The Ford Barn

Bob Johnson · 10-10-2025, 10:48 AM

Here is a picture of a Multi-disk flywheel from a RHD car. I took it apart because the clutch was stuck. I believe that the problem was due to ware on the splines. Is this flywheel now a boat anchor?

johnbuckley · 10-10-2025, 11:06 AM

I lived with one worse than that for many years but eventually converted the car to single plate ... Are RHD single clutch bell housing available stateside or are you going to have to import one if you change?

rotorwrench · 10-10-2025, 11:10 AM

It could be repaired but it will take a lot of welding and machining to restore the splines.Those were a one year only item and many were changed over to the single disk type but it takes a lot more than just a flywheel and a clutch. The bell housing and transmission are different as well. A lot depends on how authentic a person wants it to be. There is also the problem of having the Able type starter drive. It was made to work with that old splined flywheel but they aren't reproduced either.

We've had discussions about this before. Another alternative is to used a later flywheel modified to have a machined spline adapter bolted up to it. Someone made one years ago and there are photos of it in the archives if searched. A set up like this might work with the later Bendix starter drive.

This is a link: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...+disk+flywheel

nkaminar · 10-10-2025, 12:24 PM

Too bad you cannot make the engine run in reverse and flip the differential over.

The Master Cylinder · 10-10-2025, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nkaminar

Too bad you cannot make the engine run in reverse and flip the differential over.

The rear wouldn't be hard. You would get twice the milage of your trans gears. You would need to change the lobes on the cam. (reverse ground cam).

I once had a reverse running Corvair engine (reverse ground cam) we put into a VW Tybe 2 Kombi mated to the VW transmission. Hauled A$$.

Joe K · 10-10-2025, 02:48 PM

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Having a smallish shaper and using a boring bar/single tool appropriately ground, one could "clean up" the ridges somewhat? It would be tedious and persnickity machine work, but even cutting down the ridges might afford looser disks.

And - along the same lines - simply clean it out and try a "keep on going" attitude?

I've recently seen SEVERAL "clutch paks" for the multidisk - one was NOS which would be the disks of choice.

Joe K

Bob Johnson · 10-10-2025, 09:42 PM

I have replaced the clutch with a single disk clutch. I do not want to take a chance that it will lock up again and I will have to remove it to fix it.

Bob

10-10-2025, 11:06 AM	#2
johnbuckley Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,600	Re: Multi-disk flywheel I lived with one worse than that for many years but eventually converted the car to single plate ... Are RHD single clutch bell housing available stateside or are you going to have to import one if you change?

10-10-2025, 11:10 AM	#3
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,018	Re: Multi-disk flywheel It could be repaired but it will take a lot of welding and machining to restore the splines.Those were a one year only item and many were changed over to the single disk type but it takes a lot more than just a flywheel and a clutch. The bell housing and transmission are different as well. A lot depends on how authentic a person wants it to be. There is also the problem of having the Able type starter drive. It was made to work with that old splined flywheel but they aren't reproduced either. We've had discussions about this before. Another alternative is to used a later flywheel modified to have a machined spline adapter bolted up to it. Someone made one years ago and there are photos of it in the archives if searched. A set up like this might work with the later Bendix starter drive. This is a link: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...+disk+flywheel Last edited by rotorwrench; 10-10-2025 at 11:17 AM.

10-10-2025, 12:24 PM	#4
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 6,858	Re: Multi-disk flywheel Too bad you cannot make the engine run in reverse and flip the differential over. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

10-10-2025, 02:48 PM	#6
Joe K Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cow Hampshire Posts: 5,022	Re: Multi-disk flywheel Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Having a smallish shaper and using a boring bar/single tool appropriately ground, one could "clean up" the ridges somewhat? It would be tedious and persnickity machine work, but even cutting down the ridges might afford looser disks. And - along the same lines - simply clean it out and try a "keep on going" attitude? I've recently seen SEVERAL "clutch paks" for the multidisk - one was NOS which would be the disks of choice. Joe K __________________ Shudda kept the horse.

10-10-2025, 09:42 PM	#7
Bob Johnson Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: California Posts: 1,021	Re: Multi-disk flywheel I have replaced the clutch with a single disk clutch. I do not want to take a chance that it will lock up again and I will have to remove it to fix it. Bob