"ears" rotating on clutch shaft in bellhousing

[2R2]

Work continues on my '63 V8 Lark, and I am still having a problem getting the clutch to disengage, as I do not have enough travel in the linkage, even though I have adjusted it out as far as it goes.[?]

One possiblility which has been suggested is that the "ears" on the shaft which holds the throwout bearing inside the bellhousing have rotated. Does anyone have one around they can take a picture of, or discribe concerning how the ears are orientated to the hole in the rod the pin for the sleeve goes through? I know my question might not make a whole lot of sense, so I apologize - I am trying to determine how the hole in the end of the shaft for the sleeve which connects it to the clutch rod lines up with the ears on the rod which is inside the bellhousing. Basically, I want to know how to tell if the ears have in fact rotated!
Oh, this is for a '63 V8 Lark, which I have installed a heavy duty 10.5" clutch, in place of the 10" it had.

Once again, I thank everyone for their advice!

Eric DeRosa

'49 2R-5 (original Survivor)
'63 R2 Lark (barely surviving)

[Warren Webb]

If its a truck heavy duty clutch, I'd think twice about using it. They are very heavy to operate. If its already stressed the forks on the linkage, its only a matter of time where other parts will give out. If you want extra grab, then go with a Centerforce clutch. They are a diaphram setup & have weights on the fingers to add pressure as the RPM's increase. Alot easier on the clutch linkage & your leg too!

60 Lark convertible
61 Champ
62 Daytona convertible
63 G.T. R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2)
66 Daytona Sport Sedan

[pgothard]

Eric -

I'm sorry I don't have a picture or description for you, but whoever suggested the "ears" may have rotated on the shaft is correct. Many years ago there was a tech-tip published somewhere about about this. It was recommended that the next time you change your clutch, pull the shaft out and lay in a few short lengths of MIG weld on each to hold the ears, since the fine splines that lock the ears to the shaft are slipping due to fatigue - even if you are using the standard-duty clutch. That is what I did before installing a 10.5" in my '62 V8 Lark. In any case, by using a small protractoryou may be able to approximate how many degrees to rotate them back by disconnecting the linkage and manually rolling the shaft to bring the linkage ear toward the front of the car. Since rolling those throwout ears BACK to where they should be will pose a real challenge, you may want to consider getting a machinist to make a new sleeve with different pin hole locations drilled to compensate for the rotation of the ears. You will need to heat-treat the sleeve and still MIG weld the ears.

Good luck!

--Paul

[studegary]

When more people were driving these cars on a regular basis, we used to keep an NOS unit handy for comparison. Then we would just realign the "ears" to match the NOS unit and tack weld or braze them.

This part did not hold up well with a standard duty clutch. By going to a heavy duty clutch, you struck the final blow.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer