Stilsons is a pipe wrench
You can also use a lock jaw wrench , a chain wrench or even a chain lock jaw wrench around the shaft
Most times it will hit against the side of the mower or the clutch anchor plate which leave 2 hands free for tensioning
Some grease or copper anti-seize on the shaft before you replace the pulleys will stop them rusting onto the PTO shaft
According to the IPL your set up had a boss welded to the drive pulley on both sides so that is where you lock on to.
While it is off you could file flats on it to fit your biggest open ender to hold it for the tensioning
As Star has already mentioned some clutches have 2 flats on the end for the purpose of holding the shaft
You always have to keep in mind that some one had to install it on the assembly line and prefferably by themselves in no more than a minute or so
Your pulley has spacers top & bottom
Weather there is enough space to get at them is another matter
Usually the bolt will come out with a rattle gun easily with you holding the pulley in a LEATHER gloved hand .
It is the tensioning that is the problem
Not sure what you are saying??
Because I have to do this a lot I have some long threaded rods I use to reinstall the electric PTO as some of them are quite heavy and holding them up while rotating the inner shaft to align the key & slot rips the hell out of my hernia.
To do the Indian Rope Trick you work out which cylinder is on the inlet stroke , stuff the rope in at bottom dead centre then turn the engine which being on compression will have both valves closed .
Done properly the piston jams at TDC where you are very unlikely to do rod damage as the force in running directly down the rod to the journal
Conversely when the piston is 1/2 way down ( up if you like ) the rod is near 45 deg to the journal and there you stand the greatest chance of bending the rod .
The system is designed to resist the maximum amount of force from the burning charge just after TDC and that is a lot more than you can generate with a tension wrench .