rustystud
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I tore down a mid fifties HydraMatic that someone had installed "bronze friction" clutches in the front drum assembly. Sadly they messed it up so bad it killed the transmission !
Sometimes the "bronze" frictions do not fit the hub as well as they should, and they need a little file work.
This rebuilder just forced them together causing the engagement "lugs" or I like to refer to them as little fingers to bend upward. This caused them to gouge into the hub after the first apply. Effectively making the clutch always on !
I was wondering how this transmission failed when I first started tearing it down. It looked like a brand new rebuild. New bushings, new thrustwashers, new bearings. Then I came to the clutch packs and I was unable to open the front clutch. I hammered on it ( with a soft faced dead blow hammer) for some time trying to get it to open. At one point I almost put it into the press, but I wanted to be able to save as much of it as possible. When it finally came apart and I could see what happened, I was horrified to see those priceless "bronze" frictions destroyed as was the clutch housing itself due to the extreme heat built up. The housing was actually blue due to the high heat. Those "bronze frictions" were burned and bent upward with their little fingers mangled beyond repair. I almost cried.
Oh the inhumanity !!!
I saved them so I could show them to others as a lesson in "what not to do ! " .
I forgot to take pictures as I was grief stricken, but I'll take some tomorrow.
Sometimes the "bronze" frictions do not fit the hub as well as they should, and they need a little file work.
This rebuilder just forced them together causing the engagement "lugs" or I like to refer to them as little fingers to bend upward. This caused them to gouge into the hub after the first apply. Effectively making the clutch always on !
I was wondering how this transmission failed when I first started tearing it down. It looked like a brand new rebuild. New bushings, new thrustwashers, new bearings. Then I came to the clutch packs and I was unable to open the front clutch. I hammered on it ( with a soft faced dead blow hammer) for some time trying to get it to open. At one point I almost put it into the press, but I wanted to be able to save as much of it as possible. When it finally came apart and I could see what happened, I was horrified to see those priceless "bronze" frictions destroyed as was the clutch housing itself due to the extreme heat built up. The housing was actually blue due to the high heat. Those "bronze frictions" were burned and bent upward with their little fingers mangled beyond repair. I almost cried.
Oh the inhumanity !!!
I saved them so I could show them to others as a lesson in "what not to do ! " .
I forgot to take pictures as I was grief stricken, but I'll take some tomorrow.