Comments about Clutch Centering/Pilot Bushing

["Al Powell" <apowell@agcom.tamu.edu>]

Just comments stimulated by recent discussions...

For centering clutches, I gave up on using centering tools about 
1969.  The reason is that in my experience, a clutch disc can be 
centered easily by putting it and the pressure in plate in place and 
*just* starting the bolts which hold the pressure plate in place.  
Then I just reach in and feel the edgtes of the pressure plate and 
clutch disc.  Since the bolts are only started a few threads, there 
is not so much pressure that I can't shift the clutch disc slightly 
with my fingertips.  If the disc is centered relative to the pressure 
plate, I've always found it to be centered relative to everything 
else!  When centered, tighten and torque pressure plate bolts.  No 
tool required.

Caveat: I've not changed one in an Audi, and I know some flywheels 
have a contact surface which is deeply recessed with a shoulder 
around it.  My technique would not work in this case.

2)  The last time I changed the clutch in my 280ZXT, the bronze pilot 
bushing would not come out with a bushing puller, hydraulic pressure 
using grease packed in from behind and a shaft pushed through the 
center of the bushing, or numerous other tricks.  I finally realized 
the bushing was a lot softer than the flywheel in which it was 
inserted, so I took a hacksaw blade in a holder which left one end 
free, and simply sawed a slot through the bushing to release it.  All 
the blade did to the inner surface of the flywheel hole was polish it 
where it made contact.  Not fun, but a reliable last resort which 
takes about 15-20 minutes per cut.

Cheers......


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Al Powell                        Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.          Fax:    409/862-1202
College Station, TX 77843      
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