Hudson 8 Clutch Help!

Unknown

Finally got the Eight back in my Country Club Eight, but the clutch is not right. Won't completely release, very difficult to depress the pedal. Adjusted all the way up, too. What did I do wrong? My other car ('40 Hudson) is perfect. So was this car, when the Six was in it.



New: Clutch, throwout bearing, etc. I checked the clutch fingers and adjusted all to same height (lost the piece of paper with the height on it, anyone recall the number?).



Help appreciated...

drdoug

First question, did you go by the shop manual?. The height of these fingers has to be in the 1.125- 1.500 range setting. You probably have the pressure plate adjusted way to deep and subsequently won't disengage. Other things to check,make sure that you have the throw-out bearing lined up correctly-the yoke turned right way. The vent hole in the T-bearing in the 12o'clock position. Also,did you use the pressure plate from the '39?,and if so,how many nuts are on the cover?. Does your flywheel have 3 driving lugs on it[post sticking up] I hope this helps,

Unknown

Clutch guy wrote:

First question, did you go by the shop manual?. The height of these fingers has to be in the 1.125- 1.500 range setting. You probably have the pressure plate adjusted way to deep and subsequently won't disengage. Other things to check,make sure that you have the throw-out bearing lined up correctly-the yoke turned right way. The vent hole in the T-bearing in the 12o'clock position. Also,did you use the pressure plate from the '39?,and if so,how many nuts are on the cover?. Does your flywheel have 3 driving lugs on it[post sticking up] I hope this helps,

I adjusted the clutch fingers to 1.4" from the lip of the opening down to the fingers. I did use the pressure plate from the '39. 3 driving lugs on the flywheel. Only thing I can think of is that the throwout bearing got misaligned duing mating of the trans to the engine, or my clutch finger adjustment is somehow wrong. I will pull the engine/trans this weekend to see if I can figure it out.



I've installed maybe four of these in my lifetime, so my experience is limited. The previous owner of my '40 had the clutch done by Wildrick's and it is a beautiful thing.

junkcarfann

I put a new clutch in from Wildrick's a while back, and mistakenly put the throwout bearing in backwards or upside-down or something (put it in the only other way it could go), and experienced exactly what you have.

Unknown

junkcarfann wrote:

I put a new clutch in from Wildrick's a while back, and mistakenly put the throwout bearing in backwards or upside-down or something (put it in the only other way it could go), and experienced exactly what you have.

Pulled the motor and took a look. Removed the trans and the clutch fingers are 1.4" below the lip of the opening. The throwout bearing is in correct. The linkage moves freely til the throwout bearing makes contact, then very high resistance. Perhaps the fingers are at the bottom of travel. Anyone know how to adjust them back up?



Hopefully there will be clutch parts at the National. Tires, too. I had a blowout in the other Hudson last week...

Unknown

By the way, the clutch fingers were measured with the clutch assembly mounted to the flywheel.