Re: VW Special tools

[trnsfrma@ix.netcom.com (Shawn C. Meze)]

At 10:14 PM 3/3/97 -0500, you wrote:
.EDU (MANNIXIAIN RORY CAMPBELL) writes:
>
><< 	The centering tool is also super important! Think about this; You
> spend a whole lot of money on shinny new parts, spend awhole lot of time
> putting(sp? not golf) them in, and then you bolt your transaxel on with
> the clutch plate miss-aligned. Now you're thinking "Well that doesn't
> matter, the dowels and bolts should align my bellhousing
> perfectly...Right?". But if they don't it'll be clamped down tight, 
> holding your clutch plate off center. This can put undue stress in
> the input shaft and cause your clutch to wear out pre-maturely >>
>
>Anyone confirm this??
>I always thought that the centering tool was just to line up the clutch disk
>centered so the tranny would line up.  If the disk isnt perfectly centered
>than the bolts for the motor to the tranny wont line up.  It is frustrating
>enough to put up a tranny (alone at least), without problems with the bolts.
> Now if it wasnt perfectly aligned but close than the first time you hit the
>clutch it would have a tendency to center itself.  
>
>That was always my view, what cha all think?


Well, its been my experience that the clutch allignment tool helps hold the disc 
while you bolt on the flywheel. I realize I have a little more expereince than 
some, but I was able (as recent as 2 weeks ago) to install the clutch without 
the tool. I just eyeballed the disc to the release plate dimple and there you 
go! 

The disc needs to be somewhat close to center for the input shaft to go into the 
disc and also have the tranny bolt up to the engine. (You said this, right?) If 
it is not perfectly centered but will bolt up to the tranny, the first time you 
depress the clutch, the disc will center itself. The problem with this is, you 
may be putting undue stress on the input shaft, and possibly even a slight bent, 
at worse. It shouldnt be a problem as long as you dont get lazy and let the 
tranny rest on the input shaft alone. (if your poor like me and have to bench 
press the tranny up into position.  When I get rich, im gonna buy one of them 
tranny jacks too!)
Thats that.




Shawn
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