up fine to this treatment, but the cast iron front pulley halves used on early bay bus generators had a tendency to chip around the notch. Using a hooked spanner instead is much nicer, but AFAIK you'll have to make your own to fit the pulley.

[Abscate]

Heavy leather glove and an impact and that nut is off in 3.14 seconds. The right tool there
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[KTPhil]

THis might work:
https://www.csp-shop.com/en/electric/pulley-tool-generatoralternator-012-903-100-30621c.html

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Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback

[busdaddy]

Any strap wrench, chain wrench or even some oil filter tools will also work.
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[jlovaas]

[jlovaas]

[jlovaas]