Loaner Fan Clutch Wrench

The cooling system uses a fan to draw air through the radiator for cooling the engine. On some vehicles, particularly models that have been around awhile, the fan is attached to a clutch on the front of the engine. It's a fascinating component that can engage the fan clutch when the temperature gets hot, then slipping and disengaging when it's cooled down. This means the fan will only run when it's needed. But if the fan clutch is worn out or damaged, it can cause your car to overheat.

One rather large nut keeps the fan clutch fastened to the engine on most vehicles, and it's a pain to remove without tools designed specifically for the job. Lucky for you, a fan clutch wrench is part of our tool rental program.

How to Use a Fan Clutch Removal Tool

It's just one nut. How hard can it be? The truth is that the fan clutch can be impossible to remove without a fan clutch removal tool designed specifically for this one task. The fan clutch spins freely when it is cool and the shaft it is attached to on the water pump also spins very little resistance. How can you apply enough force to the nut to crack the threads loose?

A pneumatic fan clutch tool has an open-ended wrench on one side and slot on the other side that looks like a hook. The fan clutch wrench fits over the large nut, then a long metal shaft fitted to an impact hammer slides into the slot. One short pull of the trigger is often enough to loosen the nut.

For some manually operated fan clutch removal tools, a spanner that holds the water pump pulley in place comes with the kit. Either on its own or connected to a breaker bar or ratchet, it provides the leverage you need to loosen the fan clutch nut using physical strength alone.

What Size is a Fan Clutch Wrench?

Fan clutches come in different sizes and designs that are tailored to your vehicle's cooling system needs. Unfortunately, fan clutch wrenches are not one-size-fits-all, although some kits have a range of sizes that can accommodate most models. They're made of hardened steel to withstand the incredible force required to remove this nut, and they're often powder coated or painted to prevent corrosion since they're used infrequently.

Common sizes for fan clutch wrenches include 22mm, 36mm, 39mm, 47mm, and 50mm. Spanners for water pump pulleys are usually bigger yet and sizes can include 54mm, 68mm, 72mm, 76mm, and even 83mm widths.

Get a Loaner Fan Clutch Wrench at AutoZone

At AutoZone, we carry parts and tools for virtually any job you're working on, and that includes cooling system rental tools like a fan clutch tool. A knowledgeable AutoZoner can help you find the tools you need among our Loan-a-Tools, or find the tool rental you need online. With Free In-Store or Curbside Pickup, we make it easy to get the job done right, every time.