1985 Corvette

Little update as I received a package from SPEC today. Unfortunately, there are some issues with the "replacement" parts.....a USED pressure plate and a friction disk which has been crushed around the areas of the sprung hub assembly. There was no description inside the box as to the reason to replace both the original friction disk and pressure plate, as it would've been nice know, but I have replacements now.....with some compromises. I'll let the pics show the story.....











If the above pics are not a deal breaker I can give them a try. Not sure what to think....

-=Jeff=-

Might be worth a phone call to them to discuss

chadk

Man that sucks. Sounds like it got damaged in shipping? I have been following thread forever it seems now.
Hang in there. Can't give up now.

Tom400CFI

The stuff on the pressure plate wouldn't bother me. The hub would bother me. I probably wouldn't want to use it. I'd be concerned that it may vibrate, or even "fold" under tq.

1985 Corvette

Yeah, I felt the same way about the pressure plate to an extent. I don't mind a used pressure plate as long as the mating surface for the friction material is good but part of me wonders why a good plate was returned and now I have it? I was only concerned it might wear some type of groove into the disk but only a portion of that divot would wipe the clutch disk, once the disk was centred on the pressure plate after I eyeballed it. I'm not looking for trouble or to cause an issue for SPEC but the idea of a used pressure plate has me wondering if it was returned originally...what was wrong with it as well? I agree on the hub.

I am in touch with a Jeremy Auvil at SPEC, who has been kind enough to work with me well outside of the given warranty period. He said he would look into it "ASAP" per his email response so even he appears to be a little concerned about the condition of the parts. Outside of the box was damage free so this looks to have happened before it was packaged up and sent to me.

But so far, here's the score:

1) Stage 3+ kit with sprung hub ordered for $640+, received solid hub....with sprung hub part number on outside and inside of box
2) Sprung hub sent to complete kit as intended but clutch grinds
3) Money spent to send back for review, no info on what was uncovered, but replacements sent
4) ANOTHER sprung hub disk sent in error...I contacted them and returned it out of pure honesty and to do right by them
5) Replacements sent for both parts, pressure plate is a used piece and hub on replacement disk damaged

I get it, I ordered these parts back in December of 2013, so I am well out of the time period where they are obligated to help me. But after spending at this point, shipping cost included returning parts, over $700, I get used parts? Not sure how I feel about this now.

STEVEN13

As others have asked-What is the thickness of the spacer for the master? I am sure it is not your problem-But I would confirm if it is the same thickness as the Doug Nash and ZF.

Your are almost there!!

Good luck!

856SPEED

Spec is a reputable clutch provider for these cars...I run the stage 2 in mine but I went through Carolina Clutch and not Spec directly. Tom at Carolina was great and knows the C4 issues.

I can't believe they sent you used clutch parts.....odd....like getting used brakes....I don't like that....They need a phone call.

1985 Corvette

Well per the email I received today:

"I spoke with the RMA department.
The disc is based on your original unit and was relined; it will not impact function.
The plate is a new unit and the marks you see should pose no issue at all. "

So I guess the plate is new but it really has a look about it that feels like it's been in someone's bellhousing already. I don't know what relined means as far as clutch disk parts go. I don't know if they did that because the original disk was too thick or whatever. I'm probably being paranoid about it. Anyway, I'll give them a call tomorrow. I'm with ya, Tom400CFI, if it works as intended, I'll be happy.

Tom400CFI

That means the bronze colored material in your last pic, is new, on the disk that you sent back to them. Similar to new pad material on brake pad backing plates. IDK why they relined the disk other than to give your disk "like new" wear/life and performance.

If I were you, I'd assemble the flywheel, clutch, then put the bell housing, TOB fork and slave on....then bleed and have a friend/someone pump the clutch pedal, while you look into the bell housing from the rear of the assy through the transmission hole. I'd want to see, first hand the functioning of the clutch/TOB/fork, before putting the trans back in, to prove to myself that everything is working proper.

1985 Corvette

Yeah possibly by next week I want to have it all back in the car. Any recommendations on a good input bearing? I have to remove the one I botched on install. Taking a look at pullers but I may try the grease packing method to drive it out. I guess you can't do that on LS series cranks but I'm guessing the one piece rear crank on a gen 1 is okay.

Tom400CFI

I don't have a recommendation for a Pilot bearing. I prefer the needle/roller bearings to the bronze bushing, but I've had both fail prematurely, and had both work flawlessly too, so...


The grease method works great for your application. Try to get the grease in there w/o any air pockets as any air will act as a spring to you impact.

1985 Corvette

Alright guys, I got the roller bearing I fudged up out with the autozone bearing puller and slide hammer tool. Worked like a charm. New roller bearing in the crank. I'm rolling with the parts, as Jeremy at SPEC reported back they were all new. One thing I noticed is with the clutch pack together, and checking throw out bearing spin, I noticed the TB has slightly oblong travel as I spin it by hand. Is this a problem? It may sound silly but at this stage I'm inspecting everything as close as possible before it goes back together.

Wazzugar

Sounds like normal behavior for a self centering release bearing. The flat plate of the bearing that the pressure plate springs touch can slide off center from the rest of the bearing, you can center them by hand but they will find their own center. It's done to reduce wear on the tips of the pressure plate springs.

whalepirot

there is the arm length ratio plus the hydraulic piston sizes that control the TO bearing's range of movement with rather tight tolerances. I agree that you want this right with no possibility of more metal shavings, as when spirited driving!

ZFDoc is the man, Bill being more concerned with helping than getting wealthy. He did my ZF6 install, using my stock clutch master and a hydraulic TO bearing, neither being his normal approach, if there is such a thing.

Perhaps a careful shortening of the push rod is the easiest fix to seemingly excessive travel. Bill repeatedly cautions against allowing things to deteriorate to prevent full disengagement of the clutch, which is a slow death to the soft brass $ynchro$.

On the other note, i am glad you're back 'on it'. I have been frustrated and ready to quit a few times, when doing and redoing my car.

Now, it is an absolute blast to drive, stated even by Mr. Bill!

1985 Corvette

That's what I figured it was on purpose. The TB is brand new as it came in the kit and nice and tight outside of that slightly eliptical pattern when you spin it.

I had contemplated cutting down the pushrod on the clutch slave but I was told because it's a self adjusting unit that wouldn't do much good. However, if the travel of the clutch master internal stop would effect how far the clutch slave cylinder extends, maybe a shorter pushrod could work? In my head it sounds like it would work but it sounds too easy a fix to be true.

Yes, I'm back on it....I love the car. You know how some of us are on here: we talk a big game but we can't let em' go. I was so ticked about this because I'm antsy about driving the godforsaken thing and I had this adorable idea that all these purdy new parts were going to bolt together trouble free. That always happens right?

50n87Vette

Did you find out what the problem was?
And what was the fix.

STEVEN13

Not sure if it has been stated already.

I am just finishing up a FW/Clutch job on my 1992. On mine, the convex side of the clutch goes to the flywheel side-Not the way yours is. In my case I am using an Alum Flywheel. I did use ARP flywheel bolts as they are shorter than the bolts supplied with the Fidanza Flywheel.

Regards,
Steve

2ooo-C5

It sure seems the OP said on the first page that the clutch was in backwards.
I might be miss reading... but it sure seems like he said he flipped it over.

1985 Corvette

Original sprung hub had "flywheel side" sticker attached to flat side of disk. The steel flywheel has a recess designed specifically for the sprung hub assembly. Just for kicks I tried to assemble the pack as the stickers were instructing and pressure plate was nowhere close to mating to flywheel.

Issue was resolved with the replacement parts. No grinding even with pedal as physically pressed in as possible. Somewhere I got an incorrect part or a correct part out of spec (no pun intended). Forum member Dr Huxtable had the same issue I had with a spec clutch grinding few years ago. My advice for anyone now is run the motor with clutch and bellhousing on first and test it all out before throwing the trans back in. Just because it says it's a kit for your exact model doesn't mean all the right parts are there trouble free.

STEVEN13

My bad-I did not read through the thread.

Glad you got it resolved!

Steve