Advice on Clutch change

[Charles P]

Whilst riveting of the linings is easy, Mark, given your location I'd suggest simply taking the components to Saftek at Cleckheaton and have it done for you. https://saftek.co.uk/friction-products-f...lications/

They'll advise on lining materials and have done many, many Austin Sevens. I gave up re-lining my own clutches and brake shoes years ago, it's not worth the bother given they do it professionally at a cost similar to doing it myself.

Steve

I'm sure Saftek will do a great job but some of us run cast iron linings (sports spec). With my new lighter flywheel I needed new linings so had to make some.

First stop my trusty garage chums, who unfortunately had just had an oil drum full of old discs taken away, so I had limited choice.

Bolt the disc to the flywheel and start making it flat. A ventilated disc will make two clutch linings. First the outer one.

   

Then the real PITA job, parting through the middle of a ventilated disc. This task tells me that modern brake discs are made of very high quality and high strength cast iron. The second lining comes from the inner part of the disc.

   

Then finish your linings. I jig drilled the rivet holes using an old 1 1/8 flywheel as a template with a register turned on the back. Rivet "countersinks" have yet to be machined (lack of the right tool!)

   

Overall it's a horrible, grubby job and whilst I throughly sheeted up the lathe before I did anything I still cleaned it with a toothbrush afterwards. 
Anyone fancying trying this will have a much easier time if they start with good old fashioned solid brake discs, thereby avoiding the brutal parting moment on the ventilated disc (it was so noisy it caused Mrs P to come out of the hosue and ask me to stop!)


Charles

[Chris KC]

Whilst riveting of the linings is easy, Mark, given your location I'd suggest simply taking the components to Saftek at Cleckheaton and have it done for you. https://saftek.co.uk/friction-products-f...lications/

They'll advise on lining materials and have done many, many Austin Sevens. I gave up re-lining my own clutches and brake shoes years ago, it's not worth the bother given they do it professionally at a cost similar to doing it myself.

Steve

I'm sure Saftek will do a great job but some of us run cast iron linings (sports spec). With my new lighter flywheel I needed new linings so had to make some.

First stop my trusty garage chums, who unfortunately had just had an oil drum full of old discs taken away, so I had limited choice.

Bolt the disc to the flywheel and start making it flat. A ventilated disc will make two clutch linings. First the outer one.



Then the real PITA job, parting through the middle of a ventilated disc. This task tells me that modern brake discs are made of very high quality and high strength cast iron. The second lining becomes from the inner part of the disc.



Then finish your linings. I jig drilled the rivet holes using an old 1 1/8 flywheel as a template with a register turned on the bacl.



Overall it's a horrible, grubby job and whilst I throughly sheeted up the lathe before I did anything I still cleaned it with a toothbrush afterwards. 
Anyone fancying trying this will have a much easier time if they start with good old fashioned solid brake discs thereby avoiding the brutal parting moment on the ventilated disc (it was so noisy it caused Mrs P to come out of the hosue and ask me to stop!)


Charles

Most interested in what you are doing there Charles as iron clutch linings are outside my own experience. Do keep us posted please as you progress. What's the perceived advantage of iron linings? and are they dimensionally the same as 'conventional' ones?

Tensile strength of iron used for discs is typically 150 - 190 MPa nowadays, this has tended to reduce in recent years in favour of improved thermal conductivity (the aim being to conduct heat away quickly and minimise temperature related shape distortions which you and I know as brake judder). They are indeed high quality castings or at least they are if you get them from a decent maker!

[Charles P]

I've been running cast iron lining from made from brake discs for about 10 years.
Primary benefits are the same as when the factory fitted them to Ulsters - They take the heat away much better and therefore stop the driven plate from over-heating and creating problems. They also wear very well, give a nice clutch feeling and don't give off that acrid pong if you slip the clutch getting off the line.

Charles

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Rob Beck has made a number of these from old brake discs over the years.