clutch resurfacing

I have a Pro-Surf clutch grinder and I am not sure I am using it correctly. I am getting different surfaces with the same grinding wheel. Sometimes its smooth, other times it's coarse. Sometimes the floaters come out flat, other times there is a taper to them. Also when I measure thickness with a micrometer sometimes its different on the same floater from one spot to another. Obviously the machine is smarter than the operator. Is there a right way to do this job? I am sure I have found the wrong ways. Dave Germain

 

Dave I am not sure what kind of grinder a pro surf is but we were having the same problem when we 1st started racing with a portable unit and could never get a handle on the clutch. so we bought a van norman machine for in our shop and a DZE ( I believe ) diamond cutter for disc at the track and our problems all went away. I know a lot of people sell the little portable units for floaters but alot of them are not worth buying. if you need a part number for a good large stone to use I can get you a goodson part number as it is not in there catalog and never needs dressing as it never plugs up. Hope this may of been of some help. Richard Putz Div.5 Ph.563-875-7528 or shirleyputz@yahoo.com

 

Dave,here are a few things I learned on my portable grinder that helped my floaters come out flat.The problem with my machine was it was not as rigid as it should have been.So you cant get real aggressive with the load on your grinding wheel. Also if you are grinding dry heat is your enemy you know things expand when hot. So typically if you have hi and lo spots the hi spots are gettin worked harder and they heat up and the rest is easy to see.I also would constnatly flip floater and grind on each side til done.You will have to keep table and floater clean as possible when flipping.The main thing I had to do is let grinding wheel totally spark out.You will get an ear for sounds from your machine, if your surface is totally ground and you still hear a skipping sound your not flat.Hope this info helps

 

One other trick on the floaters is rough grind them close then put them in a cooler with ice water cool them down. Then take very light cuts if they get hot to the touch re cool them.if a floater is hot after you grind it it WILL never be flat when it cools. Also the table has to be perfectly clean and from time to time take a medium flat india stone and lightly use it on the table to get any dings or burrs off the surface

 

I grind the floaters with the coolant on them so I don't think they are getting hot but I think maybe I was horsing the cut. The pro-surf machine is an upright machine made by Dave Scheelk. It seems like a very good machine but I noticed the table just sort of sits on the spindle and rests on three little nylon bearing blocks. I bet if I put too much pressure on it the table is tilting? I also was using a regular stone type grinding wheel and I haven't dressed it. I am not sure how actually. I have ordered two of the diamond wheels- I know they cut without needing dressing and don't require much force to cut either. Anybody got any more ideas? I am very open to listening (reading) Dave Germain

 

Dave is this the machine you got from us? Just a thought give Bill a call,

 

Yes it is that machine. I'll give Bill a call. I am kind of a rookie with some of this stuff so any advice from someone with real experience is appreciated. Thanks-Dave

 

I am also trying to find the # for the guy that did the grinding at Baca's last year while I was there. He was really good