Some water pumps have holes in the pulley you can put something in to stop it. I've usually had to use an old belt as a strap wrench around the pulley to hold it.

 

I was thinking if I wedge a piece of wood between the fan blades and the frame when I whacked on the bolt, once I get the right wrench size, that will loosen it? I've also been spray it with deep creep every few days.

 

Holding the fan won't work. You need to hold the waterpump side of it.

 

Well crap. Getting this thing off sucks. Even once I have the right wrench this is going to be a toughie.

 

If I remember correctly, the 4.7 I worked on had two threaded holes in the pulley. I didn't have anything that would thread in but I think a 1/4-20 would slide in and then you can hold it with a screw driver between the bolt and the pump shaft. Once it comes loose, pull the bolt out and spin if off.

 

Something i noticed hasnt been mentioned in here is some of the tools needed for this job, like the one for getting the fan clutch off. Autozone and advance will rent a lot of tools, like the fan clutch wrench you need to properly get the fan clutch off. I live in upstate N.Y., and was just pulling the fan and fan clutch off on my 99 Durango 5.2 today, and, to rent the tool here was a whole $21 with tax, and, once you take the tool back, you get a full refund. That might help keep some of your costs down.

This is what the wrench Autozone rents looks like, except theres is black instead of silver.

If you can find it, this works by putting two of the ends in the holes in the water pump pulley to stop the water pump from turning.




This is another variation of the tool used to hold the water pump pulley and keep it from turning.



A pipe wrench will sometimes work, but, most of the time is too wide to fit between the fan and the water pump pulley. Where in PA are you located?

 

I used a big adjustable wrench that I borrowed from a buddy. I'm not 100% sure, but I think the bolt threads in reverse, so it may be clockwise to loosen.

 

I could be wrong, but, i dont think i have ever seen a reverse threaded fan clutch. I know on my 01 4.0 Grand Cherokee, it came off counter-clockwise. Im pretty sure my 99 5.2 Durango came off the same way.

 

Videos show it being banged at counter-clockwise to loosen. I'm in central Pennsylvania near Harrisburg. Thanks for the autozone tip. Free borrowing of the tool may be key provided I can get something else to hold the pump steady.

 

It's actually a short term sale that you return. The practice is they sell you the tool for replacement cost. If it's a $25 tool, they sell it to you for $25 plus tax. That way, if you don't return it, you bought it. When you take it back, they refund your money.