Clutch Linkage

[Nightmist66]

Curious what type clutch you are running and what would be your total travel of clutch fork? The reason I ask is because I am in a similar situation and my clutch (a twin disk McLeod) specifically calls for no more than .500 of total travel of t/o bearing against pressure plate.

I'm prepared to dodge the rotten tomatoes and get boo'd off stage for my choice. I went with some old skool junk laying around. A gently used Ram 3 finger and a NOS sintered disc from way back, and a Ford Racing flywheel. Not sure what the total travel is, I haven't measured that yet.

[SSdynosaur]

The name "Cleaning Lady" is more than just some random advertising. Those were known to "clean out" everything behind the flywheel. They will absolutely expose the weak link in the driveline.

[Nightmist66]

I fully understand the history of this setup from someone who used them before me. I have tried to do my best to prevent catastrophic failure. I haven't mentioned my setup much. I have a fully prepped toploader with some tricks, a new custom driveshaft with billet steel slip yoke, chromoly ends, 1350 non-greasables, and a whole new rear setup waiting for me to assemble. I have a custom Strange housing fully braced and internally gusseted(I also boxed the perches), HD Pro Aluminum center with their spool and 35 spline axles. Caltracs, split mono's, and double adjustable Vikings.

[SSdynosaur]

The 6 pad disc pictured is an early version. One of the first failures will be that the springs in the disc center will collapse and when you physically shake the disc they will rattle. Later versions had urethane encapsulated springs as that was the only way the mfg. could get any service life at all. I ran those in an 11" configuration which, by the way only had 9 springs in the pressure plate; I can only imagine how violent engagement will be with the 11.5"/12 spring setup. Those discs were produced in two different configurations. The early model only had 3 pads on the disc while, probably, to your advantage, the 6 pad is the later and slightly less violent version. The good news is that, other than spring issues, you can hardly damage the disc friction surfaces.

[Towd56]

Curious what type clutch you are running and what would be your total travel of clutch fork? The reason I ask is because I am in a similar situation and my clutch (a twin disk McLeod) specifically calls for no more than .500 of total travel of t/o bearing against pressure plate.

I'm prepared to dodge the rotten tomatoes and get boo'd off stage for my choice. I went with some old skool junk laying around. A gently used Ram 3 finger and a NOS sintered disc from way back, and a Ford Racing flywheel. Not sure what the total travel is, I haven't measured that yet.

Very nice - thanks. Are the top loader tricks something you’d share??

[blykins]

The 6 pad disc pictured is an early version. One of the first failures will be that the springs in the disc center will collapse and when you physically shake the disc they will rattle. Later versions had urethane encapsulated springs as that was the only way the mfg. could get any service life at all. I ran those in an 11" configuration which, by the way only had 9 springs in the pressure plate; I can only imagine how violent engagement will be with the 11.5"/12 spring setup. Those discs were produced in two different configurations. The early model only had 3 pads on the disc while, probably, to your advantage, the 6 pad is the later and slightly less violent version. The good news is that, other than spring issues, you can hardly damage the disc friction surfaces.

At least it's a sprung hub.  My guess is that the engagement will either be on/off without much chance of slipping.  Great for a race application. 

[machoneman]

Yeah, great for a racer yet a they were a real transmission/driveline breakers for sure.

We used to run a diaphram 3,200# clutch (Schiefer) in our 3,400 lb. BBC '69 Camaro (sorry!) in the early 70's and with 10.90 et's, it killed many ST-10 B-W trannys for sure! Sadly, adjustable clutches (called slippers) for bodied cars were just coming on-line in the mid-70's at affordable prices when we quit and sold the car. A fellow racer later said that with proper adjustments in a similar car, he ran it all season long with zero driveline breakage. Moral: some take-off slippage is very handy in many situations.

[wayne]

 Am i looking at the disc rite i dont think i ever seen a fine spline top loader input shaft.

[BattlestarGalactic]

My .02.  I don't like the bend design.  With any kind of pedal pressure it will continue to work on that kink and it will give up at some time.  When?  Don't know, but I would eliminate that chance.
I would rather just have a straight line rod pushing at a slight angle like all my hot rods are set up.

Yup, that is gunno be an on/off kind of clutch.  With the minimal surface(6 puck) it takes MORE pressure to hold the surface from slipping.   That is why a 3 puck is real brutal.

[cjshaker]

What burns my butt is that Quicktime won't change the design. Nobody can tell me that they haven't received enough feedback to know that the fork placement is a problem, as everybody has the same issue. Just goes to show they don't give a damn about making a part correctly, just selling their product, and let the end user deal with the issue.

[BattlestarGalactic]

That's the aftermarket world.  Close is good enough, make the end user make it fit/work.  There is not such thing as a "bolt on"!

Doesn't QT offer two hole placements?  Normal and lower?  Or is that only on certain models.

I'll never give up one of my vintage Lakewoods!

[machoneman]

That's the aftermarket world.  Close is good enough, make the end user make it fit/work.  There is not such thing as a "bolt on"!

Doesn't QT offer two hole placements?  Normal and lower?  Or is that only on certain models.

I'll never give up one of my vintage Lakewoods!

Yes as old Lakewoods are quite valuable too.

[Nightmist66]

Are the top loader tricks something you’d share??

It's essentially a poor boy's Jerico.

[Nightmist66]

Am i looking at the disc rite i dont think i ever seen a fine spline top loader input shaft.

You are correct. It has an 18 spline input...

[TomP]

Perhaps lowering the fork hole is to be able to SFI certify it? I want one to replace my old Lakewood, i'd just move the block pivot lower and lower the frame pivot the little bit it can go and run the Z bar tipped down at an angle.