Eric in North TX wrote:
-snip-

I've never had any trouble removing one, trick is; you don't pry it
off, you just put tension on it so when you smack the crankshaft with
a hammer, the crankshaft slips through it releasing the taper. It is
one of those things that once you do it you see how easy it was, but
before that seems impossible.

I've done dozens of them in my life. And I rarely find it easy. Last
one I did I fought for two days and finally my neighbor came over &
gave it a whack and it popped off. [he does it for a living & doesn't
even pause to think about it]

It's friggin' magic, I tell ya.

Jim