Guys, have an 11 inch disk, pressure plate, and flywheel that I got with my trans (5 speed). All is pretty clean, but I was wondering what the average stock thickness for a clutch is (or how to tell you'r past the point of no return)? Currently there's about an 1/8 inch over the rivets. I don't know if I should toss it or pick up a new clutch (guy said it had 80 thousand and the truck wasn't abused)? Also, I don't need the rest of the stuff, just the clutch. So, does anyone know of a place (store or online) that has clutches minus the entire package p-plate flywheel, etc? I am not going to be beating on this thing. Too old and can't afford the tickets; so I don't need a racing deal either
Just go to the local autoparts and buy a clutch plate. You can buy just the clutch plate, they are not expensive. It may be worth your money to have the pressure plate and flywheel faced whie you are at it, probably not necessary but if you can swing it. The local machinist can do that for you. Anyway you don't have to find a clutch online any autoparts can fix you right up.
Your disc sounds meaty enough. As long as it doesn't look abused, oil soaked or has disc material chipped off it, you can probably use it as is. Like PnB says, you can piecemeal any part of the ***embly. I've truly never worn out a clutch, I've replaced discs and pressure plates just because I've had them apart, so 80K isn't that much on the clutch. Bob
Go to a parts store and look at a new clutch for your car. Measure it and compare it to the one you now have. If it's about the same thickness as yours, us it.
I have worn a few out, I got one now that chatters pretty bad but I think my rear brakes are stuck and they combined with an old stock pressure plate could be the problem, I hope. If I was bucks down I would l just lay a steraight edge across the pressure plate and the flywheel if they were straight I would run that clutch plate. My take on it is that if the whole deal is in good shape that clutch plates are so cheap there is no reason to put an 80,000 mile plate in it while I got it apart. Now this is not the replacing parts for the sake of replacing parts it is just that i know that 80,000-100,000 is a long time on a clutch.
I'm with ****** - 80k miles is plenty, and for the cost of a replacement vs the pain of pulling it all out soon after, it'll be money well spent. Money doesn't grow on trees (unless you're a farmer and make your living that way, of course), but replacing parts that have served their useful life is not a waste. JMO
From my recent experience, new chinese made clutch disks are not necessarily better than OEM used ones.......I'd put the old one back in and run it. JMO...
Man if it's a money thing I would try to reuse it but my through it's a lot of work to put a new clutch in after you get a build done and start to drive. And good luck.
Yeah guys, I think I am gonna go for just the disk. Anyone know where to get a cheap 11 inch 10 spine chevy clutch? Haha
Personally,I would spring for a new clutch,,it's a PITA to replace it after a few months if it starts giving you a problem. HRP
IMO, a lot depends on how hard it is to change the clutch in your car. Some are easy to drop the trans and get at the bell housing bolts. If it is really tough access (some are), best go for replacing it. Don't forget the throwout bearing and pilot bushing while you're in there. I bought an 11" oem replacement (pressure plate and disc) made by Ram, for about $130. Not bad.
As stated above. Resurface the flywheel and pressure plate while you're at it. Last time I did mine, I went with the match balance program for an additional $60. Man was it worth it.
Without the resurface you are likely to get chatter as both the flywheel and pressure plate are worn to match to old plate, your initial use wont have a good amount of surface touching well enough. I did a quicky clutch change in the car park on a Navy Base I was staying at. I ended up at my sisters house pulling it all back out to surface the flywheel a few days later!! So much for a quick job!! Doc.
I've been down this road before. There is no way I would just change the disc. If I'm changing anything, it will get everything. All the parts in there have the same number of miles and have seen the same abuse. Replace the disc this week, in a few weeks you can replace the throwout bearing because it will start making noise, then later you can change the cover because the new throwout bearing took the edges off the forks. Most part houses only offer the complete clutch ***embly because that is the way most people change them. To me, its kind of like changing the oil and not the oil filter. It just doesn't make any sense. If you change the disc, change the rest of the parts in there as well. Gene
Any parts store should be able to help you out, even check places online like Rock Auto, hard to beat their prices. Hit the yellow pages, you might have a clutch rebuilder in the area, even cheaper! Bob
Put it in the car and don't worry about it. It will be good for another 80,000 miles if you drive like the previous owner.
Yup.. it all depends on how broke you are. Good working used parts can get you by for a long time. Experience is what helps you make the right decision... gotta screw up a few times to get that experience though. Bob
Go for the full package. That means everything from the pilot bearing to the throw-out bearing. The best place to get quality parts at a decent price is Fort Wayne Clutch. Tom
You might check around for a shop that rebuilds locally, in Omaha, near where I live, I had a clutch resurfaced and the flywheel and pressure plate cleaned up, this was much less expensive than I had imagined.
like said before. rock auto has sorta cheap kits. complete with bearing. as for how to tell...well i mean you really cant tell? if it chatters,feels likes its slipping its bad.
The Jalopy Journal
