Sachs clutch holder clips

[kwillmorth79]

If you do your own clutch work, here's an interesting lesson to keep in the notebook. The new replacement pressure plates, 3 finger/srping type from Sachs, have three "U" shaped clips that hold the fingers down. This is cool, as it makes putting the pressure plate on easier, since the clutch is already contracted. These clips are installed under the outer edge of the fingers, between the lever arm and the pressure plate surface.

The reason I mention this is that you do not want find the existance of these things AFTER you install the motor and button the car up. The first time you press the clutch pedal down, the clips fall out into the bell housing. Attempting to start the car will result in first locking up the flywheel and starter, as one clip will jam itself in the gear teeth. The other two do a pretty god job of jamming themselves between the gear teeth and the bellhousing, creating all sorts of aluminum shavings.

When I found the first one jamming the starter, I was mystified what it was, as I did not see them on the pressure plate when installing the clutch, nor were their any instructions, warning slips, or anything announcing their presence. Pulling the motor, I found the second in the bell housing. Still didn't make sense - till I found the third one on the floor where I had installed the clutch, seems torquing the pressure plate down is just enough to release the clips, but not all of them.

I offer this in hopes of helping others not waste half a day like I just did, re-doing a lot of work I would have preferred not to have redone.

[SR Racing]

Actually Sachs has been doing that for years. (The purpose is to narrow the housing for packaging purposes). We got caught by it a few years ago also. In our case it didn't do any damage but 1 or 2 of the clips came out and this caused a wobble that you could feel with the clutch partially depressed.

BTW, you say the newer 3 finger clutches? Most all of the clutches we have been getting recently from Sachs are the diaphram clutches.

Jim

[Dietmar]

In addition to packaging ( as Jim said) the clips also lessen the chances of warping the pressure plate when installing. Not a bad idea to reinstall the clips when REMOVING the pressure plate ( if you kept them out of the bell housing).

New three finger PP's are still available out west- price tag is a bit steep however at about twice the price of the diaphragm units.

Dietmar

[FV55inSpokane]

Nice to have the finger type - unless you like the "on-off" switch feeling of the diaphram style.
JMO
Lawrence

[SR Racing]

Nice to have the finger type - unless you like the "on-off" switch feeling of the diaphram style.
JMO
Lawrence

A couple other things... The diaphram clutch has more pressure. (Not they we probably need it much in a Vee). Also the 3 finger clutch is realtively balanced. At least enough so that you can replace one at the track and not worry too much about balance. The diaphram clutches are typically out of balance and the holes to mount them are bigger. So it's easy to throw a crank out of balance with one. We always balance the crank alone and then with the clutch mounted. We then pin the clutch to the crank so that if it is removed you always get it back to the exact same spot. Luckily the diaphram clutches seldom go bad and it s only the disc you need to replace. Whereas the fingered ones had much more problems.