clutch failure lt77 in ldv pilot/sherpa

Hi all.

My old school father in law has a rather sick Pilot which I believe has an lt77 box and I'm going down there later to take the box out and find out whether the fork has snapped again (we replaced it in 08').

Can anyone confirm where the 'pin' from the fork should sit in relation to the edge of the bell housing?

I looked at it the other night when we took off the slave cylinder and it was flush with the casing - and to me that looked right??

He has fitted a new slave and master but cannot get a pedal after bleeding....

There's no signal at his and it will be a late one so I'll update in the morning!

Cheers
Tom

it should poke out about 20mm

Ahh bollox - that does it!!

Thank you for confirming.

He said the pedal went solid last time, and he pushed harder before there was an obvious bang - as the fork broke. On this occasion the pedal went hard, and he says he didn't push or hear or feel a break.

Is this failure common and (I should now start searching more!) can we do anything to prevent it?

Thanks again

Tom

Ps off out now

weld a piece over the lever or buy one of these, you can see where you need to add, pivot may need changing if surface is rough
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...DUNS7EaEzwdOG7swA&sig2=FktDsapeFkch8mbIFy2q8g

Just got in from finishing - well getting the box back in, prop, exhaust on etc - just left the old man to fit the slave cylinder and tighten a few bolts tomorrow...

The fork was fine, but judging how little the pin protruded from the box, and the fact it wouldn't pull forward out further suggests to me the two lugs behind the thrust bearing had come off. Unfortunately the old man wiggled it so much earlier today the fork was actually sat in the bottom of the bell housing! But I know it wasn't like that upon first inspection when I towed him back on Tuesday evening.

The pin now protrudes 20mm or so and there appears to be nothing wrong with the fork at all.

As I couldn't pursued him to alter or replace it time will tell if it happens again!

Hopefully tomorrow he'll finish off and it will be ok.

Now I'm off to shower and get this clutch fluid off my noggin!

Thanks for your help
Tom

Edit: looking at the HD one his current one looked the same with the added plate over the pivot area. His slave cylinder was corroded and borderline seized so that might have had something to do with the fork coming out of th locating grooves on the bearing - who knows!

Just took a call from the old man - he's put it all back together, climbed up and bled the clutch with help, and while doing so the fork seems to have come away inside the box so I'll be back down there again tonight taking it all apart again!

Obviously the most sensible thing to do is to buy a new fork and thrust bearing - which I'm sure he will now do - but as this last combo only managed six years before is 'failed' (NB nothing is broken) I'm rather uncomfortable about sticking another pair back in.

The fork is coming off the thrust bearing. This IMO silly design with the swiveling lugs must be too free in the slots on the bearing that they can work loose - but there is zero sign of any wear on the bearing or fork!

Once the fork was in place and nicely protruding 20mm or so I gave it a thorough simulated test by pushing the pin to and fro - almost over aggressively so, and I could not get it to come off. Obviously with a clutch offering resistance is should move much slowing in operation, so I can't see how the bugger is coming off.

It is forking me off!!

Any help or advice welcome!

Thanks again
Tom

Isn't it more likely that the clip holding the fork to the ball is at fault? If that's OK I can't see how the fork would fall out of place even if the slave cylinder wasn't there. I've only 'done' one LT77, but the clip was very weak and I had to be careful not to knock it as I re-fitted the slave.

Just got in now and it's all fixed after another long night...

Turns out the slave was upside down so the bleed was effectively doing nothing but let air in. I didn't fit it and sat in the driver's seat and pushed the pedals when requested. That explains that!

As for the fork coming loose I can only imagine they played about with it so much that they managed too dislodged the ball clip this morning, and the corroded and sticking slave caused the initial issue and the lack of pressure on the bearing allowed it to work loose.

It seems a bad design which ever way you look at it - why couldn't those rotating rectangular lugs on the fork be longer for starters.

Still all done so thank you all for your help, I'm very grateful.

Cheers
Tom

The mobile rang again at work today and the Bloody clutch fork has come off again!!

The tiny amount of wear on the thrust bearing is enough to allow if to work free of the locating lugs that rotate on the fork. Great.

We fitted a genuine one in 08' too which installs me with no faith at all! Apparently they used to made from metal and lasted years but all you can get these days are made from plastic!

Anyone modded the fork lugs to locate for securely??

Cheers
Tom

is it lever or too short a push rod or some other dimensional issue

Just scrap it and buy a Transit

I've lost count of the times I've said that!

I hate the thing even when it's working!

I did over 6 hours worth of short trips in an 06 plate flat bed tranny at the weekend moving a lot of sub soil and it drove like a dream fully loaded and handled like a go-kart empty!

Tom

I had same problem with my pilot a couple of years ago - after third attempt found a solution on sherpa forum namely that the clutch fork was not holding the bushes for the thrust bearing tight enough so after using a couple of times would come adrift the fork needs crimping together in a vice - not too tight but enough to hold the thrust bearing in place and allow it to still rotate - hope this helps - mine has been alright since - but I was truly forked off myself at the time

luvsiksherpa said:

I had same problem with my pilot a couple of years ago - after third attempt found a solution on sherpa forum namely that the clutch fork was not holding the bushes for the thrust bearing tight enough so after using a couple of times would come adrift the fork needs crimping together in a vice - not too tight but enough to hold the thrust bearing in place and allow it to still rotate - hope this helps - mine has been alright since - but I was truly forked off myself at the time

Click to expand...

Spot on!!

We came to that conclusion on Friday night and after a bit of faffing about trying to get the perfect snug fit we agreed there was nothing else that could be at fault (not sure if I had previously mentioned we had a new bearing) and fingers crossed it has been fine since!

Old man said he'd get a new van if it comes apart again!

Cheers
Tom