I have converted several short shaft Ryobi's and had no trouble removing the fly wheel. Tonight i was tearing down a long shaft and can't get the fly wheel off. I can get it loose and it will move about 1/16th of an in. and there seems to be a lip it can't get past. I looks like a sleeve over the shaft. What am I missing?

On my long shaft engines, there is sleeve over the shaft, about 2+ inches long. Usually, it will slide right off, but may have some corosion or damage that is keeping it from slipping off. It is very easy to fashion a hub that fits righjt over the shaft, and fit the prop right over the shaft. The end is threaded (standard) and allows for a spinner set-up. I have never had one seized on the shaft. "Flathead"