Geoff Weeks

Ceramic clutches tend to be "grabby" which may be fine most of the time, but not when positioning a heavy load. May be it is just the ceramic clutches I saw were all being replaced, but I see heavy wear on the flywheel and PP(s). I have pulled organic clutches to do a rear main, with high miles and the wear surfaces look great. There is night and day in wear between an organic and ceramic puck. No question, a ceramic puck will take more abuse than an organic, but if not abused, the organic will go the life of the engine (1M+ miles), unless the damper springs or cover fails, but those are the same parts used on a ceramic puck clutch as well, lining doesn't enter into it.

I had one engine with 15.5" clutch, that I changed to 14 when it was out due to the poor "rebiult" clutch that was installed. They had encased the disk damper springs in rubber? some were already broken when they injected the rubber! Other than being a pain to install, my other reason for not using them is it is even harder to come by organic disks for 15.5 than it is for 14. Even so most will be a "special order" anyway. Shops only like to install ceramic puck clutches. It was all the shops I worked at would install. Do any of you remember the "carbolic" clutch lining? was supposed to hold like ceramic puck, but be as easy as organic on the plates. I may have the name wrong but remember see build sheets at the jobber warehouse, then never saw anything about them again. For a long time I used a "clutch shop" to supply my clutches, that is all they did was rebuild and/or sell new clutches. Then they went out of business, as I guess most just call the jobber and say "send a new clutch".

Yeah, it can slow you down a bit, but I had a chest cooler with dry ice that could only hold one liner at a time. So wait the 20 min or so with the light bulb and pull the liner out of the dry ice, drop the next one in, and move the light bulb and install the 1st. Doesn't really slow you down much. The key with the light bulb is it is "even heat" in the block. All I ran were 14" organic clutches and never had one not hold, even on "turned up" 400's pushing better than 450hp in heavy haul. They were only rated for 1100 ft/lbs. I used only angle spring clutches, which have a consistent plate load as they wear. Depends on the operator more than the "rating".

One guy suggested to me: get a 150-200 watt incandescent light bulb and drop it in the hole for ~30 min or so to warm the bore. Makes a big difference. warm the bore, chill the liner.

My view is mine alone, your truck to do as you want. A little longer wheel base, I'm fine with, a 300in + wheel base on a B model, not so much. I changed a lot of stuff on my trucks and they were all "working trucks". Each up grade was thought out and for practical purpose. I have no problem changing a set of sticks for a 13 spd Eaton or even visa versa. Putting a 2nd stick in for a 13 spd Eaton to trigger the splitter gear, not so much. Trucks were always being upgraded or "customized" to better fit the occupation they were used for. A little"taste"goes a long way.

We also have (had) CBE Cab beside engine.

The 1/2" measurement is so the linkage has enough travel before it squeezes the clutch brake. Since you don't have a clutch brake installed you can ignore this measurement and just set the ~9/16" measurement between the T/O bearing and the clutch cover with the pedal pressed Why you don't have a clutch brake is anyone's guess. The 9/16" will put the throw-out in the area where it should be. You can check the free play when it is set there. With a properly set-up clutch and linkage, you want free play at the top, the arm set to where it has the most mechanical advantage when pulling in the angle spring, and enough travel before the clutch brake is squeezed against the bearing retainer to full release the clutch. It is all in the manual I posted a link too. Without a clutch brake installed, setting the T/O where it is at the best mechanical advantage on the lever and still maintains the correct free play is all you need to worry about. If the trans is ever pulled, I would install a torque limiting clutch brake, I wouldn't bother installing a 2 piece brake (just me, you do what you want) and just wait a bit for the gears to stop spinning before putting in low or reverse.

Ok, since nobody wants to read the link, here are some screenshots that explain adjusting. 9/16 between bearing and cover with pedal depressed, 1/2 between back of bearing and clutch brake or bearing retainer with clutch pedal released. If you don't have a clutch brake installed the 1/2"measurement means nothing. Angle spring clutches maintain clamp pressure through out the life of the clutch, which is why they are internally adjusted.

fjh, did you look at the manual and the pages I referenced? You don't have to remove the plate, only loosen the left bolt and remove the right, then the plate and "lock" pivots out of the way allowing for manual adjustment, then pivot it back to lock in place.

Look at the manual link I posted, the adjuster plate pivots to allow for manual adjustment. I doubt a newer set-up would bolt in place and work. It might, but you gain nothing. This clutch can be adjusted. Clutch brakes are optional. Push type often don't have them. JoJo your K-7 doesn't come with one. Clutch brake only speeds up how quickly the input stops.

Reading through, it has a "pin" that has to go into the bearing retainer sleeve for the self adjusting mechanism to work. Having said that, I too have not run across this type. The manual is dated 1981. It must have been an early design before the "Solo" self adjusters. I would try adjusting before giving up on it. From what little is shown, a pin that wore or broke would disable the self adjusting feature.

Clutch manual Page 25 seams to have that style. Supposed to be self adjusting.

I was surprised to learn my local "HyVee" grocery store sold it. I had seen it at WalMart's out in Wy where some people come a long way to get groceries, but was surprised in Iowa that it was that accessible.

I take this to mean he has had the thing all the way down. It is a known wear point on the Shepard box. I could re-seal once, and get some life out of the box (many years) but after that the shaft needs machine work. Any of the two digit boxes and the 392 series/type are old enough that shaft wear is likely.

dry ice works wonders