Clutch issue

[F-Type]

Hi

Noticed several times today how the Octane hardly moved despite high engine RPM, especially up slopes.

Took the clutch apart, and it looked like in the pics below.
I did notice that the clutch must have been faulty assembled (by the previous owner), because when I was putting it together again I noticed the two ball bearings had both been fitted under the clutch bell, one should go under and one on top. So I guess that is the cause for some of the problems. But the very rough surface on the clutch shoes, is that normal? Considering how things works, I would have expected a rather well polished surface!?

I also noticed that the clutch bell, when refitted, came in contact with the flywheel. I had to put an extra washer in between (I put it under the bearing you see in the pic). I found that a bit strange, an indication of some kind of problem, or just normal?

Do I need to get new shoes or will these wear in again?

 

[Jam Racing 1]

HOLY MOLEY !!!!!! sorry to say but them shoes are junked, time to look into new springs and shoes, clean that bell inside with some sandpaper and clean all the parts good....may want to get a new clutchbell also if that one don't clean up good.... as for adding shims under the bearing, that's normal, use the proper size one and just have it free so it doesn't rub the flywheel and no binding present, reoil all the bearings and install as per your manual and it outta be good to go again.... remember to add locktite to the screw after ya have it all back together.....

 

[F-Type]

Thanks!

But what could cause them to become like that? I don't want the same thing happening again.
I guess it could all be caused by the faulty assembly, but just to be sure

 

[Jam Racing 1]

Well that's severe wear to be sure, you said it is used so possibly was abused by the former owners or just not checking things as well as they should have, being as the Octane is relativley new I cant say what "normal" wear may be...
best suggestion I can give is repair/replace as needed and start again fresh knowing ya have good parts, the clutch is one of the most abused parts because all the heat they generate and all the power they are transferring into the drivetrain so they need to be maintained every few runs or so until you establish a baseline to go by..........

 

[F-Type]

New clutch shoes today and the car is running again. Or was, until I hit a concrete pole with the right front wheel at full speed.
Broke the metal axel holding the a-arm to the diff housing, cracked the diff-housing, broke the front alu-bar straight off, popped the shock right off and twisted the new RPM a-arm.
So, basically, the only thing that didn't brake, was the new a-arm from RPM, it is indeed gooooooooood stuff And on top of that, after a short visit in the vice, it could be twisted back into position again, really good stuff

 

[F-Type]

Here's the disaster

 

[Jam Racing 1]

NICE Carnage !!!! gotta love when they break so ya got a reason to fix something

 

[F-Type]

Yeah, it's just that the fixing time versus driving time has been a bit unbalanced lately, I think. I certanly could have done without this one having finally sorted out the start/stall issues and then fixing the clutch in just the past couple of days I was looking forward to being able to finalize engine break in and getting the car to do some wheelies and stuff
Just my luck.

 

[F-Type]

I've got my two 5-year old son's stampedes to fix as well, so It's not like I don't get enough fixing to keep the abstinence away

 

[sharkattack99]

Damn did a good job that's for sure....lol yeah sometimes the fixing time out weights the drive time . Not so bad if you already have the parts to fix it not so much when you don't lol.....nice carnage there though.

 

[F-Type]

Yeah right, like I have floor to ceiling stock pile of Octane gear houses and alu parts, only couple of weeks in to my ownership
But I am beginning to realize, buying the car is the cheap part
We've invested in two stampedes and one Octane in the last month, or there about, me and my kids, and I am already my local hobbyshops best customer, aaaarrghhh

I guess maybe we should get ourselves some drivers licenses, perhaps that's the problem

Just now one of my kids smashed his stampede into something, ruining an a-arm and a shock. Those a-arms where the first spare I bought, and the local hobbyshop did not recommend me to by RPM stuff. I am going to point that out very clearly when I get some RPM replacements tomorrow.

 

[F-Type]

I just saw also, that the head of the top shock-screw was badly hit, that was a real hard hit, that's for shure. I am a but surprised, didn't look that bad. Looked like only the wheel hit the part of a concrete block that was sticking up just a couple of inches above ground. Ok, maybe it as 4-5 inches, but still