Thanks once again KC! While I'm waiting for a new clutch assembly, I'll switch some things out with those goodies =) Thankyou for giving me TWO pullers this time because despite all the precautions I took, I killed another one! But I have success.
What an unbelievable RPITA. Thought I was going to strip it out, so I hit it with a hammer, (not too hard) then torched it for a while, then penetrating lube'd (kroil, then "Bolt Blaster"), let it cool/creep then torched it and tried again. Somehow I didn't realize it till now, but it was WAY too far on the shaft. Only half of the large gear was hitting the drive gear anyway (!) and it was completely messed up. The clutch base was so badly bent that at least two of the bearings fell out who-knows-when, and that's why it was causing so much trouble (and noise). It looks like someone tried to pry the back open before they put it in. Definitely factory-defective. I can't believe it ever ran.
Only problem is somewhere along the line I folded the threads on the shaft over, just on one side, a diagonal stretch across the threads ~1/2" wide. (!?!) Don't have a tap and die set, but I have a small steel file that I may try to clean them up with. Probably won't be able to pull another assembly off the shaft if I put one back on, though. We'll see =)
Thanks for making it happen, guys. =)
PS: I lost my flower nut lock screw... seriously gasbike.com, $5.00?