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Clutch Fork Pin Removal

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dezand

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Maybe this is common knowledge, but I was trying to remove the tapered pin from the clutch fork on my BT7. I ground the protruding end of the pin flush inside the bellhousing and then attempted to use a punch to bang it out. That didn't work. I then was curious what the brass screw was for on the end of the clutch shaft. The designers must have realized the difficulty of removing the tapered pin and provided a long threaded hole to use as a pulling location. I used a 1/4-28 grade 8 bolt and a short length of appropriate size pipe with a washer and used the affair to pull the shaft out of the fork. Turns out the tapered pin is dead soft and will double shear with about 1000 pounds of force, of which a 1/4 inch bolt can easily generate. The remaining pieces in the fork were then just punched out with it clamped in a vise.
 
That is interesting, for my car the pin was installed from the gearbox side. Trying to pound it out from the bellhousing side did not work.
Another guy who restores Healeys said he usually drills them out, but sometimes the drill wanders and ruins the fork.
Once I figured out the puller method it took all of 30 seconds to remove the shaft with the bellhousing still attached to the gearbox.
 
dezand said:
Maybe this is common knowledge, but I was trying to remove the tapered pin from the clutch fork on my BT7. I ground the protruding end of the pin flush inside the bellhousing and then attempted to use a punch to bang it out. That didn't work. I then was curious what the brass screw was for on the end of the clutch shaft. The designers must have realized the difficulty of removing the tapered pin and provided a long threaded hole to use as a pulling location. I used a 1/4-28 grade 8 bolt and a short length of appropriate size pipe with a washer and used the affair to pull the shaft out of the fork. Turns out the tapered pin is dead soft and will double shear with about 1000 pounds of force, of which a 1/4 inch bolt can easily generate. The remaining pieces in the fork were then just punched out with it clamped in a vise.
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Excellent information. Wish I had known this a couple years ago when I was trying to remove mine. I suppose that new parts will go together and come apart as designed, but when dealing with something that's been in place for 60-odd years all bets are off. I gave up and re-assembled with the fork still in place.
 
Jack, I did the same thing after fighting to remove the pin for some time. I would have liked to replace the bushings, but gave up and said I’ll do it next time I have the transmission out. In 25 years or so…..
 
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