Got my flywheel and clutch back from being balanced and machined and was having a play this evening with the alignment of it all.

i have read heaps on how it all needs to be but this evening i have now run into a different problem. now that the backing plate has been machined slightly and the posts have been machined 35 thou (thickness of one strap) it seems in order to get the pressure plate diaphram low/compressed enough i have to remove the washers from the end of the strap that fixes to the flywheel.

basically the question i have tonight is, is it absolutley nessesary to have a washer under the strap at the flywheel end of the strap?

matt read (miniman) explained you need to have a washer under this strap, did i hear right or did he mean to use a spring washer on top of the strap?

here are some pics that may help explain.

these are the straps fitted tonight, the diaphram is flat when tensioned down and the straps are flat/inline with the flywheel face but no washers are fitted under the straps.





Here is the flywheel as i assembled it last week, with washers under one end of the strap but this did not tension the diaphram down enough.



i measured the thinest washers i have at 1.8mm. using these washers under the strap means i have to use a washer under the other end of the strap to keep it inline with the flywheel face, which ends up not having enough tension in the diaphram when bolted down.

i am aligning the straps using the method of suspending the backing plate and sitting the flywheel in top so no weight is on the straps and am aligning them so they just touch the posts on the back plate.

could using a thinner washer under the flywheel end of the strap only solve this issue?

any suggestions?

Jason

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'66 BRG Morris Mini Deluxe 60HP ATW

lighten the flywheel - machine the outside face of the flywheel, remove a decent chunk of it and it'll give you enough room for some washers

what will happend if i do not put a washer under the strap at the flywheel end of the strap?

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'66 BRG Morris Mini Deluxe 60HP ATW

dunno - other than not springing properly, I'd guess that it'd wear funny, and end up breaking

Jason,,, have you got 2 straps in each pack?

those flywheels will work with no washer under the straps, because there is nothing to bind up the straps... std flywheels have plenty more metal along the length of the strap & so without a washer the strap binds up & won`t spring/swing correctly

however these flywheels have that metal removed from under the strap so it can spring/swing

so,,, the answer is--> it`s cool with out a washer under the strap in your circumstance

but,,, it just looks to me like there has been too much taken off the 3 legs of the back plate,,,, it also looks like there is only one strap,,, it also looks like the ring gear may need to be looked at as it may be loose on the flywheel???

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Excellent cheers matt, i wasnt sure if you said i could or couldnt use the washers under the straps when i picked it up from you origonally.

cheers for clearing that up.

there is two straps fitted like it is supposed to be. without the washers under the straps, the straps line up nicely and the diaphram is nice and tight with an almost flat spring.

so now that i have confirmed that it is ok to use the straps without the washers under them, then all is cool.

thanks for your help everyone.

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'66 BRG Morris Mini Deluxe 60HP ATW

how do i check if the ring gear is loose?

will have a look tonight

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'66 BRG Morris Mini Deluxe 60HP ATW

With a mirror you can see it through the timing inspection cover on the wok. While cranking over (not running) you'll see it wobble.

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it all just came back from the engineerig workshop after being balanced, surely they would have spotted it the ring gear was wobbling?

is there any other way to check if the ring gear is loose or not on correctly other than by eye?

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'66 BRG Morris Mini Deluxe 60HP ATW

Sorry here mate, is it fitted to the engine or not?

Even though it has been to an engineering shop, it is up to YOU to check, don't rely on them to pick up any problems.

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One indicator of a potentially problematic ring gear is that it is not seated properly against the shoulder on the flywheel, ie come loose. Have a look at your photos, seems it isn't seated as it should be. Get it checked out properly.

I'm with Matt, reckon the 3 legs on the backplate have had too much taken off them. However, seems you will be able to correct it by loosing the washer under the strap.

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Steve

cool thanks guys.

yeh with the washer removed from under the strap it is level and the diaphram is nice and flat. so i will go with that.

will check the ring gear out and make sure all is lined up as it is supposed to be. the pics do make it out that it is not lined up i can definatley see that.

i will go out and check it out right now actually while i am waiting for my dinner to cook

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'66 BRG Morris Mini Deluxe 60HP ATW

Ok just had a good look at it.

the gap is the same all the way around the ring gear. must just be the way the camera took that particular photograoh. the gap is definatley the same all the way round and although it may not be exactly flush, it is on there pretty good.

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'66 BRG Morris Mini Deluxe 60HP ATW

GT mowog the flywheel is off the car, engine is out of the car.

I always check everything three times over, even if someone else has done something for me, but in this case i would have expected if it was wobbling, that he would have had trouble balancing it and/or would have said something.

anyway looks all sweet, thanks for your input guys.

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'66 BRG Morris Mini Deluxe 60HP ATW