Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Resurfacing flywheel for South Bend Cutch Con OFE

[jlccc]

A Con OFE is in my near future and I'm told that the flywheel needs to be ground as flat and smooth as possible. "Flat and Smooth" means different things to different people. Does anyone (Peter?) have a surface finish number for how smooth the grind should be?

 

[WadePatton]

Dunno, but the surface grinder I'll be using has a diamond grit wheel on it and I'll be mounting the flywheel as square as feasible.



The thing I hate is guessing at whether to shim or not. I shimmed the ford job and wound up with the pedal being a bit low. I'll work hard at proper measuring this time.

 

[Briar Hopper]

All you need is a machine shop near you that has a Blanchard stone grinder. Be sure to replace the bearing AFTER getting it back from the machine shop(grit & water contamination), South Bend includes a new bearing in a kit, with every clutch.

 

[jwinnie]

I'm installing my CON OFE on friday I was planning on taking my flywheel to the local clutch shop to have them grind it, and asking them to grind it flat (maybe showing them the instuctions from SBC ) . Do you think they could do it right? I'll put off the install if not, untill I locate a good machine shop.



John

 

[South Bend Clutch]

A clutch shop is fine to do the resurface. That is what they do. As stated earlier, have them put it on their Blachard or smaller flywheel grinder. Almost all grinders designed for this type of work should make it flat and smooth. As for the type of grind... a mirror finish is not needed and a rough grind is not wanted. What we try to stress is DON'T HAVE IT DONE ON A LATHE.



Peter

 

[rholcom2]

This may be a terrible question, but, you never learn anything if you dont stick your neck out and ask. But, do you absolutely have to resurface your flywheel every time you change a clutch? Is it something that prolongs the life of your new clutch if you do? Or is it the easiest time to do so when you have it tore apart?

 

[jlccc]

surface finish number on reground flywheel

Does anyone with a surface finish gauge want to chime in here? Certainly one of you gentlemen with a machine shop know what I'm talking about. It would be very helpful.



Thanks.

 

[South Bend Clutch]

Yes, it is highly recommented to resurface every time a new clutch is put in. It will prolong the life of a clutch and offer a smoother application. The old clutch will leave it's own pattern, heat checks and such. When you are starting with a new friction surface you want it to make it's own wear pattern so you're not starting with an old wear pattern.



As to the question of the grit or gauge when resurfacing the flywheel, this term is only really used in tool and tie type of atmospheres. In the clutch world we are not that smart and just refer to it as smooth Sorry I cannot help you with those type of numbers. We have been grinding flywheels for over 40 years and have never needed to come up with a gauge or grit number.



Peter

 

[JGK]

jlccc,



Contact Ken Jones of Diesel Performance fo Utah. He has a guy in your area that resurfaces flywheels for SBCs on an exchange basis. When I had mine installed at Carrigans in Morgan, they took mine and put in a resurfaced one. About $75 as I remember.



-Jay



P. S. New PDR HX40 is doing just fine after last summer's failure. How's the 14cm housing working out for you?

 

[WadePatton]

Here's what I cut mine on.

 

[WadePatton]

Hey Peter

Or someone who might know...



What about the height of the clutch pedal? How much grinding moves the pedal too far?



Here's what I know. Hydraulic activated clutch assemblies don't adjust like the old mechanical jobs. Removing flywheel surface material moves the release point further up in the pedal stroke. To compensate for this you can buy a new flywheel or shim the old one.



Question- how do I measure and allow for this so that I don't wind up like I did with the ford--shimmed and too low(for comfort)?



If no one can answer that I'll be sure to report my findings right here when I get done.



Waiting on a clutch to get here.

 

[bighammer]

I think the idea of pulling out the pushrod to the master cylinder, cutting it, and making a threaded sleeve to put it back together is a good idea.



I ground the welds on the clutch pedal and re-welded it where I wanted it.