coreyk, I took the same clutch arm out that you are talking about. Pull the rubber thing off the outside. (the part you put your foot on) Use a screwdriver and push it between the rubber and the shaft as far in as possible. Then spray some WD-40 down beside the screwdriver and let it run in as far as the screwdriver will let it. Then pull out the screwdriver and twist the rubber part. It will slip off. Wipe out the WD-40 from the inside and it is ready to go back on when you need to re-install it.
Now take the rod and pull it toward you and get just the one side to come out of the frame. the push it (at an angle) toward the mower. It will worm itself out the hole. The foot area will be the last thing to clear the frame.
I took mine out and cut it short. to make a "S" type clutch like George shows in his pictures. The clutch works very well on the test bench. I have not finished the engine for a powered test as of this time. Be advised that making it the way I did will require a trip to the machine shop for some help. Mowdust lives near me and he helped with the machine work to get the flat bar off of the shaft in one piece. I welded the flat bar to the edge of a section of the original clutch swivel. Then I drilled throught it and the clutch bar and used cold roll pins to hold in place. I know this dosen't make a hole lot of sence without any pictures. I will get some posted as soon as possible.
If you want to run the 8" pulley that everone suggest, you will have to remove the pin that the stock idler/clutch pulley pivots on. It is in the way.
I got mine out by taking the stripped down frame outside and turning it right side up, down on the concrete. I placed a large deepwell socket over the pin to the concrete, and used a large ball pinned hammer and a punch to knock it out from the other side. Save it, it will come in handy later.
Scott #396
