Clutch questions from a novice

[trains50]

I have a '64 Commander, that I can not shift gears. I can start in any gear, and I can also shift when engine is not running, but I am assuming that the clutch needs replacing. Since I have never done a clutch does anyone have any good advice about what to do or what not to do. I have found a mechanic that will work on it if I can supply the parts--what's the best place to find the necessary parts. I have a local store that will have some of these parts, but probably not all.

I have adjusted the linkage, so I am pretty sure it is the clutch--but it did go out suddenly, so if you have any other suggestions I am certainly open.

Thanks for your help!


Crazy for thinking I can do it myself[)]





11

[Dick Steinkamp]

If the car sat for awhile, the clutch disk may have "stuck" to the flywheel. Jack up the rear of the car, support it securely on jack stands, block the front wheels, start the car in second gear, get it to a fast idle, push in the clutch and hit the brake hard. If it is stuck to the flywheel, that should break it loose.

Clutch parts are readily available from a variety Of Studebaker parts vendors...

http://www.studebakervendors.com/

If you are going to replace the clutch you will need clutch disk, pressure plate, throw out bearing, pilot bearing...and you'll probably want to resurface the flywheel.

[trains50]

Probably should add, clutch just stopped working. I had driven the car several days before and the clutch worked fine. The next time it would not go into gear with the clutch pushed in.

Additionally I am aware of some of the studebaker parts dealers, and have used some for some parts, I just though there might be one that specialized in clutch parts. I have found a pilot bearing at a local parts store for .79 (cents) tax included. The cheapest from the dealers listed that I have looked at was &14.00 +. I don't mind paying a little extra, but if I can find a savings of that much (plus shipping) I will get them locally. Perhaps I have missed a parts dealer that I should strongly look at.

[Roscomacaw]

You need to know that there's a couple of steel pins that tie the clutch linkage together and these pins have a reputation of shearing or dropping out (if they were installed wrong).

I'd wanna check those pins before I ordered a bunch of expensive parts.

Another thing that CAN happen is that the fingers that actuate the throwout bearing can slip around the shaft they're swedged to - thereby limiting the amount they can release the pressue plate's grip. This scenario is rarer than the aforementioned pins shearing.

Get the car up in the air and have someone work the clutch pedal while you check to see that the shaft (linkage) is working positively from the frame - across to the bellhousing.

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[John Kirchhoff]

Is there any resistance when you depress the pedal? Does it have the normal over-center feel? One possibility is that the fingers on the pressure plate were worn so thin that they curled over. If that's the case you wouldn't get the over center feel. In addition, if you adjusted it to the correct free play chances are you'd come up on solid resistance before the pedal was completely depressed.

If there's no resistance other than the external return spring, it's possible that the ears on the throwout bearing or the fork holding the bearing have broken off. Or the bearing has become disengaged from the fork or the fork has turned on the shaft it rides on.
Make sure the clutch pedal is actually turning the shaft that moves the throwout bearing.

One thing that must be certain is that the pressure plate is applying pressure to the clutch disc. A worn disc or broken pressure plate springs would not effect the disengagement but would allow it to slip when under power. The throwout bearing is likely turning normally otherwise you'd hear an awful squalling when the clutch was depressed. A siezed bearing will wear the fingers, but in all likelyhood if this happened sometime in the past, both would have been rectified at the same time. My first suspect would be the pedal to shaft connection and that can be checked visually.

[trains50]

Okay, you guys are great, you've given me some places to check and things to do. The clutch does have some resistance, though not as much as a newer Ford truck. The clutch pedal usually comes right back up, but occassionally does not--thinking it might need a spring by the pedal.

I will try to get the car up on jacks this weekend or next. I don't have lots of time now (who does?). I might add, that I teach at a large school, and I am known by lots of students as the guy who drives the "cool" old car--they love it and want to know what it is.

Thanks again!!

[Roscomacaw]

You said: "The clutch pedal usually comes right back up, but occassionally does not--thinking it might need a spring by the pedal."

I'd bet a buck to a cop's donut that you've got one of the two earlier problems I talked about. There IS a return spring that works on the pedal shaft and often it's broken or weak. But if the pedal DOESN'T come back up now and then (since this problem's arisen), there's likely something askew with the linkage - not the clutch. Especially since you said it had driven fine just a bit of time earlier.[^]

I forgot to add that the two pins I talked about fit thru a funky-looking collar that recieves the ends of the clutch cross-shaft and the operating shaft that protrudes from the bottom of the bellhousing. These pins can shear and yet give the appearance of not having broken. This is because thru the wear and tear of jillions of twists on the linkage, the develop burrs where they contact the collar. When they shear, the danged burrs will cause the pieces to be retained - giving the impression that they're not bad. That's where actually WATCHING the linkage operate is key![}]


Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[rockne10]

Less likely, but something I've experienced firsthand, one of the torque springs in the clutch disc could have exited its perch and gotten jammed in to the pressure plate; not likely, but would behave exactly as described.