TR2/3/3A How much travel at the clutch slave?

[Lukens]

I'm beginning to suspect I've sheared my fork pin. I've got a little more than 1/2", but the clutch isn't fully releasing. Comments?
Russ

 

[TR3driver]

1/2" should be enough. When you push the lever as far to the rear as it will go by hand (with the return spring disconnected), does it still angle slightly towards the slave? Can you get the recommended freeplay adjustment with the piston fully bottomed in the slave?

When mine was broken, I found that pumping the pedal a couple of times would get the clutch to release.

 

[Geo Hahn]

You say it isn't fully releasing -- are you getting some release? Or is the clutch still fully engaged even with the pedal depressed?

I ask because (especially in Florida this time of year) there is another possibility - more likely if the car has been sitting for a week or two.

 

[Lukens]

Randall, Yes, and yes. Sometimes a few pumps seem to help. Maybe getting that last fraction of travel?
George, I think your asking is the clutch stuck to the flywheel? Don't think so, I drive the car daily. I'm able to shift though the upper gears... a little notchy though. When I pull up to a complete stop I can get into neutral, but when I try to select 1st gear, the clutch is still engaged. If I feel it into 2nd, I can then "crash it" into 1st. Not a pleasant thing.
Looks like I'll be pulling the tranny?
Russ

 

[TR3driver]

If the lever is still angled forward, and you can get the proper adjustment, then most likely the problem is not a broken taper pin, IMO. Might be worth rebuilding the clutch MC, just on the off chance it has a problem like the return spring is broken. Mine was broken in 4 pieces when I finally noticed the issue

I don't know what else it might be, unless perhaps the alignment pins got left out, or the clutch plate is coming apart. Could be a bum pressure plate I guess, but I've never seen one fail like that.

 

[Lukens]

If the lever is still angled forward, and you can get the proper adjustment, then most likely the problem is not a broken taper pin, IMO. Might be worth rebuilding the clutch MC, just on the off chance it has a problem like the return spring is broken. Mine was broken in 4 pieces when I finally noticed the issue

I don't know what else it might be, unless perhaps the alignment pins got left out, or the clutch plate is coming apart. Could be a bum pressure plate I guess, but I've never seen one fail like that.

I guess it could be the MC. I found the spring washer was broken (juice was going back into the reservoir) and put a new kit in it a month ago. I'd like to come up with some way to verify that the slave is getting a full shot from the MC.

 

[Don Elliott]

Is the threaded screw holding the yoke at the top front end of the clutch master cylinder rod worn ? I was at the TR races in Virginia way back and that cross-pin was more than half worn through. Also the hole in the yoke had worn. I had spares with me and fixed it in about an hour.

What led me to the solution was that as I pushed down on the clutch pedal, it would move forward but then I would sometimes hear a loud "CLICK". It was the worn cross-pin clicking down into the groove that had occurred.

 

[sp53]

Get a new MC and a weaker return spring. The tr3 in general has a crappie return system on the clutch.

 

[Don Elliott]

What's the latest report on those repro master cylinders that was exposed a few years ago by Frank Angelini ? Those repro units were cr*p. I seem to remember it all had to do with the internal spring assembly inside the master cylinder.

 

[Lukens]

Update: Pulled the tranny today... sheared pin.

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

Well, the good thing is that you found something. It would have been a shame to get that far and still be scratching your head.

Cheers
Tush

 

[Geo Hahn]

I assume you're hip to the use of a grade 8 bolt cross ways to add a second source of fixing the fork to the shaft?

 

[Lukens]

Well, the good thing is that you found something. It would have been a shame to get that far and still be scratching your head.

Cheers
Tush

Amen.

George, Yep, I'm hip.