I have a 36mm fan wrench that I've been cracking with a rubber mallet for a bit with no luck. I put on a long extender and cracked on that for a while too. No dice. Am I missing something? Anything I can do to make this easier? I'm rotating it counter-clockwise facing the engine from the front (loosening direction). I hope I'm not doing this wrong.

 

Use a BFH, proper wrench and the pulley Holder. You can get a gear wrench set from Advance Auto Tool loaner program.

Having a helper is good.

Get the wrench into position on the nut
Get the pulley holder tool in position and held tight
Hit wrench with BFH to knock it loose.

 

I have the proper wrench – a flat fan clutch wrench. It has an insert so you can stick a 1/2" breaker bar in the end of it and extend it, which I'm doing.

Don't have any tool loan options where I am, unfortunately (out in the middle of nowhere in the Middle East). Going to have to improvise this one somehow. I could get the relevant tool shipped here (Viscous Coupling Holding Tool - Britpart LRT-12-093 at www.rimmerbros.co.uk) but it's damned expensive.

Maybe I'll get a heavier hammer and try that.

 

you can try and improvise by wedging something in the belt to help make it tighter to hold the pulley. No matter what I tried though the tool was what I had to have.

You might look into this one instead. It got the job done for me and it's a lot cheaper than the one from Rimmer bros

 

Vice grip one of the pulley. Might take a few tries. Then, whack the wrench.

I used an adjuctable wrench and a vice grip on mine.

 

I usually just jamb a large flat blade screwdriver into where the belt goes around the idler on the driver's side to keep the belt from moving as I give a good solid whack to the wrench on the fan clutch.

 

Rubber mallet?
You don't say.. Really?

Are you going to give the rover tea and crumpets too?

No way.
Whack the F out of it.
Get a 5 lb stubby hammer.
get a long wrench that fits.

Standing in front of the rover whack the top of the wrench from right to left or in the direction of this arrow here: <

Wedge the pulley with a crow bar and a rag.

If you are just going to "Play nice" with a rubber mallet you'll be at it for a long long time.

 

shove a bunch of rags in the pulley and whack the wrench with a hammer

 

I'm going to try all of them tonight and will report back.

 

My issue with it was the belt and tensioner were so worn things were simply slipping about. I tried a bar on the tensioner, I gave up when I realised I could swap the belt with the fan on.

I'm guessing it would be a different story with a new belt now, but as yet, my nut is still uncracked.