best clutch?

[seattle smitty]

Have to put a clutch in an '81 720, looking at Rock Auto's selection.  Is there a preferred stock replacement clutch?  Beck-Arnley is a big name, more expensive than others , but maybe the others are 3rd-world-made junk  .  .  . ??

[datzenmike]

I would probably go with the Beck-Arnley.

 

The dealer probably still has them. I imagine the PP is under $100 and the disc $70-$80?

[captain720]

My favorite clutch in a 720 is an excdy stage 2

[MaxChlan]

2 hours ago, captain720 said:

My favorite clutch in a 720 is an excdy stage 2

I have an Exedy clutch in my truck as well; works as advertised! I think I paid like $120 for the whole kit. 

[Draker]

Exedy is the OEM.

 

I run that or LUK clutches.. both have been fine.

[seattle smitty]

Well, since LUK clutches were the cheapest (of the recommended clutches) at Rock Auto and since Draker reports good results, that's what I ordered. So, we'll see.  The problem nowdays is that even long-trusted names often cannot be trusted not to be off shored or out-sourced, since they aren't up front about this subject.

[datzenmike]

Generally (cheap) clutches are heavy steel and a friction plate, not too complicated and work trouble free in a stock application. Clutches are much like brake pads... they wear out in proportion to how you use them. Everyone drives differently. You can replace with more expensive/exotic pad materials but then the rotors wear faster. It's one or the other. If you have a history of changing clutches every 5 years maybe move up in strength.

 

Definitely take a good look at the flywheel surface and have it milled flat. Because it's so cheap and easy to do, replace the pilot bushing in the end of the crankshaft. Always replace the release bearing, always! If the new clutch comes with a recommended release bearing collar, use it, and don't forget to grease the cavity inside it. Put a dab of lithium grease on the clutch arm pivot ball.

[seattle smitty]

Thanks, Mike, but what is new to me is what the auto machinist told me yesterday when I said I'd be bringing him a 720 flywheel.  He said that these, like many other newer flywheels from manual trans cars, are more trouble to machine because they are not flat but have a step (he said about .006") in them. What is that about, and why necessary?

I miss simpler days.  A few decades ago I replaced a clutch in a '76 Chev pickup (throwout bearing went bad), and instead of taking the flywheel, which didn't look too bad, to a machinist, I "reground" it myself.  I put a sanding disk, maybe 80 grit, on my 7" side-grinder,  and lay under the truck with the engine idling, and held the grinder against the spinning flywheel to scuff up the polished surface a little.  Came out with an even-looking and rather attractive swirly pattern that worked out just fine.  I don't recall whether that flywheel had any locating dowels in it, and if so what I did (maybe just avoided them).  I enjoy these shade-tree fixes, when feasible. 

Anyway, what's the deal with the stepped flywheel?

 

[datzenmike]

Not aware of a step. I would just pull the alignment dowels out and send it in to be milled. 0.006" is the thickness of a piece of paper... it's nothing and the clutch would never miss it if it was there.