Just spent a day drilling and tapping the clutch pressure(?) plate to accept allen screws as per Woodrow's book.

Took much care to make sure the heads weren't protruding and took measurements to ensure the fingers are all equally protruding.

What a faff!

Left the Loctite to set.

If I don't end up with the best A7 clutch in chrissendom, I'll be really pee'd off.

Always heat and bend (using the Dalby method) them myself, quick to do.
Touch wood never had a problem

Location: The Centre of the Universe

Today, tried re-fitting the gearbox and even managed to line up the 'blind spline' (grrrrr). The engine won't turn over because the fingers are fouling the clutch pivot (I think). Removed the 'box and found the fingers are 1 5/8" above the clutch plate.

I know I set the fingers accurately at 1 1/4", although this was without the clutch springs and mouse-trap springs (double grrrrrr) fitted. Should I have bolted the whole thing (flywheel/clutch plate/pressure plate) together before measuring this 1 1/4"? Woodrow doesn't say so.

I don't understand why assembling without the springs should make a difference, perhaps someone here could explain why?

Put half of the springs and half of the bolts in for setting the levers leaving the mousetraps out.

Assemble to engine.
When you have the 1.1/4 exact measurement measured from a straight edge across the rear of crankcase to lever tips.
Then disassemble, put all springs in, use a couple of g clamps holding it all fully squeezed together.
Wrestle the wretched mouse traps in, wrap a bit of wire round the tips of the levers stretched between them. remove clamps refit to engine, remove wire and you are done.

The Dalby adjustment method I use is first weld (hard rod) up any wear in the clutch back plate slots, mill them out to original depth, (simple job for local engineer if you do not have that sort of kit) fit new levers and posts.
Pre assemble as described above.
Then using oxcy number 2 jet heat the middle portion of the lever you wish to adjust only to cherry red heat (no more no less) and bend to suit (taking care not to twist the lever).
With the current levers supplied they seem to need approx an extra 1/8 pulled away from flywheel.
Important leave to cool without quenching (a break and cup of tea needed here).
Seems easer than the grub screw method, certainly a lot faster.

It really is worth getting the lever fulcrums to specification as it gives you a nice clutch.
You do not then finish up with a "now you see me now you don't" pedal.
Lots of sevens suffer with this i.e. it works but feels horrible.

Might even be worth starting again forgetting grubscrews !

I hope this is helpful, good luck.

Nick

Location: The Centre of the Universe

>>When you have the 1.1/4 exact measurement measured from a straight edge across the rear of crankcase to lever tips.

Woodrow says it's 1 1/4" from clutch plate to lever tips?

Can only say how I do it.
Also this is the way Mr Dalby recommended.
It is interesting that there are also different measurements in other books.
Trust me this method works well

Location: The Centre of the Universe

Just where exactly did this 1.1/4 inch measurement originate?
J

Location: As far east in Kent as you can get

I would suggest that you revisit those measurements Nick, 1 1/4 from the bell housing face will not work, the levers will be virtually touching the clutch plate.
Set them to this dimension from the plate and all should be well, I have found that the exact dimension is not critical provided the levers do not bottom in the slots during operation. Most importantly make sure they are all the same level!

Location: Auckland NZ

I think that should read 1/4"?

Quite right chaps - must have had brain fade the correct measurement is 1/4 inch !!!

Location: The Centre of the Universe

It took three of us all day to finally get the fingers nearly right. We found
Nick Turley's method of measuring from the crankcase the easier method.

With the gearbox bolted to the crankcase you can easily see if the fingers aren't all level by operating the clutch until the release bearing just touches the fingers.

Now I've got to take it all apart again (got the hang of the mouse trap springs, but not the blind spline) to give it a final adjustment and loctite the allen screws.

That's got to be one of the most fiddly jobs I've ever done on a car.