The Ford Barn

GEOFFNZ · 06-30-2011, 02:19 AM

Have had that problem with an 11" truck clutch in a '47 car and would not free by driving so drilled a 5/8 hole in the bottom of the bell housing in the right place and drove a fine little wedge between the clutch disc and flywheel where the cover lifts away between the mounting bolts with the clutch released.Risky but it worked although probably not with the earlier 9" clutch and flywheel.

Hoop · 06-30-2011, 06:41 AM

"i don,t know how a clutch disk can rust to a flywheel .if you take a clutch disk & put a magnac to the faceing it will not attrack."

The clutch does not need to have ferrous metal in it to become stuck. When the clutch sits for enough time for moisture to act on the flywheel/PP, the rust from those surfaces penetrates the fibers of the clutch faces. The pressure plate has the clutch under pressure, and when the rust forms, it expands and is forced into the fibers ... somewhat like in woodworking when glue is forced into fibers by clamping. The rust acts sorta like glue.

Clutches absolutely do rust to transmission splines and pilot bearings do rust tight, but the sticking that most people experience is the clutch stuck to the flywheel. If you search the internet and the various forums, "stuck clutches" also cause problems in newer cars which when disassembled have no signs of binding splines or bad pilot bearings.

Again, I am not disputing the splines/pilot bearing cause. I have had enough of both to know it happens, usually in older engines that have been ignored.

06-30-2011, 02:19 AM	#21
GEOFFNZ Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Oxford New Zealand Posts: 177	Re: Clutch disc frozen to flywheel Have had that problem with an 11" truck clutch in a '47 car and would not free by driving so drilled a 5/8 hole in the bottom of the bell housing in the right place and drove a fine little wedge between the clutch disc and flywheel where the cover lifts away between the mounting bolts with the clutch released.Risky but it worked although probably not with the earlier 9" clutch and flywheel.

06-30-2011, 06:41 AM	#22
Hoop Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 1,137	Re: Clutch disc frozen to flywheel "i don,t know how a clutch disk can rust to a flywheel .if you take a clutch disk & put a magnac to the faceing it will not attrack." The clutch does not need to have ferrous metal in it to become stuck. When the clutch sits for enough time for moisture to act on the flywheel/PP, the rust from those surfaces penetrates the fibers of the clutch faces. The pressure plate has the clutch under pressure, and when the rust forms, it expands and is forced into the fibers ... somewhat like in woodworking when glue is forced into fibers by clamping. The rust acts sorta like glue. Clutches absolutely do rust to transmission splines and pilot bearings do rust tight, but the sticking that most people experience is the clutch stuck to the flywheel. If you search the internet and the various forums, "stuck clutches" also cause problems in newer cars which when disassembled have no signs of binding splines or bad pilot bearings. Again, I am not disputing the splines/pilot bearing cause. I have had enough of both to know it happens, usually in older engines that have been ignored. __________________ "Remember that when it comes to intelligence, half of all of us are below average."