Drive Plate and Input shaft

[Brett James-McCall]

Can anyone tell me generally how much the input shaft should go into the drive plate and what would be considered OK or not OK.

I've finally got the gearbox back and started to piece the items together for the 01X Kennedy/Helix hybrid and I think I've mis-calculated and have only 15mm of blue on the drive plate spline when I bolt them up. Any thoughts other than it looks as though I may be talking to Terry @ Helix to get a new drive plate on Monday...

Brett

[Dimi]

Hi Brett
You should have the input shaft contacting the splines in the driven plate for the total length of the splines.

Considering the total power torque of the motor is going to be applied to the tranny input shaft via these splines you need all the contact area you can possibly get or else you strip the splines off the input shaft or the drive plate the first time you release the clutch under full power accelleration.

Also the driven plate has to slide on the input shaft forwards and backwards during gear changes and to allow for wear in the clutch friction material.

One other thought, do you have the driven plate fitted the right way around ?
The driven plate has the spline hub longer on one side than the other.
Usually marked which side is motor side and which is tranny side.

Very expensive mistake to assemble this way and have to repair damage later.

Dimi

[dave harris]

As Dimi said above - the transmission input shaft must go all of the way thru the clutch disk and the end of the input shaft should be captured in the pilot bearing in the end of the crank shaft. Measure to be sure the trans input shaft is reaching all of the way to the crank shaft.

[Brett James-McCall]

Guys you seem to have misunderstood. I have mis-measured/calculated when I told Helix to make the drive plate. I am attempting to mate a Audi 01X to a SBF using the Kennedy kit. It requires a different drive plate, as the input shaft is different (24.2 with 23T). My questions rephrased then:

If the Input shaft spline is approx 35mm, how much contact should the drive plate have? I have received today an old 01E plate and it has a hub spline that is 25mm long. Is this OK if I get the offset reset for this amount of contact?

Brett

[Russ Noble]

Dimi had the right answer.

You really want ALL the splined length engaged. If you only have part engagement you will get greater wear to the splines and possibly damage. Less than full contact is not ideal but may work and be OK depending upon usage. Really the choice is up to you. Remember too the 016 plate would originally have been transferring less power/torque than you are now, so more contact is better.

But I would re-iterate Daves comment about the spigot bearing. It is essential that the input shaft is properly supported. There again, if it is not, it may work but for how long and at what cost!

Once you depart from accepted practice it is up to you to weigh up the pros and cons of the path you take. People can offer advice and relate experiences but in the end it is your decision.

Sorry if that's not much help.

Cheers

[Brett James-McCall]

Russ,
Slightly confused a bit... The kit originally came from Kenndy as there 016/5000 setup, and I am just trying to adapt it to a newer Audi box.

I am aware of the need for the spiogot bearing and will be engaging some help to get a new adptor made to fit the 15mm ID roller bearing that I'll need to put in.

I am reading it right I need to try to get 35mm contact? or would 25 be sufficient as that is what an 01E OEM hub spline measures. Also how much space, as a general rule, do you need between the drive plate hub and the pressure plate splines.

Sorry if this all seems dumb, but I am learning fast here...

Brett

[andys]

Originally Posted by brettmcc

Russ,
Slightly confused a bit... The kit originally came from Kenndy as there 016/5000 setup, and I am just trying to adapt it to a newer Audi box.

I am aware of the need for the spiogot bearing and will be engaging some help to get a new adptor made to fit the 15mm ID roller bearing that I'll need to put in.

I am reading it right I need to try to get 35mm contact? or would 25 be sufficient as that is what an 01E OEM hub spline measures. Also how much space, as a general rule, do you need between the drive plate hub and the pressure plate splines.

Sorry if this all seems dumb, but I am learning fast here...

Brett

Brett,

The clutch hub length for my 01E is 23mm and fully engages the spline, so I can assume that is adequate (for my clutch). The hub can extend toward the pressure plate fingers, but must leave room for the throw out bearing to fully actuate the fingers without interference. The amount of axial travel required to disengage the clutch varies between manufacturers due to differences in the disc and pressure plate construction. Your clutch vendor should be able to provide this information. In the other direction (toward the motor), I would avoid allowing the hub to extend past the splines as it will at some point run into the pilot (spigot) bearing housing.

Andys

[Russ Noble]

Brett,

Bearing in mind that there is probably a market for a Kennedy flywheel, why not just get your local friendly machinist to make a new one the same but with the friction face sufficiently rearward so that the splines completely engage? Provided of course that leaves room for the release bearing.

The new f/w could then incorporate the spigot bearing in the right place and you might be able to do it such that you don't need to have a special driven plate. It could work out to be a better and reasonably cost effective solution? With a bit of extra machining it need be no heavier either if that's a concern.

If you wanted to check things before you went ahead just dummy up with a spacer from suitable thickness MDF to go between the flywheel and clutch.

Off course you could just use a steel spacer screwed to the Kennedy f/w. Not a lot different to what is done on alloy f/ws.

Just a few thoughts....

Cheers