Vitesse Mk2 clutch operation.

[Phil C]

Evening all,

I am reintroducing my gearbox to the engine and trying to understand the clutch actuation.

Unfortunately I didn't take it apart and having not owned a Vitesse before I am struggling to understand how it should work.

With no fixed connection between the clutch fork and the slave cylinder push rod and no return spring attached to the fork it would appear the fork/bearing is free to rattle back and forth when not in use? Unless of course it sits against the cover plate diaphragm which surely can't be right? 

Engine currently out of car so can't connect up hydraulically and see how it all works/sits.

I'm obviously being a bit dim but just can't see it at the moment 🤓 Please help.

 

[Pete Lewis]

there is a / or should be  a spring inside the slave  this  keeps the bearing up against  the fingers 

https://www.canleyclassics.com/?catalogue=triumph-vitesse&diagram=triumph-vitesse-vitesse-mkii-clutch

if the bearing is only 16mm thick  (  should be 19mm thick )   pull the spherical pivot post out and add a washer behind it to correct the arm angles 

Pete

 

[NonMember]

1 hour ago, Phil C said:

Unless of course it sits against the cover plate diaphragm which surely can't be right? 

Why do you think that "can't be right"? It's how most clutches work. As Pete says, the slave cylinder incorporates a (fairly weak) spring to push the piston forward so the push-rod rocks the lever to move the bearing into contact - just taking up the free play so that it operates immediately you press the pedal.

[Phil C]

1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said:

if the bearing is only 16mm thick  (  should be 19mm thick )   

The bearing is 19mm thick and there is a spring inside the slave cylinder (both new).

If it is intended the spring pushes out the rod to remain in contact with the activating arm then the thrust bearing must remain in contact with the clutch. If not then the arm will haver free movement between the restriction of the rod and the clutch, albeit a small amount.

Is it therefore intended that the thrust bearing remains in contact with the clutch at all times? 

1 hour ago, NonMember said:

Why do you think that "can't be right"? It's how most clutches work. 

In my other (non Triumph) classic, the slave cylinder push rod is fixed to the actuating arm so that it holds the bearing away from the clutch when not in use. 

[Pete Lewis]

yes the bearing spins against the fingers all the time   its quite normal and has been doing that for 50 years 

if the bearing is new/bit stiff it can on some cause a chirruping noise as the fingers skid over the bearing face 

some have solved this by adding a stronger external spring to make firmer contact 

 

[Colin Lindsay]

Early cars had the rod and spring assembly you can see in the bottom right of the above diagram, it held the arm off the clutch and tight against the slave cylinder and was adjustable for instant 'bite' as things wore down. Many of our Triumphs still have the small hole in the end of the lever arm despite the rod being obsolete and not fitted for many years.

[Phil C]

Thanks for the confirmation as to that is how it should be.

It just seemed odd when I first assembled it as I didn't expect a thrust bearing constantly in play. 

All back together now.