clutch pivot pin material

[digger]

What is the preferred upgrade for the plastic pivot pin with uprated clutch? I've heard the brass one just eats into the fork prematurely. Some seem to sell a steel/stainless version for later models.

i used a factory plastic one with stock m5 240mm clutch and after 80-100k miles it was worn about 3-5mm or so and clutch had decent life left.

What's the current hotness?

[LateFan]

The brass should be softer than the steel fork, no? I think we put the brass one in my son's car.

[digger]

The brass should be softer than the steel fork, no? I think we put the brass one in my son's car.

it is and i misremembered it was brass ones wearing down very quickly not so much eating into the fork. I have seen stainless ones as this was used on some OE but not same size and shape as e30.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-ball-pin-21511223281

[moatilliatta]

Race car - trans out often, brass
street car - trans not out often, nylon

[gazellebeigem3]

I am team anti brass:

https://youtu.be/1mkIqrOOwcU?t=319

I went with the aga silicon bronze offering.

[digger]

I would have thought someone would have come up with a better plastic material

[moatilliatta]

The nylon ones last a long time.

What’s the problem?

[digger]

The nylon ones last a long time.

What’s the problem?

Doesn’t last longer than clutch so with an upgraded clutch it’s only going to be worse

[moatilliatta]

Maybe adj as needed?

https://www.rogueengineering.com/Rogue-Engineering-Adjustable-Clutch-Slave-Pin-Ver-2_p_310.html

[Panici]

I had both a stainless and a brass one on hand when I swapped to a ZF320.
IIRC I used the brass one after reading about stainless wearing out the fork.

In hindsight this may have been a mistake as I have an uprated clutch & heavier pressure plate.
I'm sure the engine & trans will be out again at some point in the next few years. I will be able to see any wear and report back.

[varg]

SS will wear the fork faster, brass is softer and more ductile than bronze, stock plastic is softer than both but obviously does well in OE applications where they did not want to risk squeaky metal clutch pins. Pick your poison.

It's in a bad location filled with abrasive dust and it's a small bearing surface. Silicon bronze might last longer than brass but both surfaces will still wear because of the clutch dust in all cases no matter what you do. I'd consider it such that if you want to run excessive pressure on the pivot pin (heavy pressure plate), you may just have to accept that you might have to take the transmission off just to replace the pin and/or fork at some point if the clutch starts dragging. Someone could design a threaded adjustable pivot stud that goes through the mounting hole by way of a captive nut or threaded boss. It would have to be steel which would wear the fork faster but at least it would be adjustable to make up for the wear.

[TobyB]

I say spherical bearings.

They work for everything else, right?

t
sarcastically.
also, in the nylon camp.

[hasa]

Put grease between fork and pin? I have had no problem wit plastic pin and Sachs 618 clutch.

[moatilliatta]

Agreed

[zaq123]

SS will wear the fork faster, brass is softer and more ductile than bronze, stock plastic is softer than both but obviously does well in OE applications where they did not want to risk squeaky metal clutch pins. Pick your poison.

.

agreed. Average harness on B scale: SS - 86.4; brass - 69.3, bronze - 79.8.