Mcleod RST not release

[JohnEngland]

I have a Mcleod RST twin disc clutch set up on my 470 stroker, 23 spline tranny. My problem is that the clutch does not fully release and reverse grinds and its hard to get in to 1st. I have had the clutch out 3 times. The first time it was taken out to inspect and check assembly and put back in.The second time I called Mcleod and they said to remove it and do some test on the clutch, with a press out of the car. Throw out bearing was to be pressed down .445 inch and then a .020 feeler gauge should fit between friction plates. Needless to say the .020 feeler gauge did fit between the transmission friction plate and would not go in on the motor side friction plate. Clutch was shipped back to mcleod. they rebuilt it and sent it back. I did the test again this time the .020 feeler fit in the motor side friction plate but was real tight. I called mcleod and they said this was the way it was suppose to be. I installed the clutch again and it still grinds in reverse and its hard to get into gear. It appears that the clearances in the motor side friction plate is tight and dragging on the input shaft. The transmission (rear) side plate has a large gap (large clearance) Has any one had issues with the Mcleod RST clutch and the front plate dragging. The throw out bearing is adjusted off of the fingers about 1/4 inch.... Any input would be greatly appreciated....Thanks in advance.

 

[khryslerkid]

The throw out bearing is adjusted off of the fingers about 1/4 inch

That sounds like way too much. I bet your clutch pedal is almost on the floor for a disengagement.
You should only need enough play in the throw out bearing to fingers so it's not applying any pressure.

With that large of a gap, it's not totally releasing the clutch disk, causing the grinding and difficulty engaging.

As far as your other measurements, someone else would have to comment.

 

[mentor70]

is this a hydraulic or mechanical linkage?

 

[5.7 hemi]

.125-.180 from the clutch fingers for the tb.

 

[JohnEngland]

Moved the throw out bearing closer to finger just so it doesn't touch the fingers and same thing....It was inially closer to fingers also I thought wrong.

 

[JohnEngland]

Mechanical linkage

 

[mentor70]

stock OE bellhousing?

personally, i have no twin disc Mopar experience, yet but i have some twin plate experience with imports.

i would suggest put nothing off the table. i recently was recently working on an old Dodge Stealth that had clutch issues. I replace a flywheel, clutch fork and the pivot ball and clutch to get the geometry back into a place where i could properly adjust the freeplay and get the car all dialed in.

 

[kiwigtx]

I installed the clutch again and it still grinds in reverse and its hard to get into gear.

I know this won't solve the issue you have, but if you select 2nd gear just before selecting reverse, does the grinding still occur?
I ask, because I always try to do this to avoid the grinding - which happens very infrequently in my case.

 

[AR67GTX]

Is the throw out fork positioned far enough forward in the bell housing opening at rest, to be sure it can't bottom out on the rear side of the opening when the pedal is pushed down? An adjustable fork ball can often resolve a lot of clutch throw issues.

Momentarily shifting to first or second prior to shifting to reverse will usually prevent reverse grinding. It won't do anything for the hard first gear engagement however.

 

[440+6]

Kinda sound like the pilot bearing may be spinning the input shaft, what about bell housing alignment?

 

[JohnEngland]

checked both its the original bell housing and the pilot bushing is not spinning input shaft. Its because the floater disc is not shimmed properly from mcleod......the rear disc is releasing and the front disc is not releasing all the way.