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[Nick W]

Terry, any tool that doesn't reference the crankshaft cannot be considered a clutch alignment tool! Aligning the friction and pressure plates by eye is a good starting point for the rest of the procedure.

Studding is readily available from B&Q and similar places. You probably want M10, but you have the bellhousing bolts handy and can confirm that for yourself.

[baggers]

That's the way I do it, threaded dowel.  Get some threaded bar cut to length slide box down the dowels maybe a twist of the prop flange and your in.

[terry paget]

Nick, I appreciate your point that the alignment that matters is the friction plate centre with the crankshaft spigot bearing. This explains how the ideal tool for this purpose is an old gearbox input shaft. By aligning friction plate centre with pressure plate presumes the spigot bearing is concentric with the ring of bolts that hold the pressure plate to the flywheel.
Haynes make this point, the forum guide does not.
Can one buy alignment tools that do this?
I imagine once the clutch has been disengaged once it will have aligned itself. So if I can assemble the gearbox to the engine all is well. If I cannot, I may need a proper alignment tool.
I suppose the crankshaft spigot bearing only functions when the clutch is disengaged.

[Nick W]

Terry,
you can buy universal tools like Sealey AK710 which will probably do but I've never done an Omega box. You would need to measure the input shaft to check for the correct size adapters. I wouldn't buy this as I can make one on the lathe.


You are making things really difficult if you don't align and secure the clutch before refitting the gearbox.


The spigot bearing functions all the time; its function is to support the end of the input shaft.

[terry paget]

Thanks Nick. I am learning all the time. Googling clutch alignment kits, I see the one I bought is for clutches without crankshaft spigot bearings. Oh. There is a dedicated Omega kit for £71, and there are several 'universal' kits for £13 or so, which look like a central shaft and 16 adapters, presumably one end to fit the spigot the other to fit the friction plate.

I imagined thet when the clutch is engaged the gearbox input shaft is locked solid with the crankshaft. Am I wrong?

[Andy H]

You're not wrong - when the clutch is engaged there is no relative movement between the input shaft and the spigot bearing.

I don't own an alignment tool, I either use an old input shaft (if Land Rover) or a piece of dowel (followed by mk1 eyeball plus torch and mirror to check it isn't miles out)

[Nick W]

Thanks Nick. I am learning all the time. Googling clutch alignment kits, I see the one I bought is for clutches without crankshaft spigot bearings. Oh. There is a dedicated Omega kit for £71, and there are several 'universal' kits for £13 or so, which look like a central shaft and 16 adapters, presumably one end to fit the spigot the other to fit the friction plate.

I think you'll find that dedicated Omega tool is  the name of the company that makes it! The cheaper sort you mentioned is what you want, but measure your input shaft so you know it has the right sizes

[robson]

I have always used a wooden dowel and electrical tape without any problem.

[terry paget]

Having failed to attach the gearbox to the engine in 2 days, I accept that I must precisely align the friction plate with the crankshaft spigot bearing centre, something I failed to do with my LASER universal  tool. The gearbox input shaft tip appears to be 15nmm in diameter, and the splines 25mm outside diameter. I see many kits advertised on e-bay, amazon and google, but struggle to select the right one. Can anyone suggest the right tool?

[terry paget]

I did check that the friction plate nfits on the gearbox input shaft spline - it does, and is quite a snug fit.

[Andy B]

I have to say that the few clutches I've ever done have only ever been lined up using rack o'th'eye 

[flyer 0712]

Terry..have a look at ....jack sealey...part number    VS010....clutch tool....would that be any good to do it.....

[T.m.f]

When i changed my clutch in the frontera i used some some 22mm copper pipe and some insulating tape,lined up perfect and engine fitted straight away on to gearbox.

[terry paget]

Terry..have a look at ....jack sealey...part number    VS010....clutch tool....would that be any good to do it.....

Sadly, no. That is like the tool I have, it aligns the friction plate with the pressure plate, but not the friction plate with the spigot bearing. In the small print it will say 'not for use with engines with spigot bearings'.

[Marks DTM Calib]

I have to say that the few clutches I've ever done have only ever been lined up using rack o'th'eye 

Snap, and its easy to do on the Omega as you can get your head nicely in alignment.

A few notes, do remember that the engine will be slanted slightly without the gearbox attached (its heavy at the flywheel end) so match the box to the engine inclination.

I also have one of these kits:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17pcs-Clutch-Aligning-Professional-Car-Van-Garage-Clutch-Alignment-Tool-Set-/261730935190?hash=item3cf0612196:g:s9MAAOSw9r1V9eku

Which works well.