Clutch Pivot ball pedestal damaged (with Photos)

[rubicon151]

Howdy -

So 1st clutch i am doing, and lucky me it is on my 85CJ7 project -
Found her on a farm here in TX and getting her back up to snuff, she passed TX saftey last week and new plates are in the mail...

So now to the issue - after dropping the tranny and tcase - i removed the bell housing and found that the clutch fork had no ball under it. also, the mount is narled up -

Should I just get a new ball and hold it in with grease for reassembly? ie, this is ok to go with or

do i need to correct this somehow...also - there isnt a lot of money in the cj buget...

pleased to hear...

 

[gert]

I would say if you dont have a spare bell housing and your on a budget re assemble it with a new pivot ball and go

 

[rubicon151]

Thanks - I might try to clean it up a bit with a dremel... not sure what it looks like when it is IN good shape... might try to deepen the cup a bit and stick a ball ball back in.

thanks

 

[Torxhead]

It does look like you still have enough radius in there to hold the pivot ball in place as it is. Considering the amount of work to get back in there if it fails, you might want to consider a new housing. If it lets loose it might break a main shaft on the tranny. Thanks for sending in those pics, nice looking CJ also.

 

[rubicon151]

You guys think i could cut down the old pedestal and tap one of these guys in there?

Bellcrank & Linkage Parts - Inner Clutch Release Bellcrank Pivot Ball Stud <br>Fits 41-71 Jeep with 4-134 & V6-225

I am thinking as long as I have the top of the ball at the right height - it should be ok? no?

thanks
PWL

 

[Torxhead]

It might work, I don't think a lot of cast aluminum housings though. Since it is quite brittle, how it holds up with my T-18 tranny is beyond me. Make sure the ball radius is correct and consider the hardness of the ball so it doesn't wear out to quickly. Set up the correct ball height also.

 

[rubicon151]

i was worried for cracks as well when i pulled mine...

another simplier option would just be to tack weld the new ball in there...

We might be overthinking things... dont want it popping loose after i get it back together like you said Torx...

 

[Torxhead]

You might want to reconsider welding that hardened steel ball into a cheap cast bellhousing. I am sure you are looking for the best solution though, maybe that screw in ball might work after all. How about checking a local junkyard for another bellhousing, just to get availibility and price.

 

[rubicon151]

Well a little update,

I used what was left of the ball cup to hold the ball and then used a small ammount of "quicksteel" epoxy to hold the ball in place. Some high temp grease. and re assembled...

hopefully it works

 

[Torxhead]

Thanks for that update, hopefully the spring on the clutch fork that is supposed to hold it in place will do its job. I personally don't have any faith in that epoxy holding for very long, but maybe there is enough tension on that spring, fingers crossed.