I'm replacing the w/p on my 98 blazer today. What is the easiest way to remove the large nut retaining the fan/clutch assembly?

Thanks

Eric

 

Buy, borrow,or rent, the tool that's designed for it. I changed my water pump a month ago and tried to do it without the tool. I ended up knocking a good sized chunk out of my knuckle and it still wouldn't come loose. I ended up borrowing the tool from guy who owns a shop next to me and it came off pretty easily.

 

Hey! Another way to do that job without the special tool is to remove the pump with the fan still attached,then use a "strap wrench" ( a tool used in irrigation and other piping systems ) worked like a charm for me...

 

Last time I did it was with a strap wrench on the water pump pulley.

 

All I had to do was hold the pulley in place by putting a 13mm box-end wrench on one of the four pulley bolts, and then spin the large fan clutch nut loose with a large adjustable wrench. No problems.

Didn't work the same way for putting it back on, though.