Flywheel/pressure plate/clutch disc, good or bad?

perryjosh64 · Jun 19, 2022

Folks how do tell if you need to replace clutch disc and/or get flywheel/pressure plate resurfaced? I currently have had no issues with clutch/gears unless my trans fluid was low (working on tracking down/fixing). However a lot of folks have said while its split go ahead and replace clutch. However before spending $200+/- what are things related to clutch parts I should look/check before buying complete kit vs individual parts or just clean and recondition myself and reinstall?
When it comes to resurfacing a flywheel and pressure plate can I do that myself or have to take to machine shop?
This is on a 64 Ford 2000 w/4 spd trans.

Roger Tomfohrde · Jun 19, 2022

Clutch disc is shot when the grooves are gone, Pressure plate has a groove in that might have come from rivets. Flywheel -take a straight edge to it and check how many groove are in it. Ultimate
question is how hard does this get used. If it needs to pull hard, do it all. Trailer queen put it back together or somewhere in between.
If it was mine the minimum is the disc.

504 · Jun 19, 2022

I agree with Roger

Janicholson · Jun 19, 2022

I would put in a new friction disc and a throwout bearing (maybe a pilot bearing in the FW if it has more than .006 clearance (measured) grease it no matter what. Jim

john in la · Jun 19, 2022

If you are 70 years old put a new disc throw out and pilot
bearings in it.

If you are 50 or have a child that may want this tractor on day
also replaced the pressure plate and have the glaze taken off
the flywheel

If you are 60 you are on your own for how much money you
want to spend.

Steve@Advance · Jun 19, 2022

Flywheel looks okay, disc looks worn out but still intact, pressure plate
looks to have some hot spots, or could be reflections.

If I were doing it, unless money is tight, polish up the flywheel with some
Scotch bright, replace the disc for sure, replace the pressure plate unless it
will polish up nice with Scotch bright, (even then reuse the pressure plate
only as a last resort), replace the release bearing and check the pilot
bearing.

Ward1989 · Jun 19, 2022

Just do it right the first time and replace everything worn and resurface flywheel.think about how much money you are saving by doing it yourself.

rustred · Jun 19, 2022

i see that clutch is oil soaked , so better find out why before getting it back together. disc is worn out. flywheel and plate dont look all
too bad , polish with scotch brit pads the use brake clean. replace pilot brg also. and yes its a machine shop job for resurfacing. plus kind
concerned its only sitting on that jack with out safety stands.

Ultradog MN · Jun 19, 2022

I generally dislike safety nannies but you
were told about this on the Ford Board a
couple of days ago - not by me. That no
good, inadequate, thoughtless, dangerous
and downright dumb jack you have under that
engine is an accident waiting to happen.
Fix that before you worry about your darned
clutch.
Jeeez!

Richard G. · Jun 19, 2022

Does the flywheel ring gear look good all the way around?
If it was mine, I would put a clutch disc in and a new throw out bearing and a pilot bearing in the flywheel and put it back together.
I have seen a lot worse put back with a new disc and run for years.

Welding man · Jun 19, 2022

The thing that most everyone forgets in the pressure plate is the springs. They heat up and they cool off and they lose their tension.
Put a new disc in it with weak springs in the pressure plate and it will still slip under load. It's your money and your tractor but
don't you hate doing a job twice?

dbNga · Jun 19, 2022

I'd add changing out those freeze plugs while they are exposed. If you dont you will be repeating this procedure when they leak.

dbNga · Jun 19, 2022

I'd hunt down a rebuilder for the friction parts so almost right fitment wouldn't be part of the equation.

RodinNS · Jun 20, 2022

Depends on what you want to spend really. If it's mostly a trailer queen or doesn't do any hard pulling... I might just put it
back together as is, provided it really doesn't do much work. Beyond that... you could change just the disc as it is quite worn.
However, if you want to do it right... change everything. Disc, pressure plate, pilot and release bearings, engine rear seal and
transmission front seal and have the flywheel ground. The it will be good for a long time. Pressure plates and springs do wear
out... so really, just changing a disc isn't going to get you far down the road. However, I've had clutch hubs blow up and just
change the disc because the pressure plate was in excellent condition. Id probably change the pilot and release bearing out of
principle. Again, it really comes down to how much you want to dump into it.

Rod

BarnyardEngineering · Jun 20, 2022

If $200 is going to be a financial hardship, then put it back together as is and start a swear jar.

How difficult of a job was it to get the tractor split? If not a big deal, and you didn't mind doing it, put it back together and run it until it won't. Odds are it will fail at a most inconvenient time, but hey, your labor is free and this gives you time to save up for the parts.

On the other hand if you would rather get a root canal than do this job again, do it right.

There's nothing here you're going to recondition yourself unless you consider a can of brake cleaner and a can of Krylon precision reconditioning tools. You don't resurface a flywheel with a 4" angle grinder. It's done on a flywheel surfacing machine, a specialized machine.

sotxbill · Jun 20, 2022

we have all has to poor boy it at some point in our lives.. so... the picture of the disc... looks like there are places that are worn, or may be the lighting.. but if what I see is correct, I would at least replace the disc.... Flywheel and pressure plate surfaces look good to me. BUT I would carefully check the pilot bearing and throwout bearing for roughness, rattle or problem.. If good, just the disc... Thats my poor boy way.

Now if were mine and its today, I would replace clutch, pressure plate, both bearings...and check rear seal, if modern style replace it, and carefully examine the freeze plugs, especially the bottom of the two,, that you must do a split to replace later. But thats if I plan on keeping it...

You cant spend money you dont have, but you can also save yourself right out of a good tractor.

caterpillar guy · Jun 20, 2022

The biggest reason is while it is apart it is easier than splitting again and they usually fail at the least wanted time for it so by changing them out while there it pretty much solves that problem. By just changing the clutch disc you may have it only contacting at the edges by the curve from the wear of the old clutch. Also with a wear lip at the inner or outer surfaces of the old clutch assembly it can allow your old clutch to slip till it wears in on that lip. So the purpose of having the flywheel turned for a new surface. IF you have a surface grinder or lathe big enough to do that you could do it your self. You are not going to hold a disc grinder for it though. A&I has complete clutch kits cheap enough I just change them when I'm in there. 100 plus horse tractors and articulated tractors are not something I want to have to put them in during planting or combining. I would trade you costs of some of the clutches I've done if a couple hundred is high.

perryjosh64 · Jun 22, 2022

I appreciate it folks. Its a working progress and I realize I am way over thinking/complicating a simple solution but thats just me. For you safety buffs pictures are out-of-date as I've added jack stands/blocks. Now how "well" I've supported will be determined when the pushing and wiggling starts.

Flywheel/pressure plate/clutch disc, good or bad?

perryjosh64

Member

Roger Tomfohrde

Member

504

Well-known Member

Janicholson

Well-known Member

john in la

Well-known Member

Steve@Advance

Well-known Member

Ward1989

Member

rustred

Well-known Member

Ultradog MN

Well-known Member

Richard G.

Well-known Member

Welding man

Well-known Member

dbNga

Member

dbNga

Member

RodinNS

Well-known Member

BarnyardEngineering

Well-known Member

sotxbill

Well-known Member

caterpillar guy

Well-known Member

perryjosh64

Member

Similar threads