A Clutch question from the newbie

[bugeyed_99]

Ive been looking online and havent found anything, but do they make a really narrow drive clutch. The p.o. of my hustler cut a square out of the body on the left side for the drive clutch. Now I have the task of fixing it, I can fix the body pretty easy, but do the make narrower clutches.

http://www.6x6world.com/gallery/member-galleries/p18031-new-hustler.html

[thebuggyman1]

They do make narrower clutches, but it doesn't look like any of them would be skinny enough for you.
I wonder if something (T-20) has been moved??? Or if the sidewall was bulged out there originally? [IMG][/IMG]

[hydromike]

The spacing between the T-20 driven clutch and the body seems in line with most Hustlers I've been around. I don't know about the 900s, 950s, but the 980s have a substantial bump-out on the body where the drive clutch resides. Yours doesn't seem to have the bump out, but I can't even detect any remnants of an original clutch bulge. At this point, I don't even know if a Comet Duster (94c) would help out in this situation. That's about the most narrow profile drive clutch I can think of off-hand, but it'd still come awefully close to where the body line looks to have originally been.

You could swap out a 94c and see if it begins to help matters. That Polaris clutch looks to have about the same external dimensions as the old Salsburys, so I'm a bit confounded. I think that you'd have to come up with some fancy HDPE repairs (remold, *then* patch) to get things in good shape. Not difficult, but boy; I sure would like to see what it looked like originally.....

[bugeyed_99]

I looked at the body this morning and there is a small bump under the clutch, all but a small portion of it was cut out. I measured the polaris clutch and it measures just under 7.5'' from enging to bolt. From what I have found online the 94c measures 8'' so it wouldnt be an option. time to start searching

[micmac]

The original Hustler two strokes came with Salisbury clutches. No longer made but there are lots of them used out there. I shoe-horned a Comet 102c in my Hustler racer by heating the tub and bumping it out more. There is plenty of room between the body and the tire.

[bugeyed_99]

I was looking at the comet 108, the only issue with heating and bumping the tub is the P.O. already cut it. So looks like ill be ordering some HDPE and trying to heat and form something to get it sealed up

[micmac]

I'm pretty sure the 108 and 102 have the same footprint. When you put the new HDPE piece in make sure you account for any movement of the clutch if you have soft mounts. My engine is solid mounted so the clutch bolt is almost touching the body. If I had rubber mounts and they flexed the clutch could strike the body.

[bugeyed_99]

I'm pretty sure the 108 and 102 have the same footprint. When you put the new HDPE piece in make sure you account for any movement of the clutch if you have soft mounts. My engine is solid mounted so the clutch bolt is almost touching the body. If I had rubber mounts and they flexed the clutch could strike the body.

You say your engine is solid mounted, I pulled the engine and I do have the rubber mounts, did you have to put in spacers where the rubber mounts were when you took them out, or did you just mount directly to the frame.
Thanks