peanut

ok well im gonna try to figure out what this entails. this is the only thing i might not be able to handle on replacing my old clutch the rest i think i can piece together. can nebody tell me what tools are required.........i would suppose it would take a machinest or sumthin, but thats what u guys r for....to make me realize how dumb i am for askin these questions...lol.

thanks in advance for any advice on replacing the clutch and flywheel work.

caleb c.

Bumped it up for ya'

NHDiesel

They can be resurfaced 2 different ways- with a lathe or a grinder. the modern way is with a griner, to get a good surface finish and the flattest possible face. When I say grinder, I don't mean your average home-garage handheld grinder...the mahinist uses a precision grinding machine with a cup wheel to do the job.

Its nothing you can do yourself, so just call around to a few automotive machine jobs and get prices. Prices for the job can vary quite a bit, and the expensive places don't necessarily do a better job. Prices vary quite a bit in different parts of the country. Here in norther New England, expect $25-$50 at a decent shop.

Jim

dodgediesel4x4

For the average do it urselfer, replacing the clutch isn't too terribly bad. I'd give it the weekend for the 1st timer. Take your flywheel to a local auto parts store who turns rotors, they should be able to do it for you. If not, ask them who can resurface a flywheel. Lots of folks reccommend not using a lathe to resurface it, but for me and 3 other of my buddys, no problems so far with that method.

My best advice for a clutch install it a TRANNY jack!! Its a pita trying to balance that thing on a regular jack. Atleast urs is a 2wd (minus the t-case) so that will make it easier. Some folks use studs similar to dowl rods to slide the tranny back into place. I didn't have anything strong enough to support my 5600 so I just made 2 buddys hold it back into place while I tightened the bolts. Other than that, its pretty straight forward.

Ps. You need a hydraulic spreader to get the crossmember back in and back out. Makes life a whole lot easier.

MrSuzuki

What everyone swears by...is to have the flywheel "Blanchard" ground. Blanchard is a manufacturer of a vertical oriented spindle, with grinding stones held in a Cortland style chuck.

I would not recommend taking your flywheel to an "auto" store...or even a "speed shop" Why? There equipment is rarely used, and usually operated by an inexperienced person. My recommendation would be...look in your yellow pages under "machine shops"...and look for the word Blanchard. Blanchard grinding is different then "surface" grinding. Surface grinding will give the flywheel a very smooth and flat surface, whereas, the blanchard will give a "swirled" finish...which is what is recommended for resurfacing a flywheel.

Lastly, don't be afraid to ask the machine shop, what kind of tolerances can they hold on their Blanchard. I would imagine if they can hold around 0.001"...then they you will be safe. If they say 0.005" to 0.010", then they don't use their Blanchard for anything but roughing...and will not be able to grind your flywheel parallel to the mounting side. Using a machine shop, may cost you more...but you will get a better job.

NHDiesel

Thats where I know the equipment from...I was a precision grinder for 10 years, and I used to use a Blanchard grinder (by the way, thats just the brand name) to do some of my own stuff. The only thing is, and this wouldn't matter for our vehicles, is that the flywheel surface needs to be flat to use a Blanchard. It would never work for a VW or other flywheel that has the clutch surface recessed. GOOD auto machine shops will have the equipment to not only grind even dished flywheels, but also be able to get good tollerances. Even a crappy Blanchard should get .001" if the operating has half a brain. I used to have to hold .0005 or tighter flatness on a regular basis. Of course on a regular surface grinder, I had to hold FAR tighter tollerances than that.

If your area does have several regular machine shops, they could probably do the job for you and give you a great finish and flatness. I don't have that option, since I live in a very rural area...my only option is an automotive machine shop.

Jim

Patrick Campbell

i beleive with a south bend clutch it is supposed to be stone ground and NOT machined?

peanut

well what about when im bolting the new clutch back to the flywheel? do i need a pilot shaft to realign everything back up or is that even a problem?

dodgediesel4x4

The new clutch should have a re-alignment tool that will make the job a piece of cake.

600 Megawatts

There is nothing at all wrong with a turned/machined flywheel. Remember, new flywheels are shipped to you machined not ground. The process of grinding a flywheel was made popular by automotive machine shops and rebuilders since it becomes a very easy job with the machine that is purpose built to grind flywheels. Its actually one of the first jobs an off the street employee learns to do in an automotive machine shop. If the flywheel has hardened blue blush spots, the grinding method is also easier to deal with those. Any 'machinist' who tells you that a flywheel needs to be ground, just does not have the proper tooling, a stiff or large enough lathe, or simply is lying. A very beloved clutch supplier on this forum once attempted to state that people who turn flywheels on a lathe are ignorant. Very very far from the truth and in fact that statement was ignorant and disingenuous. As I stated above, grinding a flywheel on a grinder is easier, faster, more convenient and requires almost no operator skill. This is why rebuilders always grind em, and tell you that the HAVE to be ground, that its the 'right way to do it'....... they say this just because its WAY easier for them to do it that way. But new flywheels are provided machined, not ground and I personally have turned at least two dozen of my own and a bunch of friends flywheels over the years on a lathe and many MANY stick car drag racers swear by machined flywheels over ground flywheels, saying they seem to get a better break in of the clutch. If you have a real man's lathe, good solid toolholders, and good carbide inserts, it will laugh at the blue spots that the morons will tell you have to be ground.

Part of the problem is that lots of automotive 'machine shops' think that a 'lathe' is a brake rotor lathe.......

KP

MrSuzuki

600,

I have read a lot of your posts...and regard you as one that I would love some input on my current bombing...but in this case...don't recommend to peanut, to have his flywheel turned on a lathe.

I am a machine rebuilder...and as green as my questions and posts have been about bombing my truck...I am borderline, an expert, on machine tools. And to turn a flywheel, it is a simple "facing" operation...BUT:

Is Z-axis square to X-axis...if not...concave or convex. How is the machinist to chuck this flywheel...in the center hole, or on the OD...in either case...I guarantee you, there will be deflection from the chuck or the tool.

Now you can argue with me, disagree with me, but for a guy that wants his flywheel resurfaced...the MOST SAFE method of resurfacing a flywheel, is with a grinder.

Yes, I undersand "new" flywheels are turned...but how? They use special fixtures, and know the correct feeds and speeds, for turning the material. Because something was manufactured one way, does not necessarly mean it can be done the same way twice.

As for all the people you know that turn their flywheels...I will put a Blanchard ground flywheel up against a turned flywheel, any day and every day of the week.

Lastly...I state this, because I gave peanut good advice. Advice that has a better percentage of success then any other process available to him.

Again...Peanut....my advice, for what 20 years of rebuilding machinery is worth...get it Blanchard ground.

600 Megawatts

I understand, Mr. S. and agree for the most part. But in the post you will notice I did not recommend to Peanut to have his flywheel done on a lathe. I only stated that there is nothing wrong with doing it on a lathe. And as you mentioned it requires more setup indeed. I even finished my statement with " if you have a real lathe""" etc etc. Yes for the average joe who does not have a shop at home, or work at a plant with a big heavy lathe, grinding is quick, easy, cheap and not a [EDIT] thing wrong with it either. You wont get any machinist to face one in a lathe for $35 unless he's a good friend, thats for sure.

I only brought it up to point out that gridning it is not the ONLY accepted way to do it, and the fact that its easier and cheaper on a grinder does make it the 'correct' way to do it and turning it is perfectly acceptable if you have the equipment and know what you are doing. I also brought it up, ...
[EDIT: Deleted rest of statement. Resorting to name calling will not be tolerated]

As for how I set it up, I chuck it on the OD in a 24", 6 jaw chuck, Lodge and Shipley and indicate it using the surface just outside of where the disk has worn the wheel, right where the pressure plate bolts onto it, just missing the bolt holes. Yes if you were to chuck it on a smaller bed gap lathe on the center hole, it would be way to mushy to hold any respectable tolerance.... Thats why I said 'real man's lathe'

And please dont take any of this as disrespectful or arrogant, its clear you understand machining I respect and agree with your comments, and I dont think I am some wealthy guy with the room or money for a 24" L&S, I use the one in my power plant !!!! lol


KP

peanut

thanks for all the posts guys..........i am certainly learnin a lot on this one.
dont have a tranny jack but i welded up a home made frame this afternoon that fits the bottom of my tranny pretty good .........will fasten it to my floor jack and should be good to go i think.
dont have a hyd seperator either but i think i can do the same with a reg hyd jack(no rollers on bottom) and an extension pipe slid over the end of it. (correct me if im wrong please)
i will prolly get the clutch in tomarrow and maybe head over to my buddys shop and get started.
o yea.........um you guys said "auto parts store". so can i take my f wheel by the NAPA, autozone, or orieally's? i dunno those just came to mind and i didn really think they did stuff like that.........only sell parts.

im sure i can find somewhere that turns rotors ne way.
thanks for all the help guys