has anyone attempted the pulley install W/o the $100+ tool recommended? or is it possible to improvise? just wondering if anyone has accomplished this.

 

Not sure what tool you mean, but for the love of god please use a Mini pulley puller and the belt tensioner tool. If you improvise it could lead to a shitload of issues.

 

I am sure many have attempted it but few would have had enough success to post. Why would you even want to attempt such a task? Buy the tool, use it and sell it in the Marketplace. I have done that with crank pulley puller tool and other one time use tools. you will recover most of the initial cost. Its kind of like leasing the tool.

 

Cutting off a sc pulley is best left for somebody who is very good with a cutoff wheel....spaces are very tight, and the parts you are working on are $$ to replace if you mess up.
I second buying a mini specific pulley puller...and selling it....
If you have a JCW pulley....cutting it off can be your only choice...JCW pullers are rare....

 

ZippNH nailed it with this advice. I have a JCW and could not find a viable option to buy or rent the puller so I did cut the old one off. I would NOT recommend that to anyone. Getting the cutoff wheel aligned for a good cut was extremely difficult and required great patience. I knew I was flirting with disaster and the stress factor was through the roof!

Also, replace your belt and tensioner at the same time. Amazon and Rock Auto have replacement tensioners for $79. Good luck!

 

I used the sc puller and mine was on tight there was ton of a tension on my pulley and had to impact it off

I can't imagine having to use without the puller

I did use a generic crank puller though and that worked fine

 

Where there's a will, there's a way, but the tool makes it much easier. Also, I would recommend avoiding an impact gun to get the pulley off: there's a small risk of damaging the bearings or bearing seal in the nose of the charger.

 

I know from experience you can get away without the tensioner tool but you will need the pulley puller tool. Other wise you are just going to to just fold the back of the pulley it seems to be made of butter then you are going to have an even harder time removing it

 

I did my pulley install without the tensioner tool. But rented the pulley puller from Way