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  • Donsld Ferguson Jr started the topic Input shaft too short, clutch wobbles to death in the forum T-20 Transmission 1 year, 8 months ago

    Hello. My first entry here. I have major issues with the secondary cluch bolt rattling loose and causing the clutch to wobble, which enlargens the center hole. This enlargened hole ruins the clutch, as it don’t fit the input shaft snug any more.

    The bolt is new, lots of high strength loktite used, new lock washer. Yet, it eventually wobbles loose.

    I understand why the input shaft is short. It’s to allow the clutch to be removed without removing the T20 from the Max. But I could care less!

    I think the best solution to eliminate the dang wobble of the secondary clutch is to use a longer shaft, where the clutch sits. A steel collar may be needed to fill-in the space once the clutch is mounted (which won’t allow any wobble because there will be no room for that).

    We need someone to manufacture a new, longer T20 input shaft as an aftermarket item for those who need one.

    Or, perhaps cut the end off a shaft and weld it to another shaft, which extends the spot where the clutch fits. Turn it on a lathe to true it up.

     

    Anyhoo…

    We are going to tighten the clutch center bolt again, use tons of loktite, a new lock washer, torque it down tight, and hope for the best. Which isn’t much. This will get us back on the trail for a few rides.

    I have no doubt this bolt will rattle loose again, the clutch will wobble under pressure as we drive, and ruin yet another clutch. A longer input shaft is desperately needed. And so it goes…

     

    • Sounds like you got something else going on .I have never seen or heard of a secondary coming loose in one of these.In 45 years i never needed to loctite a bolt on usually the problem is you can’t get the clutch off are you sure your not missing the key way and the clutch is spinning on the shaft and loosening up.I saw someone ride an entire weekend without a clutch bolt they forgot to put back in one time.

      • Thank you. There must be something else going on that I can’t figure out.
        Yes, the proper key is installed. The clutch is new, the T20 works fine.
        I don’t have the length of the original bolt installed at the factory . It broke many years ago and I replaced it with one “close enough” because its all the hardware store had in stock. It is 4 inches long I think, and stainless. Where might I be able to buy the factory recommended bolt from?
        This has been an issue for about four years now. I did install new bearings all over theT20, and it has worked good thr whole time.
        Frustrating, I can’t figure this out.
        Thanks for the help David. Much appreciated.

      • Once the secondary clutch is installed on the input shaft I see a long space from the tip of the shaft to the “mouth” of the clutch hole. Is there supposed to be a filler block in there, or is this just empty space? Thanks.

        • Its just empty space but they did use a real thick washer on the end so you could crank the bolt tight.

          • Thank you. It does have the thick washer.
            I think the problem this time is the new bolt I used was a tad too long and bottomed out just as itvwas getting tight.
            That was my gut feeling when I tightened it, thatvit may have ottomedcout, and it seemed to very tight. The clutch was on tight.
            What makes me think this is the case is the bolt did not rattle loose as I expected it to (we hadn’t removed the engine yet.) The loktite held tightly.
            Upon unscrewing this bolt it has a ring of wear right at the mouth of the clutch hole, right where to wobble comes from. It “grinded” away enough of the thick washer to allow the clutch to move and wobble as the belt tugs on it when driving.
            BTW I made a 3/4″ hole in the tub opposite the bolt head, so I can remove this bolt through this hole (the back left tire has to be removed, too). Otherwise the bolt is too long and the trans has to come out to remove it. I plug this hole with the same plugs used for the tub drain holes.
            (The bolt is too long, the trans has to come out to remove it. This defeats the claim others have said in regards as to why the input shaft is short – to accompoidate easy removal of the clutch without removing the T20. That’s bunk, I think. They’d need to drill a hole in the tub to slide the bolt through first.)
            Any way… I changed out this bolt in favor of the bolt I had been using previously, which I thought might have been too short (which is why I replaced it, not knowing the actual lengrh this bolt ought to be).
            I used a lot of loktite, a new lock wasger, and a lot of torque (it did not bolltom out and got very tight).
            We expect to give it a ride tomorrow and see how it goes.
            I hope all is well. Sorry, long post. Lol