Replacing original factory clutch Options

[JeffBowlsby]

Replacing an original factory clutch dated 7/73, as it had started shuddering at launch and making weird noises. A "while I was in there" job. ~50Kmi car. This transaxle had never been previously removed from the car.

See the original disk compared to the new replacement disk.

The orig clutch disk has some kind of rubber 'spring/cushion chunks ' inside, mostly deteriorated and most of the rubber chunks are missing now. A piece of a remaining chunk can be seen in the round hole viewport at the clutch disk center.

Original flywheel had been factory balanced and the bolts were not clearanced. No visible wear on flywheel bolt heads.

Clutch disk is made of two thinner friction disks separated by a center metal plate carrier plate with flat springs presumably to somewhat cushion the shift change process. I noticed that the friction disk on the pressure plate side had more wear (was thinner) than the friction disk on the flywheel side.

[rgalla9146]

If the clutch disc can not 'float' on the input shaft splines the result will be more wear
on one side of disc or the other.
It can also cause difficult shifting.
Clutch discs often have a manufacture date stamped into a rivet or into one of the
stamped steel parts of the disc or even stenciled on.
Look closely.