Super 7 Clutch noise

[Peter SansomParticipant @petersansom44767]

[Peter SansomParticipant @petersansom44767]

I have a Super 7 with a Mk2 clutch manufactured just after the change in design.

I have just reassembled the lathe after doing some reconditioning of it and noticed a noise in the clutch assembly, worse when the clutch is disengaged.

After studying the problem I noticed that there is approximately 1mm of movement of the pulley asembly on the counter shaft. The gap is between the abutment washer and shaft shoulder.

Is this normal or not?

Peter

[Simon Williams 3Participant @simonwilliams3]

<bump>

Don't know the answer myself, I've got the older one, so hopefully someone with direct knowledge will pick this up.

Rgds Simon

[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

Hello Peter,

I have just checked mine, there is no such gap there. However, the 4 step pulley cluster has a grub screw in the root of the smallest sheave and I imagine you can slacken that, take up all but a few thou of the gap and nip it up again

Regards

Brian

[Peter SansomParticipant @petersansom44767]

The issue is not on the 4 step pulley but between the Twin Vee Pulley (112), the abutment washer (98) and the step from 5/8" to 7/8" on the countershaft.

Perhaps the circlip on the left side of the counter shaft is missing. This is the one part of the lathe that I have not had a reason to disassemble, perhaps it is time now.

Peter

[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

Hello Peter,

I am trying to help here but do I have to strip the clutch cone etc. to see whether I have a gap in the position you describe? There are for example two circlips shown on the Myford drawing, items 108 and 109; you don't say which you think might be missing.

Was this an area you have worked on in your reconditioning and if not, was it noisy beforehand?

Regards Brian

Edited By Brian Wood on 23/09/2018 14:02:47

[Nigel BennettParticipant @nigelbennett69913]

Noise on my clutch a while ago was caused by the worn-out ball bearings within the large countershaft pulley. Bit of a pain to extract and fit new ones, but it stopped the noise when I'd done it. Note that you need a really good, well-fitting pair of bent circlip pliers to remove the circlip abutting the ball thrust race. I had a new thrust race to fit at the same time as I replaced the journal bearings, but for some reason it was about ten thou too thick for me to engage the circlip. Luckily the old thrust race was still good so I refitted that with no problem.

[Peter SansomParticipant @petersansom44767]

Thanks for the information, I have pulled the shaft out, but not had time to disassemble the clutch. Found some SKF bearings for for the clutch in Melbourne at a good price $10AU each. Locating a non Chinese thrust bearing is a problem.

Did find that the the push bar does not have the spring and ball in the end. the push bar is not machined for these items. As the lathe S/N indicates it was probably fitted with one of the initial batches of the cone clutch and that was applied at a later stage.

Peter

[Mike CrossfieldParticipant @mikecrossfield92481]

Peter

Your Super 7 is similar vintage to mine which was made in the change over period between Mk1/Mk2. It has the drip feed oiler and the later clutch and gearbox. I noticed some play in the area you describe a few years back. When I stripped it down I found that the retaining circlip had become deformed and was allowing some sideways movement of the pulley. I fitted a new circlip but a little play still remained, so I added a shim washer which fixed it completely. My lathe also has a clutch push bar without the spring and ball. I believe these were added later to reduce a tendency for rattling, though I’ve never had a problem with this. If the noise you describe stops when you release the clutch it is almost certainly worn bearings in the 2 step pulley. The bearings only rotate when the clutch is engaged.

Mike

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