Function and need of use: This is a necessity for any 4age to Supra / W5x gearbox adapter or to an Aisin J160 6-speed. This is due to a difference in length of the guide tube that the thrust bearing carrier slides down between gearboxes. Used as is these upgrade gearboxes can cause the carrier to fall right off the guide and lock the clutch in.
The traditional solution: All other companies either choose to conveniently not mention this problem, supply a guide to be welded on or weld an extension on themselves for the customer. Apart from this the only option till now has been to buy a very expensive concentric slave cylinder kit which would need to be re-made to suit a 4age clutch and flywheel. Right now there is no off the shelf solution available at all.
Issues with the existing solution: There are a few concerns with the usual choice of welding an extension sleeve on, these are shown below.
- The carrier and the sleeve need to be welded completely concentric and true to each other. The carrier has a bore machined to tight tolerances to be a nice compromise between not being loose enough to not bind up and tight enough to keep the grease in the internal cavity. Welding something to a fairly tight tolerance part is usually not a good idea. Welding is highly prone to warp one or both sides or pull one side so the extension is on a subtle angle. Welded wrong even if it still worked this would have more drag which would require more effort to possibly seizing right up on the guide, this could keep the clutch jammed in.
- The original carriers have a built in grease trap in the form of a cavity inside the carrier. When extended this is moved too far out and would no longer function, and so leaving it with limited lubrication.
- The clutch fork isn't spaced out along with the extension and so it ends up being on a steeper angle to take up the difference.
Features / advantages of this proposed part:
- Fully machined out of a steel billet to be near unbreakable but with material removed where it's not needed to keep the weight light.
- The tangs for the clutch fork moved in proportion so the fork ends up in the exact same position as before. If it where not for a new clutch being fitted the clutch pedal shouldn't even need to be adjusted from the previous gearbox.
- Extra long body for full support off the guide
- Built in grease trap, just like the original it has a cavity inside for the grease to sit in to keep it running smooth down the guide.
- Can be retro-fitted and works with every other adapter plate or custom bell-housing!
Predicted price and availability:
These could be supplied individually or with one of the gearbox adapters that are in the works. No predicted price yet and they may be available in approximately 8 weeks.
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