Throw-out Bearing Spinning on Clutch Fork

[Travis G.]

225 w/A833 & hydraulic clutch with stock fork and throw out. Was driving my valiant last week and the clutch started to go away like a pressure leak in slave or master, could hardly get it in first with the engine running. Pull the dust cover of the trans and looks like my throw-out bearing is spinning off the clutch fork. Has anyone seen this? I'm guessing the bearing has gone bad but this seems like a weird way to fail. I re-clocked the bearing on the fork, made sure the bearing retainer clips were firm and properly seating in the fork, then took a video on my phone of me starting the car and pulling in the clutch and putting in gear, then taking out of gear back and forth a few times, attached are screenshots of that video. And yes, as I left off the clutch pedal the bearing will spin off the clutch fork, and then even fell off the fork. Any ideas on why this would fail like this? Bearing is only four months old, maybe 600 miles on it.

 

[Professor Fate]

A couple of things come to mind-
Wrong clutch fork (fork tips are beyond the pads on the T.O. brg.).
or
Fork has slipped off of it's pivot, or the retaining spring clip is broken.

 

[Travis G.]

A couple of things come to mind-
Wrong clutch fork (fork tips are beyond the pads on the T.O. brg.).
or
Fork has slipped off of it's pivot, or the retaining spring clip is broken.

My only counter point to those is; clutch fork should be correct as I have part numbers to match fork, with the bellhousing, pivot, and trans from Brewers. Clutch fork tips look like they are too long but are not, the bearing has spun in a position that make it look that way. When the bearing is clocked correctly, the fork tips land directly on the bearing pads. Fork has not moved off the pivot, the bearing was the one moving (that was my first thought too, but I verified). Retaining clips visually look to be in good shape, not broken or bent in anyway, but possibly they have lost there integrity. The whole thing worked great for months, so I'm wondering if the bearing has become so wasted that the flywheel is spinning the base of the bearing instead of just the outer race. Just seems odd to me as I never seen or heard of this happening.

 

[toolmanmike]

My only counter point to those is; clutch fork should be correct as I have part numbers to match fork, with the bellhousing, pivot, and trans from Brewers. Clutch fork tips look like they are too long but are not, the bearing has spun in a position that make it look that way. When the bearing is clocked correctly, the fork tips land directly on the bearing pads. Fork has not moved off the pivot, the bearing was the one moving (that was my first thought too, but I verified). Retaining clips visually look to be in good shape, not broken or bent in anyway, but possibly they have lost there integrity. The whole thing worked great for months, so I'm wondering if the bearing has become so wasted that the flywheel is spinning the base of the bearing instead of just the outer race. Just seems odd to me as I never seen or heard of this happening.

The bearing isn't touching the pressure plate fingers with the engine running is it?

 

[Travis G.]

The bearing isn't touching the pressure plate fingers with the engine running is it?

That is what I was thinking as well, it very well may have been touching while running which probably prematurely cooked the bearing. I did adjust it back out last night for ~1/8" of play before it makes contact with the pressure plate, but made no difference (I figure the bearing are already fried so it would help at this point).

 

[AJ/FormS]

the carrier is broke
EDIT
Something is broken.

 

[Travis G.]

the carrier is broke

I didn't know that non-hydraulic T.O. bearings had carriers. Unless I'm misinformed about my verbiage and the carrier is the "ears" of the T.O. bearing.

 

[AJ/FormS]

The ears are part of the carrier. If they are "tilted" then something is broken.
The most likely part to be broken is the snout of the retainer.
In your case, since the carrier lugs are dislocated, It must have during use, fallen off the broken end and rotated. This should be impossible.
*****************************
Take the trans down and it should be obvious.
BTW
My record for dropping the trans, and a GVod behind it, and the twin 3-inch exhaust system to the mufflers;
On a 4-post lift;
is 17 minutes; I have witnesses, lol.
So don't be afraid of the job, lol.
*******************************
The TO bearing, is a two-piece affair, with the bearing pressed onto the carrier; They are sold in the assembled state.

 

[Travis G.]

Just to close the loop, I replaced the ToB this weekend and it solved the issue. There was no noticeable damage/issue with the original bearing but it was indeed causing the problem.