Clutch Alignment Tool
Discussion
I’m going to be swapping out the clutch on my T350 on Saturday but struggling to buy an alignment tool. All the usual suppliers are out of stock and do not know when they will get them in.
Does anyone have an alignment tool laying around that I could buy or borrow please? I’m in the south Essex area.
Cheers
APY
Where are you? I have one you can borrow but I will say I find this works best, two methods;
Gear box out on the floor put the new plates on in the correct order and orientation, mark the outside of the plates with white paint so you get them in line on the splines when they are in between the cover and intermediate plate and flywheel, just before you nip the 6 bolts up you can jiggle them around and twist them so they are an even distance from the edge of the flywheel and so the paint marks align. The paint marks are a good reference as they are a long way from the splines so a tad out shows.
I have tried gearbox and bellhousing together and split, think I prefer putting the bellhousing on first then hooking the hydraulics up, unless you leave connected, then you can see the hrb working, although the plates will drop if you do this.... hence I have an alignment tool now but if you do test the hrb what you can do is have an assistant press the clutch as you push the spigot shaft of the gearbox through, then you just need to guide it in carefully to the spigot shaft bush in the tail of the crank. It is easy with help, done it so many times on my own as my gym going son always has a hangover... you can actually wedge the clutch pedal down and pick the plates up with the spigot shaft as you guide it in which my preferred method as it saves trying to align things and gettting it wrong.
You will need stout 1/2 drive hex keys and 3/8 drive on wiggly UJs to get the top bolts unless you do the 4 on the gearbox and take it off first. The hydraulic on the bellhousing is 9/16af and a good offset ring will see you right here, cut the end open with a grinder if you don’t have an offset flare. A dab of blue threadlocker will stop the hex bolts corroding into the ali bellhousing, they can be MFT to get undone. Bag the tail extension and you won’t lose any oil unless you are front high/arse low on the stands when you pull the prop. Exhaust Mikalors can fight so expect to buy new, the cat clamps are equally tricky, either fall off or twist up and make you swear, tried both ways and find cats/decats left on the pipes is quickest as long as you can get them pushed back on and aligned.
J
Gear box out on the floor put the new plates on in the correct order and orientation, mark the outside of the plates with white paint so you get them in line on the splines when they are in between the cover and intermediate plate and flywheel, just before you nip the 6 bolts up you can jiggle them around and twist them so they are an even distance from the edge of the flywheel and so the paint marks align. The paint marks are a good reference as they are a long way from the splines so a tad out shows.
I have tried gearbox and bellhousing together and split, think I prefer putting the bellhousing on first then hooking the hydraulics up, unless you leave connected, then you can see the hrb working, although the plates will drop if you do this.... hence I have an alignment tool now but if you do test the hrb what you can do is have an assistant press the clutch as you push the spigot shaft of the gearbox through, then you just need to guide it in carefully to the spigot shaft bush in the tail of the crank. It is easy with help, done it so many times on my own as my gym going son always has a hangover... you can actually wedge the clutch pedal down and pick the plates up with the spigot shaft as you guide it in which my preferred method as it saves trying to align things and gettting it wrong.
You will need stout 1/2 drive hex keys and 3/8 drive on wiggly UJs to get the top bolts unless you do the 4 on the gearbox and take it off first. The hydraulic on the bellhousing is 9/16af and a good offset ring will see you right here, cut the end open with a grinder if you don’t have an offset flare. A dab of blue threadlocker will stop the hex bolts corroding into the ali bellhousing, they can be MFT to get undone. Bag the tail extension and you won’t lose any oil unless you are front high/arse low on the stands when you pull the prop. Exhaust Mikalors can fight so expect to buy new, the cat clamps are equally tricky, either fall off or twist up and make you swear, tried both ways and find cats/decats left on the pipes is quickest as long as you can get them pushed back on and aligned.
J
Edited by Sagi Badger on Monday 8th July 22:07
Edited by Sagi Badger on Monday 8th July 22:15
Sagi Badger said:
Where are you? I have one you can borrow but I will say I find this works best, two methods;
Gear box out on the floor put the new plates on in the correct order and orientation, mark the outside of the plates with white paint so you get them in line on the splines when they are in between the cover and intermediate plate and flywheel, just before you nip the 6 bolts up you can jiggle them around and twist them so they are an even distance from the edge of the flywheel and so the paint marks align. The paint marks are a good reference as they are a long way from the splines so a tad out shows.
I have tried gearbox and bellhousing together and split, think I prefer putting the bellhousing on first then hooking the hydraulics up, unless you leave connected, then you can see the hrb working, although the plates will drop if you do this.... hence I have an alignment tool now but if you do test the hrb what you can do is have an assistant press the clutch as you push the spigot shaft of the gearbox through, then you just need to guide it in carefully to the spigot shaft bush in the tail of the crank. It is easy with help, done it so many times on my own as my gym going son always has a hangover... you can actually wedge the clutch pedal down and pick the plates up with the spigot shaft as you guide it in which my preferred method as it saves trying to align things and gettting it wrong.
You will need stout 1/2 drive hex keys and 3/8 drive on wiggly UJs to get the top bolts unless you do the 4 on the gearbox and take it off first. The hydraulic on the bellhousing is 9/16af and a good offset ring will see you right here, cut the end open with a grinder if you don’t have an offset flare. A dab of blue threadlocker will stop the hex bolts corroding into the ali bellhousing, they can be MFT to get undone. Bag the tail extension and you won’t lose any oil unless you are front high/arse low on the stands when you pull the prop. Exhaust Mikalors can fight so expect to buy new, the cat clamps are equally tricky, either fall off or twist up and make you swear, tried both ways and find cats/decats left on the pipes is quickest as long as you can get them pushed back on and aligned.
J
You are a life saver! Can I borrow it if you don't mind?Gear box out on the floor put the new plates on in the correct order and orientation, mark the outside of the plates with white paint so you get them in line on the splines when they are in between the cover and intermediate plate and flywheel, just before you nip the 6 bolts up you can jiggle them around and twist them so they are an even distance from the edge of the flywheel and so the paint marks align. The paint marks are a good reference as they are a long way from the splines so a tad out shows.
I have tried gearbox and bellhousing together and split, think I prefer putting the bellhousing on first then hooking the hydraulics up, unless you leave connected, then you can see the hrb working, although the plates will drop if you do this.... hence I have an alignment tool now but if you do test the hrb what you can do is have an assistant press the clutch as you push the spigot shaft of the gearbox through, then you just need to guide it in carefully to the spigot shaft bush in the tail of the crank. It is easy with help, done it so many times on my own as my gym going son always has a hangover... you can actually wedge the clutch pedal down and pick the plates up with the spigot shaft as you guide it in which my preferred method as it saves trying to align things and gettting it wrong.
You will need stout 1/2 drive hex keys and 3/8 drive on wiggly UJs to get the top bolts unless you do the 4 on the gearbox and take it off first. The hydraulic on the bellhousing is 9/16af and a good offset ring will see you right here, cut the end open with a grinder if you don’t have an offset flare. A dab of blue threadlocker will stop the hex bolts corroding into the ali bellhousing, they can be MFT to get undone. Bag the tail extension and you won’t lose any oil unless you are front high/arse low on the stands when you pull the prop. Exhaust Mikalors can fight so expect to buy new, the cat clamps are equally tricky, either fall off or twist up and make you swear, tried both ways and find cats/decats left on the pipes is quickest as long as you can get them pushed back on and aligned.
J
Edited by Sagi Badger on Monday 8th July 22:07
Edited by Sagi Badger on Monday 8th July 22:15
I'm in Benfleet, but will travel to pick it up.
Thanks for taking the time to write up all the information, I'm going to have to go tool shopping now.
Cheers
APY
I've had the clutch out twice. First time I lined the clutch up by eye which took a lot of struggling to get the splines to line up on clutch plates and have them exactly in the centre. It took a lot of struggling with the gearbox under the car lots of trial and error. On the second attempt purchased the alignment tool. gearbox went straight on.
So you can do it the hard way, But my advise is just get the tool.
So you can do it the hard way, But my advise is just get the tool.
Broom handle with sufficient masking tape wrapped around it to make a snug fit in the crankshaft and the clutch plate centre has worked for me several times. Unless TVRs are very different from a classic Mini, MGB or Escort Mk4 then it should work. The only problem is if you lose the piece of broom handle after each use you end up with a hunch back when you sweep the floor.
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