bj1k

I'm working on my 57 and installed a new quality flywheel from summit Racing and a new clutch kit from Advance Auto Parts and was getting clutch chatter ( rough vibration when engaging the clutch ). So today I installed a new McCloud high performance clutch kit from Summit Racing and tried it down the road and still have the problem ( even worse in reverse ) Everything is new and it is the second kit . I've never seen anything like this . The only thing that I noticed that caught my attention was the clutch fork didn't seem to be far enough into the throw out bearing ( not centered ). I'm wondering if it is pushing the throw out bearing crooked and not compressing the fingers evenly on the pressure plate . The clutch fork looks like the right one and they are supposed to be the same from 55-62 . I'm going to look at it again tomorrow . Probably pull the leather boot off and see if I can get a peak inside to see if it is fully engaged on the ball stud . Anybody ever run into this ? I've probably installed close to one hundred clutches in my lifetime and never seen this .

vette61

Not sure what setup you have but if you have a dust cover just in front of the flywheel (engine side) check to see if the flywheel bolts are touching it and making the noise. Do a search on the forum, lots of info about this issue. Shifting the dust cover one way or the other could fix the rattle.

rsavage1

When I bought my C1 I had a lot of chatter. Checked the transmission mount and found that the bolts that bolt the trans mount bracket to the tail housing were stripped and backed out. Re-drilled housing, tapped and end of chatter. Just a thought/possibility.

DansYellow66

I would second Rsavage1's post. With a new flywheel and two new clutch kits you have eliminated 90% of the potential clutch-related chatter sources. Time to look at the motor mounts, transmission mount, & clutch linkage in general.

tubman

May not be exactly the same, but I had the a similar problem with my '51 Ford (resurfaced flywheel and new disc and pressure plate); it also tuned out to be motor/ transmission mounts. I don't know which it was because once I got under it, I replaced 'em all. The old ones didn't look that bad either.

bj1k

I'm familiar with what you are talking about , I 've had the same thing with other cars but this is not a noise it is a shutter/vibration like the clutch is just not engaging smoothly .

bj1k

Front engine mounts are new and solid , no problem there . Back mount at transmission seems good , just had it out to remove the transmission and looked it over , but I will get under tomorrow and put some jack pressure on it to see if it moves . Just seems more like the fingers on the pressure plate are compressing unevenly . That's why I have been looking at the clutch fork . I hope it's just the trans mount . Not looking forward to tearing it down again .

vette61

If you suspect that it might be the throw out bearing, make sure it was installed the correct way.

bj1k

Yes the arm is installed correctly in the opening as in the drawing , just not sure it is engaging in the center of the throw out bearing as if the clutch arm is not seated in the swivel ball .

Drothgeb

59BlueSilver

DansYellow66

I did get ahold of a new pressure plate last year that shuttered very badly upon installation. After pulling it back out immediately, the diaphragm fingers looked even, but upon turning the clutch over and measuring the at rest position of the steel plate, I found it was considerably un-level with the housing. I then bolted the pressure plate and disc to a flywheel and put it all in a hydraulic press and compressed the fingers to move the plate to achieve a clearance of .060 inch and found that I had a lot of variance in that clearance dimension all around the outside of the plate. The manufacturer gave me some static because I bought it through a Amazon seller and apparently it left the manufacturer about 2 years prior, but after sending it back they checked it and sent me a replacement and I performed the same checks on it when I received it. It still had a slight amount of variance but only about 1/4 to 1/3 the variance of the bad one. Once installed it has worked smoothly.

So yes, a bad pressure plate does get out now and then apparently. If you have to pull it all back out this might be something to check. I will tell you it shook and chattered badly. I knew as soon as I started backing it off my lift that something was horribly wrong. I only drove it down the block and back and right back up on the lift to remove it.

bj1k

Thanks Dan I'm hoping that it is not the pressure plate and have my doubts only because the first clutch set from Advance Auto Parts did the same thing , but thanks for that information and if the mount doesn't fix it I will look into the pressure plate further . I'm going down to the garage now to take a closer look at the trans mount . Maybe I can solid mount it temporarily today to see if it eliminates the problem , but I will be replacing it for sure . By the way you described it better than me " shook and chattered " . It is not a noise that is the problem .

Drothgeb

domenic tallarita

If you take it apart again make sure the surface under the TO bearing is not worn. About 25% of the ones I did had the worn snout that holds the trans front bearing in place.

Dom

x0000rgw

Since you have replaced most of the moving parts, You should look at the alignments. The obvious thing is the bell housing alignment.
If it is not factory alignment of matched engine and bell housing, then they may be mis-aligned. You will need a dial indicator to align the housing.
I had the same problem with my 61. I am using a 355 engine with the 61 bell housing. Would vibrate only when the clutch was pressed in. Also, the pilot
bushing was worn in an oval shape by the trans shaft.
Good luck
Ray

DansYellow66

This reminds me - In addition to a rough and worn transmission input bearing retainer - what about the pilot bushing? I didn't see any mention of replacing it. Did you check it to see if the bore was badly worn? I think if the inner bushing diameter is no more than 3 or 4 thousands of an inch larger than the input shaft tip it is usually OK. Also - probably not an issue with your car - but I believe a twisted input shaft (and clutch splines) can cause clutch shuddering on engagement. But that usually takes a big engine, good traction and/or some abusive driving to happen. More things to look at if you end up having to pull the transmission out again. Hopefully it's a mount or something external.

JF in MI

I agree here. While not a car, I had a tractor that chattered like a mother when trying to engage the clutch. Pulled it apart and the clutch was fine but the pilot bushing was very warn. Just replaced the bushing and nothing else and it ran smooth as silk afterwards.

Viet Nam Vett

Right on... When I installed my TK0 with the 502 .I used a CenterForce II clutch.And a New Flywheel. I also replaced the Release Fork and a New Pivot Ball and had the Bell housing Machined for Flatness as well as a New Pilot bearing. Also making sure the run out in the bell housing center was trued with a Dial indicator. That's where the Adjustable Dowel pins come in^.

Replaced the Tranny rubber mount and the motor mounts with Urethane ones.

Just My $.02 Worth

bj1k

I talked to McCleod yesterday about their Clutch set and he just said that their is a break-in period of 500 to 750 miles . So I guess I just have to jerk and hop down the road for the next couple summers . This can't be the answer . I have never seen this with a new clutch !