Could cast iron be bent?

actuating arm. The arm

above it, then with

about 9" above the

smallest part of the

Might it be possible

If it is maleable iron, or possibly cast steel, you MAY be able to hot bend it. If it's cast Iron (which it almost definitely is not) you cannot. If is forged steel, it can be bent hot (and likely even cold)

It's most likely forged steel, in which case it can be safely bent -- as Clare said, either hot or cold (if you have a big enough anvil and hammer).

But I can't conceive of a reason why it may be tweaked. Why are you considering bending it? Chances are it's a bad idea...

Been a while since I worked on a hydraulic clutch, but is there no adjustment?

I'd put money -- a small amount -- on the bet that it's ductile iron. They seem to be making most of the tensilely loaded parts on cars out of ductile iron these days. It can be bent, marginally. But I'm with you. Unless you have one heck of a good reason to bend it, it's not a good idea, even if it's forged steel.

KG, if you can get a good look at the part, do you know how to identify a forged part, versus a cast one? The shear line/parting line on a forged part will be wider, in most cases, and more evident of a two-part forging die that squeezed the part from two sides. If you can photograph that parting line and post it, you can get some good opinions from the group here.

If it doesn't have that, it's cast. Unless it's very old, a cast part is more likely ductile iron than malleable iron, and, as others said, there's almost no chance it's plain (gray) cast iron. They don't use gray iron on parts that are highly loaded in tension, as your clutch release arm is.

Yes most likely ductile iron if the car was made in the last 30 years. much cheaper than forging and just about as strong. And it can be bent a little without breaking, but probably not a good idea unless you can easily get a replacement from a junkyard.

-jim

What's worse than trying to bend a car part so some weirdo non-stock part will fit up to it, and breaking it?

Succeeding, and letting some poor bastard down the road try to fix that car when none of the 'book' parts fit.

actuating arm. The arm

above it, then with

about 9" above the

smallest part of the

Might it be possible

Thank you all for your responses. I have a new arm coming after I receive it I will give your suggestions a try and let you all know. Thanks again

It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first." - Ronald Reagan

To reply to this email please remove the AT after the kgs in the reply to address as shown above.

actuating arm. The arm

about 9" above the

smallest part of the

Might it be possible

If it is cast iron, it will break instead of bending. If it is forged steel (which is what I would expect), it probably can be bent.

But if you feel you need to bend it -- it probably means that the clutch plate is worn too thin, and it really should be replaced. If you bend it, your flywheel and pressure plate will probably be scored by the rivets securing the friction material onto the clutch disk. And, if you bend it, you will also need to un-bend it -- or replace it -- when you put in a new clutch.

Good Luck, DoN.