Removing retainer pin from clutch arm

[The Watson]

Help please. Trying to remove the pin that keeps the clutch release lever on its shaft. Tried big hammer and heat. Not moving. Does it have to go out in only one direction? Not good access from engine side. Suggestions?

[john walker's workshop]

if you mean the lower long lever, you need an air hammer and a properly sized bit.

[Robey5]

Watson:

You may want to post a picture here.

If you are talking about the pin that the omega spring attaches to (assuming that you have the omega spring on your mechanism) - there are little bearings inside the clutch lever.

Once I had the lever detached from the engine and trans area - I brought it to the work bench and pushed it out with my bench vice and a socket. There are a few different ways to tackle this - but what are you trying to do?

[The Watson]

Sorry. iPhone not letting me post pic. It's the pin in the arm at opposite end from omega spring. Only on 77-79's I believe. Keeps arm from sliding down off shaft.

[Jdub]

Yup, tiny pin, maybe all of 1/8" thick by about 3/4" in length. Good you know about this as so many try to pull the lever off without removing it!

A pin punch, plenty of PB Blaster, and judicious use of a hammer. If the pin end becomes mushroomed, you can drill it (center punch first) to remove the mushrooming, but ideally you work from the end that is not distorted from hammering.

Be sure to push the lever both up and down and radially on the shaft to work all of the releasing agent into the nooks and crannies. You are really just fighting the corrosion, tightness, and possible kink if the pin is locked up/twisted against the arm.

Good luck! Dress the arm for burrs after pulling it off, and be sure to buy a new pin as well.

[The Watson]

Here is the pin I was referring to, you can see it on the left side of the shaft:



I took John Walker's advice after manual attempts yielded nothing. Bought an air hammer ($20). Problem is that no one sells a 1/8" bit locally, so i buy a larger bit ($13) and grind it down to size. Not difficult at all.

Gave the shaft an inferno's worth of propane torch heat and then went to work with the air hammer. Discouraging for a minute or so and then - YES - it moved. After that it was just a matter of reheating and repressing with whatever I could find to hammer through the pin hole. I was literally about to give up and was so happy this was resolved. Thanks JW and others. Here are a few pics of the process and tools used.



I hope this helps someone else down the road/

[john walker's workshop]

they can be a bastard.