Release Bearing Installation Help

[JGeezer]

I wish I was the one who took this '69 Elan +2 apart, as sometimes I have trouble figuring how things go together!

These are the release bearing parts (just one of the springs) - how the heck do these go together onto the fork? Does anyone happen to have a picture? Neither the parts or workshop manual helps much, just shows them in the general vicinity of each other.

[stevebroad]

Well, for a start, there should be two springs!

If I recall correctly (it has been over 25 years) there is a hole in the carrier that one end of the springs locate into. The other end hooks into a hole in the arm with the turned in parts of the C sitting in the grooves in the carrier and arm.

Update:

Just copied this from my manual.

[JGeezer]

Thanks! (Yes, there are two springs, I meant the picture just has one).

So nothing is actually attached to the fork? It just sits there? It seems like the bearing could rattle around when the clutch is not pressed and the fork retracts.

[stevebroad]

Correct, the C clip is held in place by the pressure of the two springs.

[gearbox]

Thanks! (Yes, there are two springs, I meant the picture just has one).

So nothing is actually attached to the fork? It just sits there? It seems like the bearing could rattle around when the clutch is not pressed and the fork retracts.

You have another spring that holds the fork to the pivot. The two ends slip into the two holes on the side of the fork and the middle clips on to the fork pivot which goes through the fork. Have fun, it's a bit of a struggle to get all the springs oriented and snapped into place. Good luck, allan

[JGeezer]

Thanks everyone, I see it now.

stevebroad, if that's from the workshop manual I guess I just missed it. Yes, the spring holds the FORK to the bearing, not the clip. Eureka.

gearbox, I did work out the fork spring correctly, thanks.

More dumb questions coming soon, guys!

[types26/36]

Apparently the two springs are handed i.e. left & right. I did not know this but someone told me it is mentioned in the Brian Buckland book but as I am away and cannot check this at the moment.....maybe someone can check?

[oldelanman]

Apparently the two springs are handed i.e. left & right. I did not know this but someone told me it is mentioned in the Brian Buckland book but as I am away and cannot check this at the moment.....maybe someone can check?

I just checked in B B's book and you are quite correct Brian. Not mentioned in the workshop manual but the illustration shown above does indicate which spring goes where....once you know they are different!

[TroonSprint]

I have also recently tackled this assembly, not knowing how it went together. Brian's book was a help and, yes, the springs are handed. It seems like a not very secure method of holding the bearing, but I guess it works. It will be sometime before I will know if I got it right!
Mike

[gearbox]

Assembled off the input shaft along with the big "C" clip, the assembly is very unstable. But once on the input shaft it holds in place.

[Elan45]

Someone forgot to tell Lotus that the spring clips were handed, as they only list one part number, quantity 2. I would imagine this is an example of having too much information. There is no difference in function and BB has perceived the spring as being handed when Ford probably to the supplier there was no concern about which way the coil progressed.

Roger

[Harvey]

In my experience the spring clips are not handed. My experience is based upon my car's original springs and the replacement springs I ordered from Dave Bean. In both cases, both springs are the same. Checking with Ken Gray at DB, he affirms that the springs are not handed. This would explain why the springs carry only one part number.

Lee