When you don't have a clutch alignment tool

"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
11/14/2016 at 19:36 • Filed to: None

How aligned does it *need* to be?

Might be a couple degrees out.

DISCUSSION (29)

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 19:38

Your clutch kit didn’t come with one? The last one I bought did, I thought they were standard wow.

Levitas > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 19:39

Only needs to be aligned enough to get it on the input shaft right?

Once it’s in and you release the clutch its free to move anyways, so all that matters is it’s lined up enough to get the trans on.

Please say yes so I don’t feel like I did my last trans wrong...

Urambo Tauro > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
11/14/2016 at 19:45

I have two in my toolbox, and there’s a good chance that I’ll never use them again, since the next kit will probably have one as well.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
11/14/2016 at 19:53

Something something Lada. I guess not. I assumed it would as well, otherwise I would have included it with my order for the extra $5 but it tipped my shipping weight just up over the edge of costing me another $10 so I didn’t... Oops.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Levitas
11/14/2016 at 19:55

Yeah, that’s what I’m hoping. It wasn’t bound up enough that I couldn’t wiggle the trans out of the pilot bearing, (although it took two attempts) so I think I should be good.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 19:56

Oh that’s a Lada? Cool I was buying a Honda Clutch

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
11/14/2016 at 19:58

Literally every other clutch kit I’ve seen included one. I wouldn’t even had thought this one didn’t have it except I didn’t see it in the photo online. Suppose I could have asked, but I wanted to get the order in ASAP.

Birddog > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 20:07

You may need a bellhousing to complete this project. They help a LOT, maybe 70% in alignment.

MonkeePuzzle > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 20:08

as others have said, it only needs to be alogbed enought to get the input shaft in. the alignment tool is just a plastic version of the input shaft.

so you can get it close and then alogn it using your input shaft, then pill the trans off and tighten things correctly.

or, you can make a sufficiently good aligbment tool by wrapping duct tape around a wooden dowl, then run it a few times through the gear/toothed hole on the clutch to get the shape.

anyhoo, if you get the shaft in, you are good. but if you are doing it without a tool i wohld say eyeball it to get close, then get the trans in to finalise the aligbment, then pull the trans back out and tighten things up without moving them

last resort, your local auto parts store may have a lender set of various size alignment tools. mine did.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 20:14

I’ve done ‘em without an alignment tool. I loosened the presure plate enough to feel around the edge and get the clutch pad centered that way, then insert the input shaft. And like the other Oppo said, once you depress the pedal, the pressure is released and the pad can be where it wants to be.

But Lada ?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
11/14/2016 at 20:16

I haven’t seen a clutch kit come with an alignment tool in years.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Birddog
11/14/2016 at 20:25

Lol. The bellhousing is attached to the trans still in the Niva. You’re looking at the old broken trans that came out in the spring.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > MonkeePuzzle
11/14/2016 at 20:31

Since the engine is out, not the trans, I was hoping to not have to put it in and pull it out several times.

The nearest parts store that loans tools is about a three-hour trip. Based on other posts, I think I’ve chosen the best method.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
11/14/2016 at 20:33

Kinja'd!!!

Lada.

Birddog > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 20:36

Ahh! 4x4 Niva? I don’t know much about those aside from liking them from a distance.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
11/14/2016 at 20:41

I haven’t bought a clutch kit years so there’s that

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Birddog
11/14/2016 at 20:47

All Nivas are 4x4.

Not all 4x4's are Niva. :)

Birddog > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 20:55

I had to search Niva to find that out. I never paid much attention because we didn’t get them south of the border.

Now.. I wonder if a Dodge Omni would accept the drivetrain. A turbo 2.2 with rear bias 4wd? Drool.

Spoon II > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 21:37

How do you like owning a Niva? I’ve been seriously considering finding one. Looks like a hilarious good time

Sam > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 21:57

Lada?!?!

My Armenian coworker had a Lada 110, only a few years after the fall of the Soviet Union. He said it was a terrible car, but it was better than walking.

Sam > Birddog
11/14/2016 at 21:59

I think you may create a singularity of unreliability. Might even cause a paradoxical effect and be the most reliable car ever.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Birddog
11/14/2016 at 22:21

It’s a divorced transfer case so it would be pretty easy to make it work. Although I recomend hanging the front diff from something other than the motor mounts if you can help it.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Sam
11/14/2016 at 22:25

Supposedly the Dakar-prepped Nivas were pushing something like 240hp through the stock transfer case and axles without issue. If anything can be said about the drivetrain, it’s that it’s overkill for 80bhp.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Spoon II
11/14/2016 at 23:02

I have chewing gum sealing my clutch reservoir. Lol.

It’s not bad, although 20 years of questionable maintenance (mostly not my fault...) caught up with me all at once this summer. I paid $1000 for it. I’ve invested $3500 keeping it road worthy, although a lot of that was new tires, a new transmission (not the one pictured above) and a LOT of shipping charges getting things across the Atlantic. But if you get one in good shape and look after it, they generally treat you pretty well.

It’s reasonably fun to drive, light and tossable, if a bit (well a lot) slow. It’s amazing in snow, even with near-bald all-seasons, and the only time I required a tow to get it unstuck off-road was after parking it in about 16" of swamp after hitting a washed-out section of road at 50mph. It attracts a lot of attention, especially from women, because it’s so different. I’ve had a lot of people approach me at gas stations and such, a few people leave notes under the wiper, one guy (from Romania) actually chased me half-way across the city in the middle of the night which was only slightly terrifying, although I’m very introverted and somewhat adverse to talking to strangers so that’s a mixed blessing. It’s definitely a lot of fun. I’m kinda falling out of love with itright now, and am debating selling it, but part of that may be because I haven’t been able to drive it for going on seven months now. Hopefully getting it put back together will correct that. Unless I break something else, it’s just labour at this point, getting the engine back in place, just not sure when I’ll have time. Getting the new clutch on it today definitely helped the motivation.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Sam
11/14/2016 at 23:16

I won’t argue. The difference is that I choose to own a Lada. It’s fun for me, looking after it. Well, mostly... it has become a bit of a chore recently ,but that’s because I’ve been doing all the maintenance that shoud have been done over the last 15 years all at once. Lol. But yes, it would be a different story if I didn’t have a choice about driving a Lada, and everyone else had one too. I liken it to people who drive old Beetles, only unlike the Beetle no one else has one, which makes it waaay more cool.

Birddog > Sam
11/14/2016 at 23:48

I daily drove (drived? Driven??) a hacked together GLHS powered 86 Omni for 4 years. The only thing that could kill it was the one thing that did. The Ex-Wife.

Birddog > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 23:52

Just like how the Mopar 2.2 was a helluva mill in proper hands.

Kinja'd!!!

Gotta love the 80s!

Birddog > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/14/2016 at 23:56

That sounds a bit like the AMC Eagle front diff. It was mounted off the engine block itself though.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
11/15/2016 at 08:51

That’s fresh.