How do you reset a pressure plate?

[OilPatch197]

'99 Ford Ranger with the 2.5, manual transmission, 205,000 miles.

The engine has piston slap, my Dad is also cheap. He is getting an engine from the salvage yard and after inspection, the clutch disc has some wear.


To save some $$$ he does NOT want to replace the clutch, but I talked him into a new clutch disc. (why put it back together with a worn clutch?)


I know, I know hate me for all you want, this isn't the proper way of doing it, but the guy is poor.

So what I understand is when installing a new clutch disc using the old pressure plate, you have to "reset" the pressure plate.

How is this done?

 

[rangerin]

Do you mean align the pressure plate or break the pad in?

 

[RonD]

You need a hydraulic press to reset a self-adjusting pressure plate.

'99 should not have it's stock pressure plate so may not have the stock self-adjusting pressure plate, it may have the less expensive regular pressure plate.

If you see 3 springs, 120deg apart, around the center hole of the pressure plate it is self adjusting.
You use the hydraulic press to push down on the center plate so the pressure plate can be rotated and tighten those 3 springs again.

On a new self adjusting pressure plate the springs are fully compressed, as the clutch disc wears down the springs uncompress and push the pressure plate closer to the flywheel, this keeps the clutch pedal's engage/disengage in the approx. center of its pedal travel.

Regular pressure plates can be used, but the engage/disengage point changes throughout the life of the clutch disc.
With new clutch disc, pedal will have to be all the way to the floor before it disengages, and even then it may be a bit stiff when shifting because of the older master/slave travel.
As clutch disc wears down it will get easier as pedal disengage will happen before pedal gets to the floor, at end of life, clutch will disengage right at the top of the pedal travel and will start to slip even with foot of the pedal.

 

[OilPatch197]

You need a hydraulic press to reset a self-adjusting pressure plate.

'99 should not have it's stock pressure plate so may not have the stock self-adjusting pressure plate, it may have the less expensive regular pressure plate.

If you see 3 springs, 120deg apart, around the center hole of the pressure plate it is self adjusting.
You use the hydraulic press to push down on the center plate so the pressure plate can be rotated and tighten those 3 springs again.

On a new self adjusting pressure plate the springs are fully compressed, as the clutch disc wears down the springs uncompress and push the pressure plate closer to the flywheel, this keeps the clutch pedal's engage/disengage in the approx. center of its pedal travel.

Regular pressure plates can be used, but the engage/disengage point changes throughout the life of the clutch disc.
With new clutch disc, pedal will have to be all the way to the floor before it disengages, and even then it may be a bit stiff when shifting because of the older master/slave travel.
As clutch disc wears down it will get easier as pedal disengage will happen before pedal gets to the floor, at end of life, clutch will disengage right at the top of the pedal travel and will start to slip even with foot of the pedal.

So a non-adjusting regular pressure plate has no "reset" just slap the disc in and install?

If it DOES have a self adjusting, the way it sounds I could bolt the pressure plate to the removed flywheel with no disc, then use all thread and some nuts/washers to compress the spring fingers, then I could rotate to reload the springs.

I'll double check, but I believe he has a non adjusting clutch, as before the engine let go, he was using less effort to disengage the clutch, he thought the clutch was wearing out and needed replaced.

Thanks everyone.

 

[RonD]

Yes, for regular clutch plate, plug and play

Never tried a DIY on a reset, but I think a machine shop could do it pretty cheap, I would call a few just to see.