clutch finger spring
clutch finger spring
Author
Discussion

350matt

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

308 months

Friday 10th March 2006
quotequote all
Does anyone have a spare / partly knackered / at least some fingers left on it clutch spring? That I could beg borrow or even buy?

As I'm going to have a go at making one up, knowing a bit about spring design but I don't fancy taking my car apart for a month or so while I get one made up. Obviously should I be successfull I'll get a batch made and flog 'em on to jools for a cursory sum, I'm anticipating less than 100 quid per spring which is a damn sight cheaper
than a new clutch, addmittedly it may come in a lot cheaper than this we'll have to see
Matt

Steve_T

6,356 posts

301 months

Friday 10th March 2006
quotequote all
I can't do anything right away Matt, as I may need the dead clutch I have in my court case, but I should hopefully be able to supply the bits soon after.

Steve.

Captain Beaky

1,389 posts

313 months

Friday 10th March 2006
quotequote all
I've got a dead clutch in my garage (from my 98 4.5) which I've already tried to give away once ! I haven't looked closely but presumably the finger spring is just bolted on ? If so, drop me a line and I can stick it in the post.

dean_ratpac

1,582 posts

307 months

Friday 10th March 2006
quotequote all
Matt you might want to call a few of the indies - as they've clutches from obvious finger failure.
I would also be intersted in what you come of this, some has done this before with an external company right - can't remember who it is, but the company refused to do any more.



>> Edited by dean_ratpac on Friday 10th March 12:08

350matt

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

308 months

Friday 10th March 2006
quotequote all
As I recall when the chap did it, they replaced the entire clutch with a completly bespoke unit and lost a load of cash in the process, so understandably they don't want to do any more, I'm planning to attack it 2 ways, first make a tougher spring but same spring rate (from the pictures I've seen its got a couple of 'please break here points') secondly try and source a direct replacement, that'll bolt straight up or only require a minimum of mods to fit


Matt

simonsparrow

1,599 posts

291 months

Friday 10th March 2006
quotequote all
Great effort Matt!

Captain Beaky

1,389 posts

313 months

Friday 10th March 2006
quotequote all

jesfirth is also looking at clutch builds, it might be worth checking if you can share any information or contacts.

daver

1,209 posts

313 months

Friday 10th March 2006
quotequote all
I sent mine off to AP to enable the to perform some analysis and see what they had to say for themselves. Well that was a waste of a Jiffy bag I'll never get back.

jesfirth

1,743 posts

271 months

Saturday 11th March 2006
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daver

Is it worth contacting AP to see if you can get it back cos 350matt needs a sample spring and I need a sample finger. Its only useful to me if its off an early 4.2 ie 96 or 97.

I already have a company who will renew the friction plates for £50.00 so a couple of fingers and springs and we are all in business with very cheap rebuilds.

Jes

350matt

Original Poster:

3,896 posts

308 months

Sunday 12th March 2006
quotequote all
Jes
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the clutch fingers and the spring, one and the same thing?

As I understood it the main clamp load of the clutch is provided by a bellville washer affair with a load of radial cuts to turn it into a 'finger plate' the 'fingers' break off from the plate which loses the clamp load and gives the slave nothing to push on and so the clutch is permantly closed with no means to open it.

I think.....


Matt

daver

1,209 posts

313 months

Monday 13th March 2006
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Matt, that's about the shape of it!

Jes, I sent mine off ages ago so it's probably occupying a small corner of a landfill site now. I'm sure someone somewhere must have recently suffered this issue though and still have the souvenir to prove it. In terms of expense, obviously it's expensive if you have to by a complete clutch to get yourself back on the road. I was lucky as Steve Howard at Thames Valley Racing looks after my car and he had a spare diaphragm plate sporting a full set of fingers from one of his race Tuscans which had worn out friction plates instead.

jesfirth

1,743 posts

271 months

Monday 13th March 2006
quotequote all
dunno in terms of the clutch fittings, I havent seen mine yet cos its still ok but its bound to go sometime soon. I would have thought that a finger would be relatively easy to manufacture after its only a sliver of sprung steel cut to shape isn't it. Do any of the cerb manuals have a spec on it? If we can get hold of a spec I am prepared to see if we can get some manufactured and sell them on at cost just to have spares myself. Please excuse any stupid statements as you may have gathered I'm reasonably technical but not an engineer.

Captain Beaky

1,389 posts

313 months

Tuesday 14th March 2006
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If it stops snowing my complete clutch (dead with failed fingers) will be in the post to Matt today.

When I had my clutch replaced Jools (then Joospeed, now TCS) remarked that the failure could have been caused by poor fitting rather than poor materials. Maybe a finger spring replacement and realignment should be part of the 12,000 mile service - along with the big fuse, oil pressure spring etc...