My '03 sportsman 700 did not want to start over the weekend when it was about -10 degrees. The starter didn't sound good at all so I quit trying and pushed it on a trailer and took it home. When I pulled out the starter I saw some of the teeth were chipped so I figured I would just get another starter. After further checking, I found the gear on the bendix that turns against the starter gear was missing some teeth so I'm going to replace the bendix too. I don't see a way to take out the bendix without taking off the ring gear. My question is how do I stop the ring gear from turning when I loosen the nut in the middle of it. I see some holes in it that I could stick something in to try and hold it in place while I loosen the nut but I don't want to damage anything by doing it wrong. Also, is there a certain position the gear needs to be in when I take it off and does it need to go back on in the exact same position? Thanks for any help.

 

Flywheel is keyed to the shaft in a certain position. You can see this when you take the nut off.Use only a harmonic balancer puller or a steering wheel puller and three 3 inch long 8mm bolts to pull this flywheel. You can "borrow" these at most auto stores.BEST if you have an air impact to remove this stubborn type flywheel! Plus there are other problems with this model if you have any starting problems after you change the starter/bendix.The Ducati ignition system was updated to a Kokusan ignition. Here's the pdf parts list and instructions. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...57799294,d.aWc
Here's the flywheel puller.

 

Thanks......I've got a auto mech buddy that probably has the right puller but how do you hold the flywheel still to take the nut off first?

 

That's where the air impact come into place. It'll spin the puller shaft and the flywheel will barely move. If it won't pop off when you impact it tight,just leave pressure on the puller and heat up the center of the flywheel and it'll usually pop right off.

 

Doesn't the nut in the center need to come off before you put on the puller to remove the flywheel? Sorry but I've never done this before and it looks to me like I need to take off the nut first THEN put the puller on the flywheel and pull it off. Is there a spanner wrench to hold the flywheel while you take off the nut?

 

Yes the nut and washer has to come off. Look at this video on the 700 Kokusan kit in case you may need one. Impact tools make a hard job easy.

 

Thanks, nice video. I see the problem now.....I don't have air so I'm trying to loosen that nut with a socket and ratchet and the flywheel is turning too.

 

Update on my troubles.

I borrowed an electric impact and got the nut off of the flywheel. Great, right? Not so fast... Next I go buy a puller to get the flywheel off. I put on the puller and try using the elec impact to get the flywheel off. No go, won't budge. I figure the impact isn't strong enough cuz it elec and not air. I try again and this time one of the bolts that go thru the puller and into the flywheel snaps off. It's 7 at night so of course I'm done for the night now. I sprayed a little PB Blaster around the shaft to help loosen it up and went into the house. Today I go get some grade 8 bolts to replace the junk ones that come with the puller. Get home from work and try it again with the grade 8 bolts. No go, won't budge. Gotta be the dam elec impact not strong enough. I try it again.....bolt snaps off again. Grade 8 bolt snapped off flush to the flywheel. I gave up and went in the house, didn't even try to get the bolt out. Probably gonna have to drill it out with my luck. At this point I'm hoping for a garage fire...lol.
So OPT, got any suggestions for me? I'm about ready to pull my hair out...what's left of it.

 

The more times you try to pull the flywheel you take a chance on damage/flaring out the crank shaft end. Just borrow/steal an air compressor and air impact,heat the center of the flywheel with a propane torch while under pressure from the puller. May also take a few sharp blows on the puller bolt to pop the flywheel off.

 

Hey OPT, I'm back. I finally got the flywheel off and now need to put it back on. The end of the crank is flared out so I can't get the nut back on. I've filed it down but I think I need to run a die over it. Can you tell me the size and tpi of it? I see it's bigger than half inch but don't know if it's metric or what.