1997 SSE - After you remove the nut, how do you get the AC pulley / clutch off? I need to replace the bearing. Thanks for any help. steve_haight@irco.com

I'm assuming you already removed it from the car.. you'll need a pulley puller or make shift one ( in which case I hope you have a table vice handy.. bunch of long nuts, bolts, matel plates, metal cylinders, and LOTS OF swear words. They are pressure fitted

No, its still on the car - I wanted to avoid removing the compressor and just replace the bearing. Does it have a retaining ring in addition to the nut? Thanks. steve_haight@irco.com

Well.. It'* a major PITA to remove it.. and I can't think of anyway of doing it without removing it unless you can rent a pulley puller for it.. even then it'* going to be hard.. there isn't any retaining clip.. but the bearing is keyed in.. and it cost me $50 CDN to get the bearings alone.. Be careful if you are plannin on removing the A/C compressor..

If you can rent the puller it is worth it, or even buying it because the price that you would pay a shop to do it would be about the same. This job can be done without removing the compressor by removing the right front wheel and accessing it from the wheel well and up top. The kit should come with instructions. The clutch is simnply pressed on and does not require any power tools to operate the puller. That being said, you may want to bring the car into a shop to get this done if you feel uncomfortable at all because it must be reinstalled properly in order to ensure the proper alignment of the pulleys. Hope this clears any of this up.

Thanks to all of you for your help on the bearing replacement job - here is how it went: I got a puller that was only 4" long when installed on the pulley (left the compressor on the car). It came off VERY hard - because there is a retaining ring inside which is not visible or accessible - must be they do not want anyone taking this apart. The puller broke the internal hub where the retaining ring groove is, and the ring came off along with the outer clutch hub and pulley. I got a new bearing from GM dealer at 40 dollars. Replaced the bearing in the pulley, removed left front wheel and inner fender liner so I could tap the new bearing/pulley in place, then tapped the outer clutch hub on (it has a key in it) and tightened down the nut - I added a lockwasher under the nut. Could not repair the internal hub where the retaining ring was - but the press fit and nut seem to hold the pulley & clutch on quite well. No vibration, no noise, and the AC works well. Thanks again for all the suggestions.

Excellent work, with just a small oops, oh well works anyway eh!

Hello,
I have almost same problem to yours. Mine is 94. The compressor makes noise and it looks like has problem with bearing. I would like change it.
Your post should be much useful for me.

I still have some question and hope you can give me some more details.

1. how did you remove the nut first?
2. after you remove the nut, you removed the pulley. Then, how to remove the clutch? Is the clutch just go with pulley?
3. Now I know there is a retaining ring inside, do you think there is any way to remove it before any broke?
4. Do you have any manul the show how to do it?

Thanks