Replacing clutch fan

[fireball440]

I want to change out the clutch fan. It is original on my 1977 Apollo M-500 chassis. It looks like I have about2-3 inches of clearance from the front of the fan to the radiator.  It looks like 4 or 5 bolts hold the fan and clutch assembly.  How do I remove the assembly?


I called an rv shop but they want three to four hundred dollars! That seem way out of line. I ordered a Chassis Manual and the only reference to the fan is in the removal of the water pump. The Manual states...remove fan clutch.. great, how do I do that. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks....Rhio...

[ClydesdaleKevin]

When I replaced the fan clutch in the Ark, in order to have enough clearance to pull out the fan...and then the clutch...I had to loosen all the radiator bolts, disconnect the upper radiator hose, remove the upper radiator bolts, and pivot the radiator forward enough so I had room to remove the fan.

The Ark had a 413 engine, but I believe the proceedure is similar for 440s, so this is what you have to do in order:

Pivot your radiator forward as described above.

Loosen and remove all the belts that go to the water pump pulley.

Loosen and remove the bolts that hold the fan to the fan clutch...I think there are 4 of them...it was a toss-up as to which position was easier to get to them-under the rig in the wheel wells, or from the doghouse from inside the rig.  Remove the fan carefully so you don't bend and bang it all up.

Once the fan is out of the way, you'll have a lot more room to work.  Now find the bolts that anchor the fan clutch to the water pump...again I think it is 4...and remove them.  The fan clutch will now come out easily.  You have to move it forward off the water pump shaft.

Done! 

When you get a new fan clutch, find one that is heavy duty and is both centifugal AND thermostatic.  It will keep your engine a lot cooler and function a lot better than stock.

If your water pump has a grease fitting, grease the heck out of it now until clean grease starts to pour out of the relief hole on the bottom.  This is something you should grease every time you grease your rig.  If your water pump doesn't have a grease fitting, then down the road when you go to replace it, try to find one that does have a grease fitting.

Because your rig is newer than ours was and has a 440, there might be other things you have to remove or loosen to get the fan out, like a fan shroud or wires or whatnot...but you only have to move the radiator about an inch or two forward to get the fan out without hitting your radiator fins.

Hope that helps!

Kev

[DanielTBolger]

There are four bolts on the water pump pulley that holds the clutch fan.  Usually, you take the fan shroud loose and wiggle the fan out with the clutch.  On RV some time it's easer to drop them out from the bottom.  Also, u might have to take hose off and the AC pump loose to get room to get it out from the top the fan hole to the clutch by four bolts also.  Just figure out which way the easy route out.

[Elandan2]

I changed mine out on our trip to Ontario this past summer.  It locked up and I couldn't stand the noise from the fan.  On our rig, it came off with the fan quite easily, over the top of the engine; after I moved the A/C compressor!  Doing it in a parking lot in Saskatoon, I didn't want to get into removing all the plumbing underneath.  All told, including the wait for the part to be delivered from another store, we were only delayed three hours.  Rick

[weretrees]

Just replaced water pump and cooling fan. Tilted forward as you said. It looks to me I would have to do this to change the belts too. The clutch and fan, run so close to the radiator core that I wouldnt be able to get the belts off. Normal?