OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Honda Engines Honda GV400 - disassembly of end bearing off crank

Hi,

Have an old GV400 on an old Deutch (spelling?) mower.
Ripped it out of the mower, and am now trying to split the crank shaft.
(rings are knackered)
However, this is as far as I get. I have no idea on how to remove what looks like a solid circlip ring thing holding the end roller bearing in place on the crank, and is holding the lower pulley arrangement in place also.

Have googles and downloaded the manual for the GV400 engine. And unfortunately there is nothing within stating this - so can only assume it is an add-on part for these mowers.

Would any gurus have any pointers or clues as to how to go about removing this locking ring thing, or a method of disassembly? Anything would be greatly appreciated.
...And yes, I could just cut this locking ring circlip thing with an angle grinder, but prefer not to do - well, not just yet anyway.

If it is a "one time only" locking ring, am happy to cut it.

Pics:

The pulley and retainer are Deutscher parts, Bushie, Honda had nothing to do with them. I think you need to look in the machine's manual, or perhaps some other Deutscher owner who's been there before, will chip in and help. The GV400 crankshaft is not that long and does not end in a spline, so the entire pulley and shaft extension have to be pulled off the engine's crankshaft. Look for grub screws, particularly in the bottom of the pulley grooves.

Looks to me like a std retaining collar, similar to an axle bearing retainer. If no screws can be found on the lower pulley shaft, then Id say the pulley unit slips over the shaft, then held in place by an interference fit retainer.....But as grumpy says check with someone in the know. If it is the retainer, then it will have to be heated and/or chiselled off...But again, please get confirmation before trying to remove it, as we dont want damage to the shaft, or YOU:)

Blue, halfway through the double pulley the crankshaft extension ends. The splined part that protrudes only goes in that far, and there seems no reason to ever remove it, so it is likely to be a heavy press fit in the pulley, and the pulley and splined shaft extension is probably only sold as an assembly. The retainer would then only be holding that ballrace in place, so there is no reason to remove it at present. I agree the retainer is probably a light press fit, like the rear axle shaft bearing retainers you referred to.

Incidentally Blue, you being an HT afficionado, I take it you are aware of what caused the failure of the last surviving couple of HK rally cars in the London to Sydney rally? The car body and suspension were reinforced so they could stand all the fly-and-fall activity, but the rear axle shafts were only retained by those standard pressed and staked rings, so when the axle shafts flexed on landing after each flight, the flexing made the retainers gradually wriggle off, allowing the axle shafts to move through the bearings, which increased their overhang, until the shafts fatigued and broke. As usual, a sixpenny part let down a whole race-team. It was a very long time ago, but from memory they had a large US-built Salisbury axle in those cars, and because it was intended for a rather heavy car, the engineers just believed it would be up to the job. No really harsh development testing, so the engineers didn't understand in detail how the cars would be driven.

Awesomeo fella's !! (Where is the thumbs up and thanks buttons?)
Thats pretty much all I wanted to know...
I just assumed ,of course, that it was a special made engine with a longer than normal crank shaft.

All good. I'll go and have a tinker.

Cheers heaps.

I'm expecting there will be something like a couple of grubscrews in the bottom of the pulleys, Bushy. Once you find them it will be easy except that of course you won't be able to use a gear puller, because you'd be pulling and pushing against the same part. Be sure and use Penetrene, with hours of soak time - preferably with several applications. Then hopefully you'll be able to get it off with a pair of levers against the crankcase - but put some plywood in between the levers and the crankcase, of course. If you have to use a slide hammer, and it is hard to get off, you may damage the lower bearing flange inside the crankcase.