Hi I need to get the fly wheel of my old briggs rotary hoe as I have ignition trouble. It is not bolted on and appears to be pressed on. How do I go about getting it off? Does the whole motor need to come apart? Or once I get the starter mechanism off is it just a matter of using a heavy duty puller. Then though how do you get it to go back on tight?
Kindest regards Anthony

Look at Parts & Accessories | Shop & Find Lawn & Garden, Appliance Parts at Sears PartsDirect | SearsPartsDirect.com or Home - Briggs & Stratton for diagrams. For briggs engines the model and type are usually stamped (difficult to read on the blower housing).

Once the retaining bolt is removed, the flywheel will appear STUCK. It is. It has a sheer key to protect the engine against hitting stuff and it sits on a cone, so a little pressure makes a really tight fit.

I'm going to recommend a flywheel puller, since you never had one off. There should be a couple of stategicly placed holes that a bolt is inserted in and the flywheel puller gently lifts the flywheel straight up. To re-install you insert the key, place the flywheel properly on the key and tighten whatever retains it on the crankshaft.

Harmonic balancer pulleys on cars MUST be pulled off. That retaining bolt is like 120 ft-lbs. Really tight. In a lawn mower it's aluminum and polished steel. The aluminum deforms slightly making it tight, but no where 120 ft-lbs tight.

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Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

Look at Parts & Accessories | Shop & Find Lawn & Garden, Appliance Parts at Sears PartsDirect | SearsPartsDirect.com or Home - Briggs & Stratton for diagrams. For briggs engines the model and type are usually stamped (difficult to read on the blower housing).

Once the retaining bolt is removed, the flywheel will appear STUCK. It is. It has a sheer key to protect the engine against hitting stuff and it sits on a cone, so a little pressure makes a really tight fit.

I'm going to recommend a flywheel puller, since you never had one off. There should be a couple of stategicly placed holes that a bolt is inserted in and the flywheel puller gently lifts the flywheel straight up. To re-install you insert the key, place the flywheel properly on the key and tighten whatever retains it on the crankshaft.

Harmonic balancer pulleys on cars MUST be pulled off. That retaining bolt is like 120 ft-lbs. Really tight. In a lawn mower it's aluminum and polished steel. The aluminum deforms slightly making it tight, but no where 120 ft-lbs tight.

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Tankyou. It appears that there is no retaining bolt. It is a really old white briggs engine. I can get the little ball bearing starter mechanism off. However once that is off all I can see is a thin chrome shaft approx 13mm diameter in the middle of the shaft is an internal taper that looks like you could use it with a 3 jaw puller the taper is here you could put the pointy thread end into for the puller. Could the bolt be hidden somewhere. Or is it possible that it is a really tight press fit. Or Could it be underneath the ball bearing starter. As when I say I have got that bit off I only mean the bearings and the part that engages the bearings and locks them into place, when the crank is turned.

Kindest regards Anthony

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Thank you for your help. You helpled me work it out. The stater bit had a thread on which was holding on the fly wheel. Now I can proceed just as you said.
Many thanks and God bless you
Kindest regards Anthony