With the ac off your clutch the outer non belt driven part will not be turning. When it is turned on it will start to spin.
low freon
AC Compressor clutch relay may be stuck. Remove the relay and see if the clutch releases.
The ac could be causing the problem. Turn the ac off, and watch the compressor clutch to see if it is not engaged. If it is then the compressor or clutch could be bogging the engine down.
You cannot change the compressor bearing, however, you can change the clutch bearing. Which one is bad? Is there a noise when the clutch is engaged, or not engaged?
Clutch possibly not engaged compressor maybe.
No ned to. Unless clutch is engaged (AC on) it freewheels-using no power.
If the compressor is bad or noisy and the AC clutch is okay try unplugging the AC clutch fuse or relay.
Do you mean that the AC clutch does not engage the compressor? Or do you mean that the AC compressor won't turn even if the clutch is engaged? If the compressor is siezed and will not turn even if the clutch is engaged, the only choice is to replace the compressor. If you can turn the compressor by hand (understand that the belt pulley will turn freely with the engine if the clutch isn't engaged) but the compressor clutch isn't engaging, it might just be out of refrigerant. There is a sensor, usually somewhere near the receiver/dryer) that detects the "low side" refrigerant pressure. Once the refrigerant pressure at the sensor drops below a specified level, the compressor will not turn on. In other words, if the compressor clutch won't engage it might just be out of refrigerant.
If the ac has a belt of it's own you can just remove, but remember when ac is off, and not engaged it is freewheeeling and ther is no drag on the engine unless there is something wrong with bearing or clutch. If you have 1 belt for all, of course you can't remove it.
I am having the same problem. Brought it to an AC specialist and they told me it was my heating/AC panel switch that was going bad. The clutch would not stay engaged because the AC on/off switch was bad.
Check the following............... 1. Freon levels. 2. Clutch to hub air gap. 3. Pressure switch. 4. A/C controller. 5. A/C clutch wire harness