How hard is it to change clutch bushings?

gil7247

gil7247

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Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
435
Age
64
Location
Muskegon Michigan
I want to change the clutch bushings on both my primary and secondary clutches as well as the 6 sliders in the primary. How much of a bear is it to drive the old bushings out and press in the new ones. Also how about the spider coming off I know its locktited and left hand thread but I'm not sure how tight it's torqued on there. Or should I just take it in somewhere to have this done??
Thanks
Gil
 
The two bushings in the driven clutch are easy to replace. They require only a relatively small amount of force to push them out and in. Allen Ullmer sells a replacement bushing made from an oil-lite material (oil impregnated porous bronze material). I bought and installed Allen's bushings since they are a better bushing material. The key to removing and installing the bshings is to have an arbor which fits nicely into the bushing with a shoulder to apply a uniform force on the bushing. It is easy to mess up and distort the new bushing by not using the right tool.

The outer bushing in the clutch cover is removed and installed the same way. You are correct about the bushing in the sliding half of the driven clutch. The spider is removed using a special holder and wrench found at most dealers BUT several people on this site have made their own. The spider part is a left hand thread with loctite on it from the factory. I made this bushing out of oil-lite material ( you can buy it in rod form from McMaster Carr Supply) and was able to use my dealers clutch tool to remove and replace the spider.

I replace the bushings in pairs since replacing only one worn bushings ends up wearing out the new bushing prematurely.
 
There is a correct way to install those bushings too,in the primary at least.If you look closely you will notice a shoulder in the casting that will only allow the bushing to be pressed out in one direction only so be mindful of which direction your pressing it out and back in.
 
I thnk what I may do is order the bushing buttons and sliders for both clutches. I will do the secondary myself but I'll take the primary in since the spier has to br removed to change the sliders and the buching are much harder to change in that one. Thanks For the imput guys!! Gil
 
While you are at it, get a copy of the service manual and check out all the clutch parts against the specs in the manual, things like the rollers and weights. If the bushings get worn in those parts, they can cause poor operation of the clutch. It doesn't pay to replace only some of the worn parts. Clean any accumulated belt material off the primary clutch faces. A the beginning of the season I chuck the clutch sheaves in a lathe and polist the surface with 320 grit sand paper. Keep the clutches clean by giving them a bath in dish washing soap and water. Soap and water is much more effective in removing the belt grime than a solvent cleaner such as brake cleaner. I have a large ultrasonic tank cleaner at work which uses a soap and water solution. I use it to clean the clutch parst 2 - 3 times a season, it does and awesome job. A clean clutch is a happy, smooth operating clutch.
 
Also, for pushing the bushings out of the cam arms and rollers I like to use the non fluted end of old drill bits since they increase in size in small increments. DO NOT however, use them to reinstall bushings as the chamfer on the end of the bit tends to mushroom the bushing inwards. Usually you can get the new bushing started by hand and push them in with a vice with a wood block so you dont crush the replacement. Never put roller or cam bushings in with a hammer. The nice thing about comet clutches is the roller pins are the correct size to push the cam arm bushings out... Dont use a good pin though... better off using an old replaced one.
 
I use a socket that will be the same diameter and one socket a little larger on the other end.It may be a juggling act..but I place all this in a vice and crank the vise and it push's the bushing out nicely into the larger socket.Again I use socket and vise to push them back in.
 
If you have a machine shop in your area you could always get them to make you a rig to use to press them in and out with.Fortunately I have a bud that is a machinist and he made me a piece from a large nut and machined it down just enough so it fits inside the bushing as well as large enough to catch the exterior and it will press it out and the new one in without wreaking either.I only have one for the helix bushing so far but am going to get him to make me a couple more to use with the primary bushings as well as the roller and fly weight ones.
 
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