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Tips

New clutch and pressure plate are STIFF!

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J

Jerry

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We just installed a new clutch and pressure plate in a TR4 and the pedal effort is a lot harder than it used to be. Longer spline on clutch plate was toward the transmission. Anybody else seen this with new parts from the suppliers? I think the set came from Victoria British. Jerry
 
Jerry,

TR4 or TR4A and is the later diaphragm clutch in either case (TR4A-TR6)?

Scott
 
62 early TR4. Besides being stiff it makes a ticking (metal on metal) sound when you push on the clutch pedal about 1/2 inch. Not in gear. Something is wrong with clutch, pressure plate or throw out bearing. Looks like we will have to take it apart. Jerry
 
Jerry, check the inspection cover plate to make sure that it is not rubbing and causing the noise that you hear. But sounds like the clutch may be in wrong since it's so stiff so you still might need to pull it and check.
 
larger protrusion is away from the engine. And, I think it won't even fit in backwards according to a british car expert that I talked to. Jerry
 
Could be the clutch plate rubbing on the flywheel attach bolts if the clutch plate was put in backwards.
Robert
 
The clutch inspection plate was bent and hitting the flywheel! We straighten it out , re-installed and no more noise. So glad it was a simple fix. While the clutch is still stiff, it seems to be getting easier. Test drive tomorrow! Jerry
 
Great to hear there will be another TR4 back on the road in Northern Cal.



Jerry said:
The clutch inspection plate was bent and hitting the flywheel! We straighten it out , re-installed and no more noise. So glad it was a simple fix. While the clutch is still stiff, it seems to be getting easier. Test drive tomorrow! Jerry
Click to expand...
 
Regarding stiff clutches, my clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing were done in 2000. It is a Borg & Beck clutch for a TR4A. It is/was brutally stiff which made modulating it for a smooth clutch engagement very difficult. It was like having an on/off switch.

I lived with it for many years until I last year I decided to try and improve it. Here is what I did which really helped:
-Move clutch slave cylinder push rod fork from middle hole to the bottom hole of the cross shaft lever
-Add two new springs: spring in clutch fork screw pin (clevis) and clutch fork return spring. Return spring attached to new return spring anchor plate. (see diagram in Moss catalog for all these parts)
-Adjust clutch slave pushrod to 2.4 turns slack as follows

  1. Remove slave cylinder return spring with needle nose vice grips or hook tool
  2. Remove all play b/t clevis fork and pushrod inside slave cylinder by unscrewing pushrod from clevis fork (i.e. can not wiggle by pulling clevis fork back and forth)
  3. Add 2.5mm (0.1”) of play. Buckeye Triumphs article states this equals exactly 2.4 turns of pushrod into clevis fork – which is perfect.
  4. Tighten lock nut without disturbing pushrod
  5. Reattach slave cylinder return spring
  6. Ideally, this will engage clutch 2/3 to Âľ from floor
  7. NOTE: clutch is extremely sensitive to even one “turn” of the pushrod
  8. The above 2.4 turns should get it perfect

I will attest that getting the 2.4 turns is really key. Believe it or not it makes a real difference you can feel in pedal pressure. The clutch will never be like a Honda (not that I even want that) but, getting the 2.4 turns adjustment really helps with smooth engagements.

Hope this helps

Bob
 
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