DIY fan clutch tool

[whiskychaser]

Why make one:
1.Yes you can put your 32mm spanner on and take a swing, but its literally hit and miss. Stat housing and fan shroud have both had close shaves
2.You cant buy them in the UK. I understand even if you have the part number (88 88 6 115 030) BMW wont sell you one.
3.OK you could order one from the states but postage alone will be about £25and the even the advertisers say they break easily!
What you need:
30mm x 4mm thick steel bar. Any thicker and you may snag the big nut you are trying to loosen. You can buy it at B&Q but I had a couple of feet left over from another job
11mm hss drill bit
Tippex or paint
Cardboard for template
Blue-tak or plastecine
Old grinding stones/fan grinder
Method:
Take your strip of blue-tak and make an impression of the waterpump bolt heads and the edge of the big nut. Paint the face of the impression and press it onto a piece of cardboard. Bit like potato printing. Cut out the holes where the bolt heads go and the curve of the nut. Check the template really fits the pulley. Using the marker pen, draw the outline of the bolt holes and curve on the steel bar. Drill the 11mm holes and use grindstones or fan grinder to cut out the shape of the nut head. To finish off I sprayed a bit of old paint on the business end and wound some insulation tape round the 'handle'.
Notes:
The pulley bolts are 10mm - hence the 11mm drill.
The pulley bolts are not evenly spaced-I used the two with the 'big' gap so I could get the curve of the nut in more easily
Here's the finished article:

[BigKriss]

Can you show up pictures of this?

[whiskychaser]

Can you show up pictures of this?

Binned the blue tak and template when I was finished. But I will get some more and make a fresh one. Dont expect art gallery standard but I think the end result looks ok and certainly works fine. Post pics soon as I can

[BigKriss]

1

[Jeff N.]

32 (or is it 36mm) bicycle cone wrench. Available on e-bay for $5.

[whiskychaser]

32 (or is it 36mm) bicycle cone wrench. Available on e-bay for $5.

The 'big nut' on mine is 32mm. I think they use the spanner I have to tighten the bolts on railway lines Couldnt find bicycle cone wrench on ebay. Off to sunny Spain late tonight so post when I get back. And if burglars have been when I get back I know who sent them

[Vanguard]

I used an 1 1/4" SAE Wrench and the handle of a hammer wedged into the belt. Easy enough as long as you remember the threads are left hand.

[Dash01]

adjustable wrench or big channel lock pliers work fine.

[BigKriss]

I use a 32mm spanner but it needs to be machined down about 2mm to fit in just right. It seems to tight right now but it does work.

[Rus]

On my new Behr fan clutch the hex nut is long enough that I can use an unmodified 32mm wrench (Craftsman) on it. My previous clutch was a Sachs and had a shorter nut. Just my $.02