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One Alto Way
Atmore, AL 36504

EMAIL:
sales@altousa.com

PHONE:
251.368.7777

FAX:
251.368.7774

This clutch disc has less than fifty miles on it and the disc cushion segments have broken.

I have seen defective returns to the manufacturer where the cushion segments of the clutch disc have completely broken off of the disc hub assembly, and the failure occurred almost immediately after installation. Most of the time this is an alignment problem, not a defective unit. The rotating axis of the clutch disc does not match the rotating axis of the flywheel and pressure plate. The disc is rotating in an elliptical pattern, placing stress on the very thin cushion segments attached to the disc hub. As the disc rotates, on each side of the elliptical pattern the cushion segments are bent forward and then backward. In a very short time they break.

If you can imagine taking a piece of tin bending it one way, then the other, back and forth until it breaks. This is the same condition caused by misalignment.

The causes of misalignment are several. The most common cause is related to the transmission input shaft not being supported correctly. A worn or missing pilot bearing will allow the input shaft to wobble side to side and up and down creating the elliptical rotation pattern. A worn transmission input shaft bearing creates the same condition by not supporting the shaft on the opposite end.

We see this condition frequently with vehicles that were not equipped with pilot bearings, such as some Honda and Mitsubishi applications.

In some cases, the transmission is not in alignment with the engine. Broken motor mounts or transmission mounts can create this condition.