nimblebee
Member
Installing new clutch shaft, bearings, woodruff keys was a PIA.
Nothing would fit right, ended up using rotary tool clearancing everything to fit.
Wasn't sure if supposed to press bearings in to where they bottomed out on the internal rim? Figured that's probably where bearings were supposed to seat.
Problem ran into, could get bearing in place, but when attempting to insert clutch shaft, bearing would move with shaft insertation, and then couldn't get correct alignment for woodruff key to completely fit, without bearing being in the way.
Went back and forth on both sides, trying to get bearings in place and clutch shaft to fit. Like a seesaw, trying to get bearings to go in & shaft to fit through bearings, then go to the other side, to put in the other bearing, but everything kept moving back and forth as friction with shaft moved bearings inside case. In one word: frustrating!
Could get bearing and shaft okay one way and then other way, bearing would move on shaft getting out of alignment for woodruff key to fit. Clutch shaft and bearing replacement installation was definitely a PIA.
Only way could get bearings to stay in place and be able to have room on shaft for woodruff key to fit, was trimming corners off one woodruff key, enabling enough room and clearance that shaft & shortened woodruff key would all fit, play nice together, and not interfere with bearings position.
Was pushed into replacing clutch bearings during clutch shaft replacement, because bearing showed internal friction, indicating damage.
Since one clutch shaft bearing was bad, replaced both bearings as a pair. Concept clear: where one bearing had failed, other bearing of similar age and working condition, might not be too far behind in also failing.
Used a thin layer of blue loctite in struggle to make bearings stay in place, and not move with insertion of clutch shaft, all to no joy.
No combination of anything tried, where slot for woodruff key was clear of & free of interference from bearing existed.
Woodruff key definitely liked to pop out, and didn't want to stay in place nor cooperate. Almost used super glue to make that #$&@ key stay in place, but gave up on super glue solution because underlying issue was clearancing with position of bearing.
Tried tightening clutch shaft's spring to get bit more clearance, make sure pesky pin was in place and not slipped out of one end in clutch shaft.
Nothing seemed to fit in such close quarters and remained working with woodruff key. Only solution worked was shortening woodruff key slightly to clear bearing.
Getting everything to work, was forced to trim down and make shorter woodruff key by grounding off corners of woodruff key, where I did trial and error fitting taking off the absolute minimum amount of length necessary to fit past bearing clearance.
Didn't see my particular scenario occuring with bearings and shaft causing everything to shift around, as any sort of problem via repair videos on clutch shaft replacement.
My conclusion? Close quarters, no room for everything to fit properly and definitely a struggle working one's way through. Glad that repair is over with!
Why necessary to replace woodruff keys and clutch shaft? Reason being, woodruff key had sheared off and gotten twisted/damaged clutch shaft, so couldn't put woodruff key back in place, where slot was "cratered" out.
Hopefully knowing about workaround trimming ends off woodruff key to make key shorter, where there's interference between shaft and bearing placement, will provide a heads up and help someone else running into this odious occurrence .
One final thing that might be helpful for others working on clutch. Clutch's "bucking bar" and ball were showing signs of rust, despite having been lubricated. Decided on anti-seize instead of grease. Doesn't take much anti-seize to get everywhere and it stays in place more tenaciously than grease.
Any others give a go with anti-seize solution instead of using grease? Potentially better solution than using grease for this particular application? idk
Nothing would fit right, ended up using rotary tool clearancing everything to fit.
Wasn't sure if supposed to press bearings in to where they bottomed out on the internal rim? Figured that's probably where bearings were supposed to seat.
Problem ran into, could get bearing in place, but when attempting to insert clutch shaft, bearing would move with shaft insertation, and then couldn't get correct alignment for woodruff key to completely fit, without bearing being in the way.
Went back and forth on both sides, trying to get bearings in place and clutch shaft to fit. Like a seesaw, trying to get bearings to go in & shaft to fit through bearings, then go to the other side, to put in the other bearing, but everything kept moving back and forth as friction with shaft moved bearings inside case. In one word: frustrating!
Could get bearing and shaft okay one way and then other way, bearing would move on shaft getting out of alignment for woodruff key to fit. Clutch shaft and bearing replacement installation was definitely a PIA.
Only way could get bearings to stay in place and be able to have room on shaft for woodruff key to fit, was trimming corners off one woodruff key, enabling enough room and clearance that shaft & shortened woodruff key would all fit, play nice together, and not interfere with bearings position.
Was pushed into replacing clutch bearings during clutch shaft replacement, because bearing showed internal friction, indicating damage.
Since one clutch shaft bearing was bad, replaced both bearings as a pair. Concept clear: where one bearing had failed, other bearing of similar age and working condition, might not be too far behind in also failing.
Used a thin layer of blue loctite in struggle to make bearings stay in place, and not move with insertion of clutch shaft, all to no joy.
No combination of anything tried, where slot for woodruff key was clear of & free of interference from bearing existed.
Woodruff key definitely liked to pop out, and didn't want to stay in place nor cooperate. Almost used super glue to make that #$&@ key stay in place, but gave up on super glue solution because underlying issue was clearancing with position of bearing.
Tried tightening clutch shaft's spring to get bit more clearance, make sure pesky pin was in place and not slipped out of one end in clutch shaft.
Nothing seemed to fit in such close quarters and remained working with woodruff key. Only solution worked was shortening woodruff key slightly to clear bearing.
Getting everything to work, was forced to trim down and make shorter woodruff key by grounding off corners of woodruff key, where I did trial and error fitting taking off the absolute minimum amount of length necessary to fit past bearing clearance.
Didn't see my particular scenario occuring with bearings and shaft causing everything to shift around, as any sort of problem via repair videos on clutch shaft replacement.
My conclusion? Close quarters, no room for everything to fit properly and definitely a struggle working one's way through. Glad that repair is over with!
Why necessary to replace woodruff keys and clutch shaft? Reason being, woodruff key had sheared off and gotten twisted/damaged clutch shaft, so couldn't put woodruff key back in place, where slot was "cratered" out.
Hopefully knowing about workaround trimming ends off woodruff key to make key shorter, where there's interference between shaft and bearing placement, will provide a heads up and help someone else running into this odious occurrence .
One final thing that might be helpful for others working on clutch. Clutch's "bucking bar" and ball were showing signs of rust, despite having been lubricated. Decided on anti-seize instead of grease. Doesn't take much anti-seize to get everywhere and it stays in place more tenaciously than grease.
Any others give a go with anti-seize solution instead of using grease? Potentially better solution than using grease for this particular application? idk
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