replacing clutch

[gatorjaws]

Has anyone installed one of those "Exedy"brand clutch kits. They are supposed to out perform the origonal and come with the clutch, pressure plate,pilot bearing,release bearing, and an alignment tool for $250.00 US. They have a limited lifetime Micky Thompson  warranty. The kit is new not rebuilt. ten spline,8 1/2 inch clutch

[Benz Dr.]

I think you'll find that a pressure plate might be as much as this '' kit '' if you were to buy original parts. Either the OE stuff is grossly over priced, or this stuff you found is cheap knock offs.
The alignment tool might be handy though. I use an old input shaft for this job.

[DaveB]

Benz Dr. - a related question: can a 280sl diaphragm style pressure plate replace a spring type 230sl pressure plate with no additional modifications? I seem to remember your car has this setup?

[gatorjaws]

I bought this kit & will be installing it soon. I will let you know if it works

[Benz Dr.]

Benz Dr. - a related question: can a 280sl diaphragm style pressure plate replace a spring type 230sl pressure plate with no additional modifications? I seem to remember your car has this setup?

 I'm going to say maybe but I think you would have to use the 230SL throw out bearing. My car ( 230SL ) has a 250SE engine so I installed a 280SL style pressure plate because the 230SL system was slipping a bit. I imagine it had the 230SL pressure plate from the original engine.
I couldn't use the 280SL throw out bearing with the ZF trans because it wouldn't fit properly. I had to go back to the 230 unit before anything would work. I also had to use the smaller slave cylinder on the ZF bell housing. ITY has a very heavy clutch compared to a stock set up but it really hooks up.

 I'd like to see someone try and figure out what parts I used some day when I'm no longer round and they say, '' It's a 230SL 5 speed and I need to order...... ''   

[Tomnistuff]

Gaterjaws,
Please don't forget to post your results.  I, for one, am going to have to buy a cllutch kit for my 230SL soon.  By the way, following your post, I found the Exedy Part# 11010 for $213 US at Race-Mart.com in Tampa,Florida.  I know nothing about them.
Good luck with your installation.
Tom Kizer

[Benz Dr.]

After thinking about it I think I would just use the 230SL pressure plate along with any new parts you need.

[DaveB]

Thanks Benz Dr. That is what I'll do. Why fix it if it aint broke should be my motto.

I'm looking forward to fitting my ZF transmission at some future date but currently it is in the UK and I'm in Australia. I foresee some difficulty sourcing the linkages and transmission mount. I thought these may return to production now that the new run of ZF transmissions has been confirmed, but I don't know if that's the case. Hopefully some aftermarket manufacturer will step up and provide them.

A bigger potential problem is the fit of the trans in the tunnel. According to the Meredith book there was a change in the tunnel to accomodate the trans sometime in '66. I don't know whether that means the trans cannot fit pre-'66 cars (without surgery), or whether it's just less convenient to do so. The Meredith book lists the ZF as an option from late '65 but I'm unsure whether this means the trans was fitted to late '65 cars, prior to the tunnel change, or whether it could be ordered in late '65, with delivery in '66, post tunnel change. What's the build date of your car?

Yes Gatorjaws please let us know how the new kit performs. The pressure plate in that kit IS a diaphragm style right?

[Benz Dr.]

Some of the linkage you could modify so that's not a problem. I've not heard about any diffrence in the tunnel of the car but a car with an auto is about the same lenght as the 5 speed so it should fix.

[gatorjaws]

the kit is here. the clutch and pressure plate look right. the throw out bearing i'm not so sure.alot of feedback and tangents from all of you. i won't be starting the project for a few weeks yet. I just retired on Sept 1st and I am so busy I can't believe it.I will post my results asap

[gatorjaws]

The clutch kit was a bust. It turns out that I didn't need one anyway. I was only going to change it because I was pulling the trans. for repair.I put the wrong oil in the transmission & a bearing started singing so I pulled it for repair. I bought new bearings and syncros & used "Rudy's star service" in Ft. Collins, Co. He did the work(600.00 US) but when I put the trensmission back in it started poping out of third gear and he wanted more money for the rework. The thing was it was not popping out of gear when I took it to him, just the bearing noise.I said I might have to pay someone to make this right but it was not going to be him. I bought a very used tranny for 250.00 US and put it in the car until I could find the money to get the orrigonal one fixed. Both transmissions are at the new shop now. We will see how it turns out this time.

[DaveB]

Disappointing alright. Any half reasonable mechanic would apologise and fix that problem free of charge. But as a customer you get to the point where it's not worth the stress, right?
I have had many experiences like this while owner-building additions to our house. I end up spending hours fixing shoddy work by so-called 'tradesmen'. It seems there are very few real craftsmen left. A hard man is good to find. I mean a good man is hard to find!
It's great when you find someone reliable and competent, so I hope your new shop measures up.

[GGR]

These transmissions are not that complicated. I had never dealt with a transmission before and with the workshop manual and a few questions here and there I've been able to rebuild several in a row. I think you should dive in it. You will learn something and you will have the satisfaction of having done it by yourself.

May I ask what oil you used to damage the bearings, and which bearings got damaged? ball bearings or needle bearings?

[Benz Dr.]

I had a car that would pop out of fourth gear. Turns out the input shaft was worn where it was fitted into the pilot bearing. Any deflection of the input shaft will cause all sorts of problems.
I've also seen where the slotted nut on the main shaft can come loose and make shifting difficult. The end play on the input shaft has to be zero or that will also cause shifting problems.

Not hard to work on but hard to make right.

[gatorjaws]

Yeah, I used 80 W gear oil. My bad. I don't know which bearing it was

[garymand]

Funny, good story