Pulled my engine/transmission on my 36 Ford pickup to do some frame repairs and decided to replace my clutch disk and throw out bearing. When I re-installed I now have about an inch of travel before the TO bearing comes in contact with the pressure plate fingers. This gives me 8 inches of pedal travel! Everything is stock. 21 stud flathead. 9 inch clutch. My clutch is not in backwards and the replacement disk and TO bearing were mirror images of the old. I’m stumped. Any ideas?
Adjusting the linkage does not close the huge gap I have. The throw out bearing is retracted by a spring back against the transmission and the travel distance to the pressure plate fingers is the same.
"The replacement disk and TO bearing were mirror images of the old.'' The installed height on the fingers of replacement pressure ass'y possibly different than original ? If the disc, release brng., & p. p. are correct, the linkage should have enough adjustment range to take care of it.
I have no idea of that pressure plate is like some new ones that come with sheetmetal wedges that keep the fingers in, so you can install the pressure plate easier...then after it gets bolted on, you need to remove the wedges ?? ..
The pressure plate is the original. I didn't replace it. The fork assembly has a fixed amount of distance it will push the TO bearing forward...probably only 1.5 inches. If I force the TO bearing assembly to be at neutral more than half way it's limit, that gives me only an additional half inch of actual clutch engagement. Seems like a band aid fix and I'm skeptical that Ford designed it this way... Thanks for your input tho.
As @F&J says. VWs were the first ones with the 'wedges', or spacers. Obviously NOT the problem here, as you used your original pressure plate. I have seen clutch discs that were re-lined, too much material. (actually, relined with too thick of material!) VW 'automatic stick shift' cars used a disc that had to be 'thinner' than the stock VW disc in order for the mechanism to disengage the clutch. Went through a situation with a customer that supplied his own parts...his 'disc re-liner' knew better than to look up specs. I had to order one from VW proper. $$$...plus the extra remove/replace engine.....
With the old pressure plate, and original clutch linkage....I simply cannot think of one good reason you could end up with 7 inches of free play. Even if the disc was 1/8' thicker, it still can't cause that much of a change.. I have nearly no Flathead experience, except I did do a Olds engine swap into a stock 40 Ford, with stock 40 trans, and I just cannot recall anything that you might have installed wrong...like linkage, etc. So..., I am stumped also . .
Considering the movement of the pedal thru the 'advantage-giving' linkage ratio, I'd lay a tape thru the inspection port at top of tranny bell, measure how far the T.O. brg. moves with 6-7" of pedal travel. It's only simple math. Betcha the disc is considerably thicker than what was removed...Where else did the play come from???
How much difference was there in the thickness of the clutch disc. From what you say, that could be the only thing that has changed, Now with a thicker disc, the fingers of the pressure plate will move away from the transmission. Your adjustment for this effect should be at the linkage rod between the clutch fork and bell crank not between the pedal and bell crank. You should have free play between the release bearing and pressure plate fingers but, it should not return all the way back the face of the bearing retainer on the transmission.
I'm on board with the disk being significantly thicker. I'd also be curious about the TO bearing lands and if they're in the same spot depth-wise to the original. Also, a "mirror image" tends to make things backward in my experience. Mike
This is essentially what I did. I can see through the inspection port that the movement forward is about an inch. Pedal forward movement is a measured 8 inches before contact
Visually they looked the same. The old one was in good shape but it seemed a no-brainer to go with new. I'll most likely have to re-install the old disk and see if that fixes it. Hard to believe that one or two tenths of an inch would equate to so much free play, but we'll see. Actually, there is only one adjustment between the pedal and the arm on the clutch release shaft. Adjusting the linkage only moves the pedal forward...it doesn't change the location of the throw out bearing.
Is your's like this? If so, 7523 should keep the pedal up. If 7521 is adjusted longer it should take up the slack.
Yes, but even if the gap is closed by adjusting the throw out bearing forward, I still am only left with about a half inch of actual clutch disengage movement. There is only so much forward motion available from the fork 7515. Contact occurs at about two thirds of the available forward motion.
I'm not a Ford guy but can the set screw 352581 loosen and allow the fork or the arm to rotate on the shaft? Can the throw out bearing be installed backwards?
352581 is a pin that fits through a pre-drilled hole...no adjustment. Throw out bearing has slots on one side that fit onto the fork 7515.
I lengthened the linkage as much as I could and it partially disengages just as my pedal hits the floor. I'll figure it out eventually...thanks
I know this is an old post but I’m curious if you solved this Because I am dealing with the exact same problem right now
I don’t know why people can’t have common courtesy and not post the results ? I suspect that usually it means they look stupid and over looked the painfully obvious clues . There are only a few parts involved,,,the disc and the bearing. And I believe the disc would have to be really thick to make that much difference . Did you change any linkage or disassemble anything else ? Check all the linkage parts for excessive wear,,,or movement ,,,,it all adds up in the clearance measurements. Tommy
That is where I am at now. Going to go through all off the small stuff. I am however thinking that since this car was never on the road in running order. I think the trans is a 39 with a 39 clutch arm which I believe is about an inch shorter than a 34 clutch arm so maybe that is cutting down on the travel I am getting ???
I always lay the old clutch cover down on the bench and measure the finger or diaphragm height. Match that up to the new clutch. Same goes for the TOB. Having a successful PRIOR well operating clutch means a lot, figuring out a new build, go fish. You may need a longer TOB or adjust the fork height at the bellhousing if it can be adjusted.
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