Technical pressure plate surface?

If that was some external engine part like an alternator or water pump, I'd be willing to try it.
But unless the parts store is willing to guarantee in writing to pay you the flat rate manual for R&R on a clutch if it has to come back out, no way would I install that!
I've got 50 years in machine shops behind me and what we're seeing here is the surface was rough cut at a high feed rate in a lathe and no Blanchard grind done.

 

I sent the clutch back and ordered a SACHS finger clutch from rock auto. we will see if it is better.

 

Please let us know so we can order the Sachs brand the next time.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Have you used them lately? I tried to contact them last week and the phone was not answered and no message capability either.

 

No, I haven’t. One of our local truck parts suppliers gets clutches thru them and would send them your core to be rebuilt. I’ll inquire when I get to work this morning.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I have always used Mcleod clutches for years now with no issues...Got one of there duel discs in my blown hemi hotrod...Works great....

 

Good choice. I read a lot of other boards and have been going thru clutch selection for my OT build, Sachs and LUK are highly regarded for stock replacement. Lot of guys running them very hard with good results.

I chose to step up to a McLeod street twin on my latest build, but its way outta "stock replacement" territory

 

Did you specify something different than the typical Ford 3 finger "Long" style clutch? That high-cone diaphragm doesn't even look like the more common GM diaphragm clutch. Maybe some sort of a heavy duty variation for a Ford application?

Does the disk material look like the usual organic friction material or is it maybe some newer "composite" facing? I'll agree that the pressure plate looks su****ious, like it missed a final finishing step. I'd expect the finish to look no co****r than a properly turned brake rotor.

I know they aren't exactly in your back yard but you might consider contacting these folks.

https://fortwayneclutch.com/

 

Ditto on the Fort Wayne Clutch. They do their own rebuilding; I had good results with them.

JS




Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Fort Wayne Clutch or South Bend Clutch (near me ) should be able to sell you a new pressure plate and only pay shipping one way. Get your money back and buy somewhere else.

 

Feelin Groovy.............


Try Kentucky Clutch.....bet they have what you want!

 

Best.

 

so I pulled the ****** and took the clutch out. it was brand new and had hardly any wear.

we ordered what NAPA called for that car, they only listed the diaphragm. I took a 3 finger out. Petew said not to use the diaphragm clutch so we ordered the 3 finger one.

 

There's no reason why you couldn't use a diaphragm clutch in your Ford, but that high-cone diaphragm probably would have required more pedal pressure to disengage the clutch. I suspect that the aftermarket suppliers lean toward them because they're cheaper to manufacture than a coil spring and 3 lever Long or Borg & Beck style.

If the pressure plate had been finished better you'd likely have it installed by now and never really noticed much difference between it and the Long style clutch.

 

1 800 274 5001 LUK tech/ help line . Taken from the jeep forum , also referencing a corvette forum . not a direct quote - The grooves are by design , the manufacturer says it provides a more cost effective product with better break in characteristics & improved longevity . Take it for what its worth ....

 

that is what they told us when we called.

 

Clay Mart, are you saying that bent finger or high cone diaphragm pressure plate requires more pedal than regular straight finger diaphragms and Long or Borg and Beck pressure plates, or just that the high cones require more than regular straight finger diaphragm pressure plates?

 

More pressure than the low-cone diaphragm.

 

That does look like ****!!!!.... I thought they were supposed to be Blanchard ground like a good quality set of brake rotors....

 

I figured it would sound like the guitar solo on "in the garden of Eden"......

 

^^^^^ Nope

 

so here is the story of why I took the clutch out: this car was bought to add to a collection that I maintain. we have some history of the car and a broad time line of things that have been done to it. there was a partial restoration including an engine rebuild with a new clutch and ****** rebuild. all this done in prior to 2018 . I access the car and moving it in and out of the garage and one of the many things I noticed was the 3" of play on the clutch pedal. I adjust the clutch [1" of play at the top] but now it doesn't grab until it reaches the top of it's travel. basically 1/2" between engaged and disengaged and it felt "rubbery" to me. bad clutch? I thought so. took it apart and found a new clutch, so new there was still printing visible on the face side of the clutch surface. linkage looked good, throw out bearing looked right, checked for cracks in the pedal mount, made sure the bell crank was in the right orientation. went back and forth with my "mentor" group of auto technicians and I think we may have figured it out.
any thoughts or guesses?

 

Throw out bearing too short? Firewall flexing when clutch pedal is pressed?

 

good thoughts and we checked that. I think the whole problem was the clutch hadn't burned in yet. I/we think it had so little contact surface that it had to be almost all the way engaged to move the car. I have no idea how many miles it exactly has since the new clutch but maybe it never saw a hill or traffic during the miles it has on it . makes me wonder if I would have gone through this if the pressure plate was grooved. .
makes me think I need to drive these cars more before doing any diagnosing. so I don't screw up like this again.

 

If it ain't broke ........

 

The people that aren't screwing up are the ones that aren't doing anything. I write it off to lessons learned. It's the ones that keep getting repeated that are inexcusable. Thanks for sharing, so we can all learn.
Excuse me now while I go take one of my field techs a spare set of keys to his work truck because he lost another set...

 

Did the T.O. bearing slide smoothly on the bearing retainer?

 

https://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/ram-clutches

Dunno if the quality's still there, but these were the go-to at one time.

 

If the original clutch was working properly before you adjusted it, but had too much freepedal to suit you, I would look at the space between the throwout bearing and the clutch fingers. If there is enough room to put a longer TO bearing in and still have some clearance.......then change to the longer bearing. That will mean that your linkage will now push the clutch even further when depressed and possibly cause it to bind. If it does, simply make an adjustable stop to limit your pedals travel when depressed.

 

Looks like you need to use a combination of the various kits they sold you! Pick the best part of each kit to end up with something acceptable.