important clutch info!

[andy-m]

some of you may remember I posted a few weeks back in the general mechanics section as I was getting a squealing noise from my clutch.
I was advised it would most likely be the clutch release bearing, which I tended to agree with.
anyways, there is also a bearing in the back of the flywheel which the end of the gearbox primary shaft sits in. when you press the clutch to change gear, the flywheel and the primary shaft are at different speeds, hence the need for the bearing.
as no clutch kits come with this bearing, I suspect the flywheel spigot bearing is rarely changed. and looking at the condition of my one, it would appear that although my clutch looks to have done about 15-20K miles, the flywheel spigot bearing appears to have never been changed :-



fortunately, when bought a replacement clutch release bearing, I thought it is such a pig of a job to do that I would spend the extra £7 and get the flywheel spigot bearing just in case!
as you can see from the picture, if I had lost one more ball from the bearing, the bearing would have lost it's centre which would have meant the gearbox primary shaft could flop about a bit and I would have most likely screwed up the bearing and oil seal on the gearbox primary shaft. and I only put the gearbox in just before x-mas !!!

Bottom line is if you are replacing your clutch, for the sake of an extra £7 and un-doing the 6 bolts that hold your flywheel on, for gods sake change the flywheel spigot bearing too !!!!

For those with a classic as I have, here is the link to the bearing I am talking about.