[Fot] Tilton Clutch Adventures (Chapter 2)

[WEmery7451 at aol.com]

(Start with Chapter 1)

I mailed my clutch parts to Taylor for inspection, and ordered a new
faceplate and driven disc. He informed me that I had over stroked my faceplate.
  The
springs should be replaced.  I do not disagree with this.  My machinist showed
me how the flimsy pressure plate fingers would catch on the buttons and bend
if I over stroked the unit.

After receiving back my clutch parts and getting the new faceplate, we
installed the new faceplate with a new driven disc (a few more grunt hours
installing the transmission).  We could not make the new face plate disengage, 
even
after first rebuilding the master and slave cylinders, and then installing new
ones.

My machinist told me to bolt the new faceplate and driven disc down on the
flywheel that I am using, and bring them out.  He will put the unit in a press
to see if it will disengage.  It did disengage with a lot of pressure using the
stock throw out bearing.  He then used a smaller throw out bearing, and it
released with about half of the pressure.

I furnished him with an empty transmission case with linkage, guide tube, and
throw out bearing.  He is presently going to try to make me a spacer to
accommodate a smaller diameter throw out bearing.  Some material may have to be
removed from the guide tube.

I also had him remove enough material from the heavier warped pressure plate
to make it true, and to remove the same amount of material from the mounting
points of the old face plate.  In desperation, we installed this system and at
least the clutch now disengages.  We will not know if this system will work
until the car is on the track again (or will it slip with the modifications and
over-stroked springs?).  We also worked with the free-play to assure that the
clutch disengages near the floor, trying to prevent over stroking.

Tilton did tell me that they were coming out with a heavier pressure plate in
the spring - another indication that others are having problems with the new
flimsy pressure plate.

>From the vast knowledge of this list, would anybody be willing to offer
advice, recommendations, thoughts, insults on what we are doing wrong, etc.?
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