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Shimming the pivot ball.

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Paintballaa5

10+ Year Contributor
530
245
Jan 23, 2012
Houston, Texas
I've been reluctant to post about such a debated topic, but it seems like there is so much conflicting information out there. My clutch fork protrudes from the fork hole (after mounted to block) slightly to the left. At the end of its travel it hits the inner bell housing.

So after deciding I need to it do it the right way, I pulled it back out, and attempted to shim it. And well, I guess the bottom of the pivot ball was rusted on, and I managed to strip it. So my question is, should I just leave it how it was? (No damage to the ball it's self, and I noticed it was slightly to the left before I took it off too.)
 
Yes you should have left it how it was, and replaced the flywheel and clutch. Mine is also slightly to the left, no shim but doesnt touch the bell housing. But i know after already replacing my clutch disk and 10k on the flywheel. The pressure plate an flywheel are coming up sometime soon. It's all about step height.
 
Yes you should have left it how it was, and replaced the flywheel and clutch. Mine is also slightly to the left, no shim but doesnt touch the bell housing. But i know after already replacing my clutch disk and 10k on the flywheel. The pressure plate an flywheel are coming up sometime soon. It's all about step height.

It's a brand new flywheel, disk, and pressure plate. So step height on flywheel should be perfect.
 
Everytime I do a new clutch and flywheel setup I add a turbo to manifold bolt washer, under the pivot ball. Well ever since a couple years ago when I ordered a built trans from Jon at T.r.e. he shims the pivot ball on every trans rebuild as standard practice. I love the way the clutch has more "feel" to it as well as pedal travel and pressure. Even with a correctly stepped flywheel and new clutch. I recommend it, but that's just my opinion as it is very much debated.
 
New slave or master then, or it was just out of adjustment. If all was new on a non shimmed pivot ball you shouldn't have needed to pull the trans at all. And what do you mean you stripped it? The hole?

I pulled the tranny to put the new clutch in. I stripped the part if the pivot ball you put the socket on.
 
Shimming is a bandaid for a worn clutch fork or worn pivot ball, or improper step height. Id recommend buying a forged clutch fork, you'll never have to worry about it wearing. Shep didn't shim my pivot ball on my stage 3, if that means anything to you.
 
Just throw a vice on the fulcrum ball and replace it. It is a very cheap part and I'm sure it's worn anyways if it's "rusted on"...
 
Shimming is a bandaid for a worn clutch fork or worn pivot ball, or improper step height. Id recommend buying a forged clutch fork, you'll never have to worry about it wearing. Shep didn't shim my pivot ball on my stage 3, if that means anything to you.

I was under the impression that shimming was to fix very small differences in different aftermarket manufacturers parts, or when taking surface off the flywheel. Since these would move it further.

Unfortunately, I have to have it back running tonight, so I won't be able to order one..

Never did that did you adjust the rod under the dash yet.

I have not. I didn't think to do that, since the fork hits the bell housing at the very end of its travel
 
Shimming is a bandaid for a worn clutch fork or worn pivot ball, or improper step height. Id recommend buying a forged clutch fork, you'll never have to worry about it wearing. Shep didn't shim my pivot ball on my stage 3, if that means anything to you.


Jon at Team rip engineering... (T.r.e) not john shep... I was just explaining my experience anyways.. I had to shim my setup on new oem everything. (Clutch fork, pivot ball, slave, master cylinder,clutch kit and flywheel.. made a hell of a difference for the better :hmm:)
 
I shimmed my pivot ball, ended up giving me RPM drop on clutch-in with Fidanza 3.2 kit + 8lb flywheel. Removed shim, no drop.. never again. That trans has been removed three times before with the shim never touched, and it was always the same drop, so I know it's not something else that caused it.

Just because it's a brand new clutch and flywheel setup does not mean it's perfect. Get everything checked out so you have concrete numbers and aren't wondering "why did this happen" later.
 
So it seems to be like information is all over the place on this topic.. Everyone has different reasons to or not to shim. :hmm:

I'm gonna take my chances and leave it, and work on adjustment. Thanks for the input guys
 
I think there is a lot of wrong information in this thread. Step height issues only cause dragging or slipping clutch problems. This is a pivot, fulcrum, geometry issue of the assembly (tranny/block & clutch fork lever arm). Shimming the pivot ball is to compensate for the friction wear of the pivot ball & clutch fork pocket, which happens over time, & for correcting the geometries of the assembly on resurface flywheels. I feel that minor shimming adjustment are not an issue. If you have to shim the pivot ball a lot then there's considerable wear and the clutch fork is going to become weaker and increase the possibility of breaking.
 
I think there is a lot of wrong information in this thread. Step height issues only cause dragging or slipping clutch problems. This is a pivot, fulcrum, geometry issue of the assembly (tranny/block & clutch fork lever arm). Shimming the pivot ball is to compensate for the friction wear of the pivot ball & clutch fork pocket, which happens over time, & for correcting the geometries of the assembly on resurface flywheels. I feel that minor shimming adjustment are not an issue. If you have to shim the pivot ball a lot then there's considerable wear and the clutch fork is going to become weaker and increase the possibility of breaking.

What he said:thumb:
 
I would say if you stripped it, then get it out of there and replace it. Save you headache further down the road.

The only part that was stripped was the bolt head part. Pivot ball itself is unharmed and in no shape damaged. (Except maybe for wear over time.)

I think there is a lot of wrong information in this thread. Step height issues only cause dragging or slipping clutch problems. This is a pivot, fulcrum, geometry issue of the assembly (tranny/block & clutch fork lever arm). Shimming the pivot ball is to compensate for the friction wear of the pivot ball & clutch fork pocket, which happens over time, & for correcting the geometries of the assembly on resurface flywheels. I feel that minor shimming adjustment are not an issue. If you have to shim the pivot ball a lot then there's considerable wear and the clutch fork is going to become weaker and increase the possibility of breaking.

This is exactly what I had come to the conclusion of from all my research. To make up for wear on ball/fork OR to make up for slightly different measurements by aftermarket parts. (Or re-surfaced flywheels)
Example: If you had .010 taken off the flywheel, then a .010 shim added would correct the geometry.

This is correct right?
 
I disagree

The amount of wear over time is negligible.

Shimming of the pivot came about just like the longer clutch shaft.

Band-aids put in place rather than fixing the real issue.

Hal
 
I disagree

The amount of wear over time is negligible.

Shimming of the pivot came about just like the longer clutch shaft.

Band-aids put in place rather than fixing the real issue.

Hal

What is the real issue?


This issue has far too much mis-information and conflicting opinions. I hope this thread can help shed some light upon the subject.
 
brand new flywheel
Just because it's new doesn't mean it's right. Did you measure the height? If not how do you know? I measure every flywheel before it's installed. New, resurfaced or otherwise. If it isn't right, it isn't right. Only one way to be sure. I do not use shims.
 
Example: If you had .010 taken off the flywheel, then a .010 shim added would correct the geometry.

This is correct right?

Yes. Exactly how the geometry math works works. The pivot point of the fork is pretty close the the middle so no trig is needed. It's a linear change. No matter what you need to remove your strip pivot ball to fix this.

Just because it's new doesn't mean it's right. Did you measure the height? If not how do you know? I measure every flywheel before it's installed. New, resurfaced or otherwise. If it isn't right, it isn't right. Only one way to be sure. I do not use shims.

Question? you measure what to make sure it's right?
 
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