Resistance/slight grind in clutch bell

[Stunnerable]

OK so I’m pretty new to this but I’m relatively mechanically inclined. I took apart most of my savage x 4.6 to see how it worked and learn as much as possible. I had to fix a couple broken parts as it was a used truck ran quite well before I took it apart. When I had it together finally and pushed it on the ground it didn’t roll with ease like it did before. It’s seem to have a random hang up and almost to grind but not quite. I thought maybe the gears work lined up in the transmission so I took that apart and pulled the gears out. This still did not help. I put my finger on the clutch bell and rolled again and felt a grinding and what felt like the clutch belt. If I moved it back-and-forth while pushed it would hang up and then I let go again for a few more inches and then get hung up again. It seems to have a random hang up and almost grind but not quite. I thought maybe the gears weren’t lined up in the transmission so I took that apart and pulled the gears out. This still did not help. I put my finger on the clutch bell and rolled it on the floor with the transmission out and felt a grinding in what felt like the clutch bell. If I moved it back and forth with my finger on the bell, it would hang up and then let go again for a few more inches and then get hung up again. I’m extremely confused here and I’m not really sure where to go now. I didn’t touch the difference so I don’t believe it’s that. Do I need a new clutch? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[Stunnerable]

Forgot to mention.. last time I had it out in very cold weather it reved up and didn’t move. After a few seconds it works like Norman again without any other issues for another tank full.

 

[X]

So I understand exactly what you are doing here. You have the top of the transmission off, so the spur gear is not installed and you have gears out of the transmission? You are moving the truck while holding the clutch bell from moving? If you have the transmission and spur off, then there is no longer a connection to the engine. Therefore the clutch should not be your issue here.

Or is everything installed again when you are holding the clutch bell?

 

[Stunnerable]

Great point. I have the guts of the transmission removed and my finger on top of the clutch bell just for resistance so I can feel the grind. It actually feels as if it’s inside the clutch bell this resistance I’m referring to. But reinstalling the transmission has no change and affect. In fact, that seems to be perfect.

 

[X]

Ok, so the transmission is uninstalled. Meaning the clutch is not moving unless you yourself are moving it. That means your issue is past the transmission. The likely culprit is one or both of your diffs or pinions.

If you remove a center driveshaft, this will isolate the two diffs. Then you can spin either the front or rear wheels independently, showing you which has the issue.

Once you narrow that down, remove the diff cover plate and remove the diff. Look at the pinion teeth behind the diff and the teeth on the ring gear. If you see no damage, open the diff and look at the spider gears.

 

[Stunnerable]

Okay that makes sense. So narrow down where exactly the issue is coming from. Possibly both diffs. What I don’t understand is this wasn’t an issue until I disassembled the front bulkhead to install a new steering bell / servo saver. That went perfectly smoothly and then I throw it back together and this is happening. Is it weird that something like that would occur seeing as I only took off the forward bulkhead? Well I guess I’ll figure this out once I get the driveshaft off. Thank you for your assistance.

 

[X]

Perhaps when you removed the front bulkhead it caused a mesh issue with the pinion and diff? I would go over that area carefully and make sure everything is assembled correctly.

 

[Stunnerable]

Perhaps when you removed the front bulkhead it caused a mesh issue with the pinion and diff? I would go over that area carefully and make sure everything is assembled correctly.

Thank you I will!

 

[Stunnerable]

So I did all that and the binding feels like it’s in the rear. It’s very subtle. I think it might be the brakes grabbing ever so slightly. I loosened it up a tad and that seemed to help some. The front diff have basically zero resistance but the rear feels a bit grabby. The diff looks great though. Ugh.. first world problems.

 

[olds97_lss]

Discconnect both the front and rear center drive cups. Then you can isolate if it's a diff, which one or if it's the spur/cb. If it still does it at the spur, remove the engine, then spin the spur. Perhaps you just got your spur/cb mesh too tight.

 

[Stunnerable]

Discconnect both the front and rear center drive cups. Then you can isolate if it's a diff, which one or if it's the spur/cb. If it still does it at the spur, remove the engine, then spin the spur. Perhaps you just got your spur/cb mesh too tight.

Thanks!