The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Clutch won't release

1954 261 truck.

Had the Flywheel resurfaced. Reusing the same Release Bearing, PP and Disc. Adjustment makes no difference except the pedal feel. There is movement but very little. No visible gap between the disc, PP or Flywheel. Clutch will not release. Help?

How much thickness was removed from the flywheel surface? You might need to fabricate a thin shim between the crankshaft flange and the flywheel to compensate. Try putting flat washers between the pressure plate and the flywheel temporarily to space the pressure plate back a little, and see if that helps the problem.
Jerry

If the flywheel was machined flat (which it should be), maybe it was worn enough prior to disassembly to provide release clearance for the disc, but the linkage adjustment should take care of it. Are you 100% sure that the release arm is in the right position? Mounting the flywheel farther back (shim between crank flange and flywheel) likely won't help at all, but spacing the pressure plate back with washers should compensate, but will reduce clamping pressure on the disc.

Throw out bearing installed backwards?

NO, I don't think it will go backwards. Fork slot is to the rear?

Thanks Jerry!

I will try the washers. Machine shop didn't say how much was removed just that it cleared up. I didn't think to ask. Is there any such think as a shim for the Flywheel?

Thank you KLhansen for the reply.

I think the arm will only go one way, you agree? IS there a dimension on how far the three pieces, FW, PP and Disc, should separate when depressing the clutch. I have very little movement.

Clutch dsc is in backwards.

I thought so myself but I have now tried it both ways. Thanks

That's a distinct possibility. The torsion springs in the clutch hub should face toward the transmission, protruding back into the center of the pressure plate. If the springs are toward the engine, they will drag on the flywheel attaching bolts and prevent the clutch from releasing.
Jerry

Can either of you give me some idea of how thick the washers/spacers between the flywheel and PP shouldbe not knowing as said before how much was removed from the PP during resurfacing?

You didn't have the pressure plate resurfaced, did you? That would actually cause the reverse of what you're saying is happening that the clutch doesn't release. Resurfacing the pressure plate would reduce the pressure on the disk by a bit, the same thing as stacking washers under the pressure plate mount bolts. It would actually cause it to release sooner, everything else being the same. I think you need to go thru the linkage to be sure it's correctly installed and adjusted. How much pedal movement do you have before it starts getting firm? It should only be about an inch. It could be less than that as long as there's no pressure against the throwout bearing with the pedal released.

A 1/16" flat washer thickness would correspond to about .060" being surfaced off the flywheel face. That would be a HUGE amount for a machine shop to take off- - - - -half of that or less would be much more likely.
Jerry

Many Thanks!!

The washer thing is not a good idea, IMO. Putting washers in is essentially the same as using a thinner clutch disc, reducing the pressure on the disk. Surfacing a flywheel does nothing to change the relationship of the pressure plate and the disc, other than moving the entire assembly forward. Like Jerry said 0.060" taken off the flywheel would be way more than needed, and even if they did take that much off, all it would do is add 1/16" to the distance the throwout bearing would have to move before it contacted the fingers on the pressure plate. That amount should be easily taken up by linkage adjustment.
As I've said before, RECHECK THE LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT.

Did the clutch work properly before the resurfacing?