The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Cutting Torch for Clutch Removal?

I'm just about to that point.

I've got a '59 235 out of the truck, sitting on a pallet at working height (courtesy of a forklift as I'm doing this at work). The better part of this afternoon has been spent trying to remove the clutch and pressure plate. The motor has no compression and I'm going to tear it down to see if it's worth rebuilding.

The bolts are out of the pressure plate, and the throwout bearing has been removed. I have tried numerous times of holding the clutch plate up to slide the pressure plate down and out, but there's just not enough clearance to get it done. I'm starting to wonder if it has the incorrect pressure plate or clutch fork.

I have changed out quite a few clutches in my younger days but the vehicles were usually a little newer (63 and up).

Tomorrow morning, I'm going to try it again. Right now my thoughts are to realign the clutch with a pilot shaft, bolt the pressure plate back in place and try to remove the ball pivot (completely) on the clutch fork. Does this seem like the correct thing to do, or is there something else I can try?

I haven't been this frustrated in a long time.

John

I am not. Sure about this one,but all the clutches and pressure plates I have changed,I removed the bell housing 1st.Maybe this is not possible on these engines.I don't know.I know the 216 in my 46 I had the bell housing off while I did the work on the pressure plate and clutch.

The clutch assembly has to be removed before you can remove the clutch housing on a 216/235/261.

I dimly recall being able to pop off the clutch fork without removing the clutch assembly. Maybe someone will confirm/correct this notion?

If you have the engine out and are going to dissemble the engine, you can remove crank clutch and all. I have wiggled in with a 3/8 ratchet and a wobble socket and removed the 2 hard to get to bolts on the flywheel housing also.

Taking out the crank and flywheel assembly as a unit I guess would be doable although very heavy. If I don't get it apart in the morning, I may have to give it a try.

But first, I'm going to try and see if I can get that clutch fork to pop off. If it works, that would be the simplest solution.

Thanks

John

There is a spring in the pivot hole that holds the throwout fork against the pivot ball. Simply pry the fork toward the flywheel, and it should pop off the ball and be able to be removed through the hole in the bellhousing. Once the fork is removed, there should be plenty of room to drop the clutch and pressure plate out the bottom of the bellhousing.
Jerry

Popping the clutch arm can be eased with 2 big flat tip screw drivers. One on each side of the post and twist. It will come off I promise. The pressure plate will then drop on your hands and fingers so use an alignment tool until you are clear.. When the clutch is out remove the fly wheel bolts. An impact wrench is helpful if you have one. with the bolts out from the flywheel you might have to smack the flywheel with a plastic face hammer, or a dead blow mallet to get off the dowel pins. When you do the flywheel will try to mash your fingers if it can. Take care. Then you can remove the bolts that hold the bell housing to the block. It is very different from a small block, big block or later bell housing that is for sure.

As mentioned above by Hotrod Lincoln and SteveH,, the clutch fork can be removed by prying it off the stud. Its held on with a spring clip.The pressure plate and clutch disc can then be removed. WATCH YOUR FINGERS!!
Then its the flywheel. Again,,,WATCH YOUR FINGERS!! Its heavy!!
Then, the bell housing comes off. That's 3 ,,now go have some fun.
Good Luck............

http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/136174463

DG

Success at last!!! Popping off that clutch fork did the trick.

Thanks all

John

....some days it don't take much to make you happy and the older we get the less it takes!!

Congrats John, Is this out of the one you showed me? ....and if ya'll missed it.... WATCH YOUR FINGERS

do you have a shop manual?

They made the bell housing with that big open part on the bottom for a reason: making clutch changes easy. Before you had to remove the entire motor/transmission. Now you just drop the tranny (much easier than taking out a motor/tranny) take the cover off, remove the bottom bell housing cover, unbolt the clutch pressure plate, and resinstall.

My 42 Ford does not have this 'feature' so you have to take the motor/tranny out (although there are other methods... this is the book may).

My 43 GMC: drop the tranny (Clark 5 speed) a couple bolts/pins, replace the clutch pack, tranny back in place. Maybe 2 hours if you take your time.

All the normal procedures sound good until you find out some idiot installed the wrong clutch. I recently did a clutch as part of an OD conversion. This was on a 55-2 original V-8 truck with an 11" clutch. It appears that the PO had the engine replaced along with a new clutch. They must have installed the clutch on the flywheel before installing the bell housing. Believe me it wasn't coming out that hole! I have probably done a hundred of them over the years and have not encountered this situation. I finally jacked up the engine and loosened all the bell housing bolts, removed the fork and finally pried it out. My clutch guy confirmed that it was clearly the wrong clutch which had a diaphragm spring that protruded at least 1/2" further than the stock unit. Fortunately the V-8 bell housing separates without removing the flywheel unlike the early 6 cyl engines. You never know what you are going to run into on this old equipment and many times you just have to find creative ways to get the job done.
Fred

On some models with the bellhousing with removable lower part, the ball stud for the throwout fork installs from the outside--like when the transmission is out of the way the ball stud will screw out toward the transmission.These are identified by a large allen type female hex looking at you-recessed in the bellhousiing. Some others screwed the ballstud in from the flywheel side.
With the fork unclipped and the ballstud backed out you gain considerable working room for disc/PP removal.