Putting a new clutch/fan on my 72 442. What's the trick to getting these miserable little nuts on the pulley? I'm sure patience helps. I can barely get my fingers in there.. Any help appreciated!

 

Been around many GM cars in my time, never seen anything that looked like the "nut" in the photo. Something is not typical, Joe P should have the word on this one!

 

That's the stud coming out of the water pump pulley. I only had the lock washer on it.. Not much room in there to get the nuts on.

 

Rotate the fan around until there’s an opening large enough so you can get a hand in there to start a nut. Then rotate the pump so you can get a nut on the opposite side. That should pull the flange in enough to get the other two nuts on easier.

 

Pull the fan flange forward so only a couple of threads are exposed on the studs, then start the nut and rotate till you get them all started. I agree that nut in the photo looks like something you use on a lamp.

 

Got them all on ..little by little. Thanks for the advice. Definitely have to move them all equally small amounts till all the nuts are on.

 

Yeah, unfortunately there's no easy way to do this. Glad you got them.