Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

When you look at a release bearing installed on its carrier in the clutch, and try to rotate it, should the whole body of the bearing turn, or just the front face that bears on the clutch

i.e. is the join between the fixed and rotating part of the bearing at the back, or front (clutch face) ?

Dave Chapman.

In theory only the bearing face should turn, although there as been a thread about a batch of bearings which are loose on the carrier due to an incorrect inside diameter..
Tim

See attachment for what can definitely be rotated easily with a screwdriver through the bellhousing release arm hole.

When I move the release arm, the bearing assembly seems to move with the carrier and not slide about as if it was loose. I could be wrong though. It is difficult to see what it happening.

Dave Chapman.

I have my engine and gearbox out at the moment and have looked at this after reading the previous thread. To me it appears that when the release bearing is pushed forward onto the pressure plate the front face and the casing will spin with the pressure plate and the rear face of the release bearing and the inner sleeve, which are in contact with the bearing carrier, should remain still. From your drawing I would say that the outer part of the bearing that you can turn should do so when it is drawn back from the pressure plate.

Chris.

Thanks for all your replies. It looks as if my release bearing is correctly fitted.

Dave Chapman

Hi Dave.

See my thread:-
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15796

If you click on the drawing it will enlarge and its then readable.

There is a batch of bearings out in the supply train which are a loose fit on the bearing carrier.

The bearing carrier is fixed and does not rotate. The inside dia. of the thrust bearing is a interference fit on the shoulder of the bearing carrier. So only the outside dia and face of the bearing rotates.

The problem with a loose fit bearing is that the whole bearing will rotate on the carrier and therefore damage it, and it will make a noise.

It will not be possible to check this with the unit assembled.