[Spridgets] Thanks For the Help CLUTCH

[Peter Caldwell]

At 03:43 PM 3/24/2010, Kirk Hargreaves wrote:
>Frank,
>Thanks for the correct measurement on the rod extending from the slave cyl.
>Mine was too long.  . I ground it back with a chamfer and the car is running
>perfect.  All the gears are shifting right on and it is
>once again a blast to drive.  It looks like this solved the problem (as I
>could check when the gear box was out through the top hole that the throwout
>bearing is OFF the spines when not in use).  I also run a spring out board
>of the slave cyl to ensure that the throwout bearing is pulled back off the
>splines at all times when not in use.
-------------------
Kirk,
         I'm glad the clutch is working.
         The addition of the spring bothers me, though.
         The engineering choice of return spring, or no return spring 
in the design of clutch systems is based on whether the engineer 
wants an adjustable slave pushrod. Most BMC cars chose to dispense 
with adjustable pushrods in the 50s.
         If spring, then adjustment. No spring, no adjustment.
         As Jim alluded, you may experience not enough release as 
there may not be enough volume displaced to move the slave piston fully.
         The system is intended to be self-adjusting for wear of the 
bearing face and the disc friction. The bearing should barely touch 
the pressure plate thus requiring little movement of the slave piston 
before engagement.
         It may be counter-intuitive, but the more the friction 
material on the disc wears, the taller the pressure plate thrust 
collar becomes, relative to the flywheel. (The thrust collar moves 
toward the transmission with wear.) (Thinner disc, taller pressure plate)

         Despite your current success, I'm recommending removing the spring.

Peter C