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« on: 11 May, 2017, 10:22:40 »
I'm having trouble getting the clutch plates on my A65 Lightning to separate sufficiently, and should be glad of suggestions how to overcome this.
Part-cause might be the plunger, clutch operating lever (part 68-3065). Never having taken it out before, I don't know where the ball (part 65-2593) should sit, so I attach a photograph of the business end, from which it seems the ball might have worn so much that it has lodged deep inside instead of projecting further out like an egg in an egg-cup. My non-engineering thought is that, if the ball sat proud of the plunger's end, the effect might be to lengthen the push rod that little more so as to free the plates better but, against that, the pressure plate might then make contact with the chaincase. Where should the ball sit?
Though at its limit on the adjuster, the cable is in good condition and the slack is kept to a minimum. The push rod is 11¼" long and shows no sign of wear at either end, and the screw on the pressure plate has been adjusted to give the right amount of clearance between plate and push rod. The plates themselves have been cleaned in petrol (they were pretty grimy), they're perfectly flat and have no rough edges or anything else to impede movement; neither has the clutch housing - yet, with all this, I still get a horrid crunching noise whenever engaging first gear from neutral. All other gear changes while in motion are fine.
All helpful advice will be much appreciated as, apart from the plunger, I've run out of ideas!