Homelite EZ clutch

[HUSKYMAN]

Homelite studs, I need help with my little blue EZ. I am trying to remove the clutch from one saw and put it on my running saw. There must be some special tool Homelite uses to spin the clutch off the shaft is all I can figure.

I also have a clutch off a red Super EZ. Can I use this clutch on the blue one? I think the blue one has a slightly smaller engine, 2.1 ci I think. I already switched the carb as they both has the same type of carburetor.

Thanks

 

[John in MA]

Homelite clutches usually use a three or two pin spanner wrench to take 'em off. I don't have either one, so I stick a junk screwdriver in one of the holes and hit it with an air chisel. No problems so far. Remember, it's a left hand thread. Some PB Blaster and heat will help it off, too.

Can't help with interchangeability.

 

[Walt Galer]

Howdy,

I used to do these old Homelite clutches with a pair of special tools I made. You took a piece of round stock and cut it off 1/2" thick and drilled holes in it to press in two or three dowel pins in the correct locations to match the Homelite clutch plate. A chunk of hex stock was then welded on to fit it up to a 5/8 socket on an electric impact wrench. We called it a two prong or three prong sticker!

The screwdriver trick eats of the soft backing plate on the clutch, but will work.

Be careful of substitutions on Homelite clutches. There is a real mess here since Homelite would run till they ran out of a certain crankshaft in production, and then use another perhaps with a different thread. Clutches also were various designs, often on a given model series. You can get some real surprises, even trying to replace sprockets.

Regards,
Walt Galer

 

[John in MA]

That's a good idea about the impact spanner. I just made myself a flywheel puller yesterday, so I'll have to give your contraption a shot next.

As far as damaging the clutch with the screwdriver, I can't see any damage. I took off a VI-123 cltuch two days ago and you can't tell it isn't new.

 

[Walt Galer]

Howdy John in MA

Yep, some of those Homelite clutch plates were a powder metal, that was hard. Indeed it won't damage, but may shatter! If I remember correctly the 123 had a powdermetal plate, that also included the 3 U shaped recesses for the clutch coil springs on it's backside. Also powdermetal clutch shoes.

Regards,
Walt Galer