CLUTCH FEELING FUNNY ON TRACTION LIGHT 15

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gilberthenry

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We were just coming home and juggling the Light 15 into it's garage when the clutch started acting a bit funny. nBetween going fron 1st to reverse when pushing the clutch in it would become hard to push in and the gear change became tough to move and grating when trying to get into gear - - - then it would come good and go back to normal as it is now.
I'm wondering if there is something happening at the fork ???
Any ideas, John
 

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Shane your actuating mechanism is cable! Michael's is a rod!
John, you could have a collapsed thrust bearing or maybe even pressure plate. the only way to tell is to remove the motor and gearbox, open the bell housing, and have a look! There is a VW race that almost fits the clutch throw-out block, but the tin housing has to be modified so that it will fit snuggly. New original spec ones are available from overseas if you can wait the time for them to arrive.
Parts are available to rebuild the pressure plate. It is a fiddly and exacting job.
 
gerrypro said:
Shane your actuating mechanism is cable! Michael's is a rod!
John, you could have a collapsed thrust bearing or maybe even pressure plate. the only way to tell is to remove the motor and gearbox, open the bell housing, and have a look! There is a VW race that almost fits the clutch throw-out block, but the tin housing has to be modified so that it will fit snuggly. New original spec ones are available from overseas if you can wait the time for them to arrive.
Parts are available to rebuild the pressure plate. It is a fiddly and exacting job.
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Thankyou Gerry.
So it seems that it is on the way out. At this very moment it seems to work fine so is it kind of - - half collapsed at the moment.
I have been dismantling the front end of the Big 15 over the last year as it seems to have the exact same problem. I didn't know why I couldn't work the clutch but it seems your diagnosis is the same for both cars.
Atleast it isn't a DS so I'll just have to be brave and keep going on the Big 15 & that will pave the way for the Light 15.

All the best to you Gerry, thanks, John
 
gilberthenry said:
Thankyou Gerry.
So it seems that it is on the way out. At this very moment it seems to work fine so is it kind of - - half collapsed at the moment.
I have been dismantling the front end of the Big 15 over the last year as it seems to have the exact same problem. I didn't know why I couldn't work the clutch but it seems your diagnosis is the same for both cars.
Atleast it isn't a DS so I'll just have to be brave and keep going on the Big 15 & that will pave the way for the Light 15.

All the best to you Gerry, thanks, John
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the gearbox is pretty easy to get out of a light 15 .... I imagine a big 15 would be even simpler due to the extra space ? :)
 
DoubleChevron said:
the gearbox is pretty easy to get out of a light 15 .... I imagine a big 15 would be even simpler due to the extra space ? :)
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It was easy to remove guards with grille etc off Big15 so it is close.
I'm thinking that I shouldn't have to remove engine as Gerry indicated - - - am I being optimistic here ???
 
gilberthenry said:
It was easy to remove guards with grille etc off Big15 so it is close.
I'm thinking that I shouldn't have to remove engine as Gerry indicated - - - am I being optimistic here ???
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I didn't remove the traction motor here .. I just pulled the gearbox leaving the bell housing and everything behind.... Oh, can you get to all the bell housing bolts without removing the motor 🤔 I think that is a Gerry question :)
 
It is easier with everything out and on the floor. No need to remove the guards. I used to do the motor /gear box in 1.5 hours when I was young and stupid.
 
But now you are neither, right?
 
So are you going to pull the gearbox out ... then buy another car that works in the meantime ( sounds like something I'd do :clown:) :ROFLMAO:
 
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Thank you for the info. Your 1.5 hours, Gerry, translates to about a year around here. I'll keep going with the Big 15 as it is getting close (see pics ) and hopefully do the Lt 15 after that.
I do get things done eventually. At one stage I had 3 dead D's and they are all good now so I'm not completely useless - - - - I'm just not a born mechanic.
At least the Big 6 is going strong and as we just sold the 1949 Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster for a whopping $8,500 we have brought the '54 Vagabond up from Michael's place to be our "dogs body car".

Thanks again to the "brains trust" , John
 

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gilberthenry said:
Thank you for the info. Your 1.5 hours, Gerry, translates to about a year around here. I'll keep going with the Big 15 as it is getting close (see pics ) and hopefully do the Lt 15 after that.
I do get things done eventually. At one stage I had 3 dead D's and they are all good now so I'm not completely useless - - - - I'm just not a born mechanic.
At least the Big 6 is going strong and as we just sold the 1949 Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster for a whopping $8,500 we have brought the '54 Vagabond up from Michael's place to be our "dogs body car".

Thanks again to the "brains trust" , John
Click to expand...

The big 15 front structure doesn't look any bigger than the light 15 ?? I assumed you'd have more room to work with!
 
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