Clutch release bearing rubbing

[Andrew S]

So, you are saying that its OK for a bearing to in contact all the time and wearing out? Surely it needs to be out of contact otherwise we will be renewing them every few years.

[comeinhandy]

sorry to say it but most of your replies are wrong -=- the clutch release bearing is suposed to lightly touch the pressure plate fingers at all times,the system is designed this way and any spring assistance to back off the mechanism is disguising a problem and potentially increasing free play at pedal with possible difficult gear engagement.
your noise is bearing fault,pressure plate finger out of line,stiff pedal bearing or one of cylinders holding bearing too hard onto fingers, or some other problem.check the easy options then run car till noise is worse then seak advise from parts supplyer

Thanks for everyone's input. I like the idea of an adjustable stop with spring (just got a weak spring at the moment for a little but no too much pull back - a quick slight improvement). Another little improvement job added to the list.

Not sure if a part fault exist, since it was only a few thousand miles ago that I had all the clutch apart and renewed or reconditioned everything (new bearing, new clutch) and also there is no noise when clutch lever is just pushed over a bit more. There seems to be that inbetween state when the bearing very nearly and occasionally touches the clutch. One is rotating (clutch fingers) and one stationary or at slower speed (bearing, at same speed only when fully touching). And in this state there will be occasional metal to metal friction (scratching noise) as occasionally the bearing is brought up to speed when touching the clutch.

A noise may be made because the parts are newish and have bare metal surfaces. Interestingly I would guess that if the surface had some oil contamination, then it probably wouldn't make that noise. I'm not discounting the theory that it may be internal bearing noise, it's just that it doesn't sound like it.

I just also did a general Internet search on this and opinions vary a bit but a lot seem to say that with clutch pedal up "the release bearing is normally stationary and does not rotate with the pressure plate" although not sure that is always the case across different cars.

It would certainly increase the bearing life of it didn't rotate all the time.

[Andrew S]

Mine is on contact the whole time and you can hear the difference when you dip the clutch pedal. Will definitely make up something to pull that bearing away enough to prolong its life and have a silent idle. Would be great to see any drawings or photos of anyone who had made something up
Cgeers
Andrew

[Stagdad]

The last modern clutch I did on our micra had a bearing that was spring loaded onto the fingers so it would be running all the time.

[Andrew S]

Interesting, but why do they design them to run all the time and burn out?

[Stagdad]

No lost motion and self adjusting I guess

[comeinhandy]

This from a clutch manufacturers web site (alto):

" It is possible the bearing was continually rotating because of improper adjustment, or the driver was riding the clutch pedal. There are some bearings that are designed to continually rotate, but for those applications that are not designed to endure this, the bearing will become hot. "

It suggests that both continual rotating and only occasional rotating bearing systems exist, some cars seem to use pull off springs and it sounds like some have pull on springs. I just wonder which system the stag is meant to be, as designed. Or maybe Triumph didn't think too hard about this...

[Andrew S]

With quality issues on new bearings with cheap ones around, it wont take long before a new bearing will sound dry as there is very little grease in some.

[bunny]

No lost motion and self adjusting I guess

Hi Steve
With you set up how does your bearing sit, up against pressure plate fingers or not.
Thanks
vince

[Stagdad]

Not sprung either way so bit like disc pads just knocked back with no lost motion but with enough clearance before it bottoms out to allow for friction plate wear

[Lingen]

The release mechanism is designed to be in contact at all times, as is the case with all self-ajusting hydraulic systems. The pressure of the bearing on the cover is so light as to not cause any wear. It is more a case of "No clearance" rather than "Pressure". If you have a noise that stops when depressing the clutch pedal, it is more likely to be the main bearings in the gearbox. These have a habit of becoming noisy after relatively little use, but I have never heard of one failing. They are just rather agricultural. Probably the same ones that were fitted to Ferguson tractors! Mike.