CLUTCH PAGE

ReCorking Hudson Clutch Disks

Regarding the corks, you must use No.5 corks, which appear too large for the holes. You boil them in water for about 4 or 5 minutes, which makes them go rubbery, and insert from alternate sides. There is a special tool which can be used for this, but I have never had one, and use a small blunt screwdriver, and my thumb, working the cork into the hole as far as possible. Boil about 20 or so corks at a time, as they tend ot go brittle if boiled for too long. After they have thoroughly dried out, you must then trim them off. I use a piece of spring steel wire, 1/16" thick, as a template for cutting the corks, using a very sharp knife. The corks must then be either sanded or ground down to no more than 1/32" thickness. This is important, as if you leave anymore than this the clutch will not disengage. I use a block of wood, with 100 grit sandpaper tacked on to it for this purpose. Crude but effective. Care must be used to keep the cork thickness even over the whole surface.

Geoff Clark geoffclark@xtra.co.nz