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1963 AMC 330 |
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element
AMC Fan Joined: Feb/15/2011 Location: Titusville Fl Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Posted: Nov/07/2015 at 5:14pm |
I have a 1963 American with a flat 6 and 3 speed manual transmission. It has less than 20000 original miles, her name is Miss Jenny, she is like a museum piece. I moved the car up to WV from Florida. I never had a problem on flat land with her drive train, she ran like a top. The last time I took her out for a spin and placed her back in the garage, I left her in second gear. I got ready to drive her about a month later and the shifter had a hard time coming out of gear. It finally did with a little harder persuasion than I wanted. Then I could feel I had no clutch peddle. The linkage is still in place and nothing appears broke on the exterior. She will still slide into all gears. In WV I have to go up a steep grade to the house. I think maybe the disc got warm and stuck to the fly wheel? After all she is 52 years old and almost all OEM. I will know better when I pull it apart at Thanksgiving. Has anyone ran into this problem? I had to return to Florida and could not pull it apart. I went ahead and ordered a new pressure plate disk and throughout bearing. The next thing I know I ordered four shocks and a master cylinder to tighten her up. I have put several clutches in cars over the year. The big nut on the drive shaft had me do some research on the site. I was thinking since I am going to replace the shocks not breaking the big bolt on the drive shaft and just slide the whole rear in out and replace it back the same way and then put on the rear shocks as I am bolting everything back up. Am I over thinking this, it calls for 300 foot pounds and I have never pulled this system apart before. I am looking for some guidance or suggestions before I get into this job Thanksgiving. I have a manual but it does not break the information down as simple minded as I am. Thanks for any help.
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pacerman
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/03/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9048 |
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You way of installed the new shocks and the new clutch sounds good to me. I have had trouble gettng a new 9-inch clutch for a Rambler in the past. Where did you order yours" Just curious. Joe
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Happiness is making something out of nothing.
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rocklandrambler
AMC Addicted Joined: Feb/09/2013 Location: Nanuet, NY Status: Offline Points: 3953 |
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I believe the preferred method, from reading this forum, is to leave the BIG NUT alone and just dismantle the U-joint to get the drive shaft out.
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Past AMC's
1974 Hornet X (new) 1975 Gremlin X (new) 1964 Classic 660 Cross Country 1965 American 440-H |
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element
AMC Fan Joined: Feb/15/2011 Location: Titusville Fl Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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I will tear into it Thanksgiving and post the good and the bad of the job after it is complete.
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farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19611 |
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Sounds like the clutch disc is stuck to the flywheel or pressure plate. Could just be age, could have drawn moisture. Replacing it should fix the problem. You don't down-shift into first do you? You should only shift down to first from a complete stop or nearly stopped, DO NOT use first for engine braking! Trying to go down to first with the car moving much over 5-10 mph results in a chipped first gear. Just thought you might be doing that in hilly country due to the terrain change.
You can slide the axle back as you plan. The easiest way to get he driveshaft out is to disassemble the rear joint under the car. Can be tough to get the internal c-clips out under the car, but I've done it many times. Take the clips off the u-joint "caps" in the axle yoke. You have to have weight on the rear axle to pull the shaft out as the axle moves forward too much when hanging. I always put the car on jack stands all the way around, with the stands under the axle. If you have a drive-on lift that works great, but you can't turn the shaft. With the axle on jack stands you can turn it and get the clips out easier. Once the clips out knock the shaft sideways to remove the caps. I use a block of wood and hammer, but MAKE SURE the block is on the end of the shaft close to the yoke. If you dent the tubular shaft it will be thrown off balance. If you just disconnect the u-bolts holding the axle on with the body supported that will work. I'd put the body on stands and take the tires off, with a floor jack under the center of the axle from the rear. Then you can slide the axle to the rear on the jack. The tires may keep you from rolling back far enough for the yoke to pull out of the trans, but maybe not. Been a while since I've had to do anything like that to a 61-63 American, but that's all I had from late 1979 through 1999, as a daily driver too! Started with a worn out 61 wagon with flat-head six, ended with a 63 440 two door sedan that I drove for 14 years. The 440 had a hopped up 196 OHV the last four years. |
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Frank Swygert
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element
AMC Fan Joined: Feb/15/2011 Location: Titusville Fl Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Thanks so much for the information.
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