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Adjusting the clutch.

nigel burrows

Enthusiast
Messages
16
Location
bedfordshire
Hello All. i have fitted a new clutch and release bearing. to my 1979 4. i have looked at the haines book. re adjusting clutch. peer into the slot on top of bell housing. with a torch.
there should be 3 or 4 mm between bearing face and pressure plate. i cannot even see the release bearing.!!!!!!!, i can see parts of it. i got my wife to gently press the pedal down. i adjusted the cable untill it looked like a small movement of the bearing untill it pressed on the pressure plate. but not having xray vision i am not sure its right. seems very err ham fisted. is there a cunning more accurate way. to get it correct. i still have a crunchy second gear. i could not find a new sychro hub anywhere. so could only clean up the old one. and hoped a new clutch might improove it. but is about the same.!!!!!. after a whole winter of dismantleing.
all best nigel.
 
The theory behind the "3-4 mm of play" between the release bearing and pressure plate is that the release bearing will not drag on the pressure plate all the time, spinning and wearing prematurely.
It has not to be dead-accurate, just make sure there is no contact. I check it like this: You should be able to feel a little play when moving back and forth the clutch fork lever (1108cc) or clutch rod bellcrank (845cc) with your hand. Set it so you have minimal but definitely noticeable play. If your clutch pedal, and cable clevis and pin are worn you may need to make the adjustment a bit tighter, to the point that the bearing contacts the pressure plate, as a quick fix. This is most common on the small engines, where you have three more wear points at the cable bellcrank. You won't do any harm to the bearing if you don't leave it too long like this.
 
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