Clutch release 40-74 bearing

Early 40-74 clutch thrust besring

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Hogey
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Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#1

Post by Hogey »

My 68 i found bearing housing cracked so i ordered a Eastern from USA any comments on the brand as all i could find on Net was Taiwan made.
38ulh
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#2

Post by 38ulh »

I put an Eastern throw out bearing in my 79 shovel when I went to old style bearing. I've got better than 50k on it now with no problems. But I have never heard a lot of positive feed back on after market throw out bearings as compared to oem . (if that's what we're talking about)
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Mongrel505558
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#3

Post by Mongrel505558 »

I bought a VT 40-74 clutch release bearing for my mongrel panhead and it's a piece of crap compared to the real one in my '68 shovel. I didn't even install it - put the radial needle bearing and associated parts back in. Those little retaining clips suck.
Hogey
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#4

Post by Hogey »

Thanks for replies i ordered Eastern
doc9339
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#5

Post by doc9339 »

Last year my bearing, as you showed, crapped the bed after a few thousand miles. Ordered another (Sorry, cant remember the vendor), and yep, all I saw was garbage. I was going to order another, but after about an hour of searching, I didnt find anyone at the time with good quality ones, so I went snowflake TO bearingf conversion

While they do work, when you first see and install a snowflake TO they look like it wont stand any kind of abuse. I do know clutch adjusment is critical though with the snowflakes
nifty
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#6

Post by nifty »

My 2c
The good modern conversion kits have the heavy duty 24mm bearing and required -39B finger with wide slot
But not all kits include required pushrod bushing for right side of mainshaft
IMO finger centralized to pushrod also essential
OE covers often require serious custom finger spacing.
The little "C" clip is fiddly to install & remove, but IMO the only clip to use, any clip with bigger OD likely to get fouled by finger
MoCo supeseded the Seeger circlip and the E-clip, finally settling on the small C-clip, but never changed the part number. That's why we love 'em.
Many AM sellers still offer the useless earlier clips. Monkey see, monkey do.
IMO A well set up -75 style wafer bearing is a good thing and way better than a crap -39 repo witch hat.

Nifty
Panacea
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#7

Post by Panacea »

I always try to get the bike into neutral when coming to a stop, saves some wear on the bearing...
Andygears
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#8

Post by Andygears »

Panacea wrote: Tue Aug 23, 2022 2:48 am I always try to get the bike into neutral when coming to a stop, saves some wear on the bearing...
Me too. Saves the clutch. I see other bikers in this unrelenting heat this summer sitting at stop lights with clutch pulled in for a long time. Think about your clutch 🤔 multiple discs spinning next to other discs sitting still. Then you slowly release the clutch, create frictional heat, and finally a lockup. Is there anything to keep the spinning discs exactly separated from the fiber plates? No! So they can touch and move away, creating heat many times per second. The bearing is the same, collects oil sitting still, throws it off when clutch disengaged, then load against bearing and heat when held engaged for a while.

At “Learn to ride biker class” they teach to keep in gear with clutch disengaged for a quick getaway if you see a car behind you not going to stop. I don’t agree, but I have never worn out a clutch from normal use.

Opinion
Andygears
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#9

Post by RooDog »

Suppose, just suppose, something awful happens while sitting in gear, clutch lever held in, waiting for that light to change, and the cable, or something, breaks, or you do get bumped and your hand comes off the lever, and , bam!, you are off and running. I prefer sittin' in N, scratching my balls, waiting for the light to change. That delay of clutching, and kicking into 1st, can possibly save your life if someone decides to run the red light and you just happen not to be in his way when he does. I know it has save me more than once.
Always look to the left to be sure cross traffic is going to stop before you pull out, no?
Cagers are predatory, the bikers' sworn enemy, and to be constantly watched out for.....
....RooDog....
Last edited by RooDog on Tue Aug 23, 2022 11:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
38ulh
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Re: Clutch release 40-74 bearing

#10

Post by 38ulh »

RooDog wrote: Tue Aug 23, 2022 2:06 pm Suppose, just suppose, something awful happens while sitting in gear, clutch lever held in, waiting for that light to change, and the cable, or something, breaks, or you do get bumped and your hand comes off the lever, and , bam!, you are off and running. I prefer sittin' in N, scratching my balls, waiting for the light to change. That delay of clutching, and kicking into 1st, can possibly save your life if someone decides to run the red light and you just happen not to be in his way when he does. I know it has save me more than once.
Always look to the left to be sure cross traffic is going to stop before you pull out, no?
Cagers are predatory, the bikers sworn enemy, and to be constantly watched out for.....
....RooDog....
YES, predatory enemies. It seems in my old age the enemy is becoming younger more aggressive and more numerous.
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