Clutch pilot shaft


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By 82warren - 8 Years Ago
I decided to toss out that miserable 11 inch clutch we had in our '54 Crestline sedan, this car was made up out of parts and pieces, this police special clutch was all I could get at the time locally so put it in along with an original 239Y.  I didn't like it, not smooth enough, tended to chatter a little in reverse. 
Am about to put in another 239Y that's in prime shape but this time I did find a 10 inch clutch & flywheel, I bought a new clutch disc but lacked a stub pilot shaft to install it on the flywheel.  I had a spare tranny with OD in a storage shed, removed side cover and noted it had little oil in it, that was it, I used the torch, cut the input shaft off and now we have a stub shaft and it's correct.  We used that today, the clutch is assembled and we're ready to install the engine. 

A good idea when doing this;  put all 6 pressure plate bolts in but only snug, your disc and stub shaft in place, then tap the shaft from different angles, this will center the clutch disc, tighten bolts to about 25 lbs torque, then make sure the stub slides in and out easily with two fingers.  This will insure your motor going in smoothly.  I use two 7/16 guide studs in the bottom bolt holes, also have one rear wheel off the ground, the tranny in HI, someone can wiggle that wheel a little with the motor centered and very quickly your engine will slide into place.   I also use an air bag to hold the tranny up, much easier to wiggle and move things into alignment that way.

Cheers to all,

Warren



By Lord Gaga - 8 Years Ago
Warren, you're a wild man!
I had a 10" HD clutch in my '57 Ford....I didn't like it....high pedal effort! I went with an 11" flywheel and a diaphragm clutch. EZ pedal effort, took a while to get used to it, I love it. Never slips, chatters or stays on the floor at high RPMs like some seemed to do back in the day.
You can buy wooden or plastic dummy shafts for a couple of bucks you know?
By 62bigwindow - 8 Years Ago
I assume your talking about a clutch line up tool. A must have item to put in the tool box.
By Rono - 8 Years Ago
Just an fyi here...I switched to an 11" flywheel and installed a Centerforce clutch and pressure plate. The Centerforce pressure plate uses small counter weights on a wire which spin inward and greatly reduce pedal pressure. In fact, their instructions say to remove the big clutch pedal spring under the dash because you no longer need it. Just a return spring.
Rono
By 82warren - 8 Years Ago
I don't care about pedal pressure, I'm a big guy. 

I have about every pilot shaft you can think of but lacked this one.  I had a plastic one but loaned it out ... you know the rest.  I had to do something fast, I like the real thing in steel, you can tap on them with a hammer to set the disc without breaking.
When your stub shaft slips in-out with two fingers easily, so will your engine.  I've been with on too many 'maybe' installations, I hate to hear and use vulgarity...

Warren

By slumlord444 - 8 Years Ago
When I originally put an all syncro 3 speed in my T Bird back in 1965 I used an 11" clutch out of a '63 406. Never had a slippage or breakage issue but pedal pressure was heavy. Several years back the disc finally gave it up. Installed an 11" diaphragm replacement for a 390 pick up truck. Night and day difference in peddle pressure and just works better.