Lars Johnson

iTrader: (5)

i think the 1st question would be - is your bell shimmed correctly, between the big bearing and the clutch nut, or between the small bearing and the screw/countersunk washer that holds the whole thing in place? If not, get few shims, like the ones that come in the Clutch Pins & Hardware bag or another clutch shim kit, as having 0 shims in there will cause the bell to move excessively. With no shims behind the big bearing, the bell can hit the flywheel. With no shims outside of the small bearing, the clutch will move entirely too far forward, almost into the gas tank on hard hits. I have 1 behind the big bearing and 3 outside of the small bearing on mine, but it's going to be different for every motor, just something you have to mess with.

I'd look, or have someone else look at your gear mesh as well. Too tight will grenade clutch bearings, and too loose will grenade bells and bearings. The "jam a slice of paper between the gears, then set" trick works well.

There needs to be a little play in the clutch bearings, it sometimes does feel excessive, but it needs to have that. I replace the bearings often, usually every 1-2 weekends, depending on the dust-e-ness of the track. I use the metal-shielded ProTek bearings from A-Main, and at $1 a pop they're easily worth it. I know guys that use rubber shields from there also and have no issues, but clutch bearings will wear out faster than most other parts of the car due to the heat generated in their immediate vicinity, and the aluminum/composite dust that they gnaw on constantly. And once those things go, your bell can start moving too much, so bearings would be another item to check. Spray them out with electric motor spray, and make sure there is no crunch or stopping when they spin (very free) under minimal effort. If you re-oil them, don't go crazy.