Clutch star plate tip

[dbeardslee]

So I just finished installing some clutch springs for another member, and I noticed something while I was doing it. As you tighten the bolts on the star plate, working your way around in a circle, each bolt you come to should feel pretty loose up until the point where the star plate makes positive contact with the six studs. What your watching out for is the lip on the star plate catching the stud before it's fully seated. If you're doing it right all six bolts should 'bottom out' within a half turn or so of each other. If you encounter one that feels like it's bottoming out well ahead of the others, you might want to back off and start again.

Here's my reasoning - as you tighten the start plate down it's compressing the springs, and by the time you've gone all the way around the plate, the spring under the bolt you started on will be held down somewhat by the other five bolts' pressure on the star plate resulting in a loose feel on the bolt. If the plate catches a stud, the bolt on that point of the star isn't going to have that loose feel, as the other bolts will no longer be able to compress the spring.

I even went so far as to use a boroscope to visually inspect the back of the star plate during the process, but even with that it's very difficult to see. You can sure feel it, though. Anyway, I thought this might save someone else the pain of trying to find a new star plate. Just passing it along.

[CatatonicBug]

When I do it, I always go back and forth, much like you tighten lug nuts on a wheel. Not around in a circle. The same is true though, where the bolt you tighten next is likely not even touching the surface of the star plate because the other bolts are pressing the plate down in that area already.

[DGXSER]

I even went so far as to use a boroscope to visually inspect the back of the star plate during the process, but even with that it's very difficult to see. You can sure feel it, though.

Geeez...Give a kid a toy and he will look for anyway on earth to play with it. Like giving a boy his first pocket knife, he pulls it out at the breakfast table to cut the crust off his bread...even though he always eats the crust.

[dbeardslee]

Don - you're getting to know me waaaay to well. That things great for finding loose change in the couch too .