Posted by NCWayne on August 19, 2012 at 21:42:21 from (69.40.232.132):
Helped a buddy change the clutch in his '92 2500 Chevy truck the other week. Even though we were working on the dirt and a piece of plywood (my concrete pad was occupied at the time), we had it done in a day....WHAT A PITA... The old parts were worn slap out, so everything was new, clutch, pressure plate, throwout brearing, pivot ball, pivot arm, master and slave cylinder etc, etc, etc. Got it all back together and the the clutch wouldn't release. The master/slave cylinder was bleed ten times over so that wasn't an issue. Still, no release.
Fast forward until this afternoon, when we both finally got time to jump on it again, and got it on the concrete. Pulled the transmission and left the flywheel housing, release arm, slave cylinder, etc all in place so we could see what it was doing. Hit the peddle and the slave was pushing the throwout into the fingers on the pressure plate but instead of pusing straight in it was pushing a little and then pushing off toward one side. So, we tore it all down to see what the problem was.
Checked the clutch, it was in the right way. Checked the pressure plate, no obvious problems there. Matched the two lever arms and they were the same length, had the came curve to them, and the pivot points, etc were all in the same place. We just happened to put the two pieces side by side and noticed that the new one was wider in the center than the old one. There was no way to change it without warping the piece out of shape, but was like the stamping machine that made it didn't follow through and flatten the sides like it should have, but instead left them spraddled out a bit. That bit was about 1/8 inch per side larger than the original or 1/4 total wider than the old one. Seems the wider shape in the middle didn't clear the area allowed for it inside the flywheel housing, and it was hitting it before the clutch could release. With it just sitting there in place it was all but impossible to notice unless you were actually looking for the problem, and didn't who up until it was all back together and nothing worked like it should.
We took the bad replacement part back and went to another supply house to get a new one. Got back, put it all back together with the newest lever arm, and it worked just like it was supposed to.
Now here's the crazy part. It would be nice to cuss and complain about those old, piece of junk, made in China parts not fitting and causing problems, but we couldn't. Saddly the part that was screwed up had a nice, higly visible stamp on it proudly proclaiming that it was made in the USA. It was one of two choices listed at the supply house it came from and my buddy was told the only difference in the two was the 'name brand', and therefore the price. Since the lower priced one was all any of their stores in the area had, and he needed it quick (at least at that time) that's what he went with.
Guess we can fuss about China, and other foreign made parts as much as we want too, but in the end, where a part was made is irrelevant as junk can obviously be made anywhere, even here in the US.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - A Lifetime of Farm Machinery - by Joe Michaels. I am a mechanical engineer by profession, specializing in powerplant work. I worked as a machinist and engine erector, with time spent overseas. I have always had a love for machinery, and an appreciation for farming and farm machinery. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Not a place one would associate with farms or farm machinery. I credit my parents for instilling a lot of good values, a respect for learning, a knowledge of various skills and a little knowledge of farming in me, amo
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
