Clutch hub.

[Glyn.G]

High all,
I recently mentioned I had purchased a GT380M bottom end and I have just started to strip it down. All was going well apart from noticing the middle rod is bent. Any how I digress, I have reached the stage of removing the centre nut on the clutch hub ( the large 27mm one ) and it's locked solid. There is no way I can budge it even with some gentle persuasion with a lump hammer. I presume it's a standard thread ( righty tighty- lefty loosy ). The nut is a bit rusty but the shaft thread seems clean. I think the engine has been split previously due to all the excess goo that's oozed out of the joints and the cases are very clean.
Is there any special method of removing this nut ? Would it be worth investing in an Electric Impact Driver and a clutch removal tool as seen on e-bay. Any help will be much appreciated.

Regards,
Glyn.

[PHPaul]

I have a battery-powered electric impact that has been absolutely indispensable for just such applications.

The clutch basket wrench is handy, but I find that a bit of rag jammed between the clutch gear and the primary gear works just as well.

Can't speak to the threads being right or left handed, I'm just now starting to work on my first Suzuki. If I were going to guess, I'd say they're probably right-handed, but that's all it is, is a guess.

[Glyn.G]

I have a battery-powered electric impact that has been absolutely indispensable for just such applications.

The clutch basket wrench is handy, but I find that a bit of rag jammed between the clutch gear and the primary gear works just as well.

Can't speak to the threads being right or left handed, I'm just now starting to work on my first Suzuki. If I were going to guess, I'd say they're probably right-handed, but that's all it is, is a guess.

Cheers PHPaul, I've just ordered an electric impact driver and clutch tool so I'll give it a go when they arrive.

[yeadon_m]

Its defo a conventional thread to anti-clock to undo.
As mentioned already a rag between the basket outer and the crank pinion and off it will come. Use a breaker bar, and stand on the cases
Its only meant to be at 40 lb ft anyway.
Cheers,
Mike

[Alan H]

Don't forget the 'Come off you bas****' bit. It definitely helps.

[PHPaul]

Don't forget the 'Come off you bas****' bit. It definitely helps.

That works fine for most 10mm bolts. Clutch nuts generally require a bit stronger lubricant. I usually find I need to step up to hyphenated expletives.

[Glyn.G]

I'll give it another go when the impact driver & 27mm socket arrives, I'm beginning to think some one might have cross threaded the nut as it looks a bit on the skew.
On a lighter note I mentioned one of the con rods looks slightly bent but my eyesight ain't what it used to be. Has any one tried or used the Con Rod kits from Firefox Racing which include Rod, crank pin, big end, small end, and thrust washers for £43.00

[Glyn.G]

Well I got the clutch hub off this morning and finally split the casings, and what a disaster. Now I know why the middle rod has bent. Main Bearings must not have been located correctly by the moron who rebuilt the engine and had spun in the journals breaking off the pins ( dints & gouges all over the place ) bearings cracked and seals ripped to bits. To top it off I removed the gear pinions and selector forks and look what I found under the selector drum. 3 soddin shims just floating around. Oh and where's the spring loaded gear brake plunger. I've decided this engine may not be worth rebuilding after all, but at least I have plenty of spares.

[Alan H]

Some people shouldn't be allowed to touch tools.

[PHPaul]

Ouch.

I once bought a truck with a 6 cylinder that had "just been rebuilt". Apparently by the Stateside Cousin of the genius that rebuilt your engine. I ran it for about a week before hauling it out and building my own engine.

[PHPaul]

Some people shouldn't be allowed to touch tools.

Too true.

After my Navy career, I worked in maintenance in one form or another for the next 20+ years. The last half of that in supervisory positions. Some of the "pros" who worked for me (briefly...) made me a firm believer in retroactive birth control.

[Alan H]

I've seen a lot of so called technicians who's Dad should've settled for a BJ.

[PHPaul]

[Glyn.G]

I know what you mean lads, I've been in engineering for 30 years and I've never seen such a mess. Note the washer welded onto the right hand side gear pinion journal. It's there I presume because the pin that locates the steel bush on the end of the shaft has been pushed all the way through and has broken out of the casing. I despair at the lack of common sense in some people. I don't think the person who did this bothered to locate or line anything up. He just clamped the two halves together any which way but loose.