What's wrong with this picture?

[Old Henry]

Clutch springs rubbing on flywheel bolt heads. Why? 47 sedan

[jehagado]

Hardware bolts longer then oem bolts

[19Fordy]

Old Henry, Would it be possible to remove one opf those
bolts and compare it to an OEM bolt?

Is the clutch disk facing the wrong way?

[TJ]

Looks to me like the clutch facing is severely worn which allows the springs to get close to the bolts. Did it just start doing this? The bolts look correct(OEM) with the safety wire.

[Kurt in NJ]

it could be that the flywheel has been resurfaced too much, it also could be the clutch disc is not the same as original ford one, thicker there---or a combination of both

[Ross F-1]

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I think the flywheel has been faced once too many times, or too big a cut.

(beat me, Kurt!)

[Kahuna]

Are there washers under the bolts?

[JM 35 Sedan]

Looks like you might have lock or flat washers under those bolt heads, and if so, they should not be there. Or they could be marks made by a socket or the underside of the bolt heads when bolts were tightened.

Looks like Kahuna may have beaten me to the punch on the washer theory

Probably not part of this particular problem, but looks like excessive fretting corrosion on ID of pilot bearing. Also wondereing if there is damage on the small diameter of the transmission input shaft that goes into that pilot bearing ID? Might be worth checking that out, and also the pilot bearing itself before you put this car back together.

I'm sure if Mac VanPelt is going through this transmission, he will check the pilot diameter on the input shaft. Would be interesting to know what else he finds on this transmission

[51 MERC-CT]

Although from an 8BA plate a point of reference with the springs forward.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Ross F-1

I think the flywheel has been faced once too many times, or too big a cut.

(beat me, Kurt!)

Bingo!

[cas3]

i bought a new disk a while back that was about 060 thinner than it should be. ebay junk

[JSeery]

If you look at the face of the clutch you can see that the rivets which hold the clutch material onto the disk have been rubbing on the flywheel as well. A new clutch plate is required.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by JSeery

If you look at the face of the clutch you can see that the rivets which hold the clutch material onto the disk have been rubbing on the flywheel as well. A new clutch plate is required.

I agree, and also think the clutch face surface finish on the flywheel appears to have a coarse cut finish which may have eaten that clutch disk material very quickly. A lot of things appear to have been going wrong here at the same time.

[Old Henry]

Thanks for all responses.

This clutch only has 38,000 miles on it but am replacing it while tranny is out being rebuilt by VanPelt. The rivets that look like they have rubbed on the flywheel are actually still below the surface of the clutch although just barely. Don't know why they look like that. Flywheel bolts are the original. Don't have any washers under them.

I agree that it is most likely a combination of worn clutch and over-machined flywheel. Will definitely replace clutch and consider replacing flywheel.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

I agree that it is most likely a combination of worn clutch and over-machined flywheel. Will definitely replace clutch and consider replacing flywheel.

Not a welcome outcome I'm sure, but I agree 100%. As much as you drive the car it is going to need a new flywheel before long.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by cas3

i bought a new disk a while back that was about 060 thinner than it should be. ebay junk

I got this clutch from Fort Wayne Clutch so thought it would last longer than 38,000 miles. If there is any better source out there I'd like to hear it.

[JSeery]

Think the issue may be the surface of the flywheel and not the clutch material itself. The flywheel appears to have a very rough cut surface that will eat up any clutch plate.

[oldford2]

Professor, When you get it all figured out and re-assembled, have a guy who knows how to wrap safety wire do it.
John

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by JSeery

Think the issue may be the surface of the flywheel and not the clutch material itself. The flywheel appears to have a very rough cut surface that will eat up any clutch plate.

I know the surface looks like a rasp but it's as smooth as any flywheel surface. It's just the way the light plays on the machining marks that makes it look rough.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by oldford2

Professor, When you get it all figured out and re-assembled, have a guy who knows how to wrap safety wire do it.
John

If there was anyone around that knows how to wrap safety wire I'd have them do the whole job. There isn't. So, how do you do it? It will be me doing it if I replace the flywheel. A picture of correct wiring would be most helpful.