I had a few options for clutch linkage on my hot rod. I like the simplicity of mechanical linkage, and it was pretty cheap. I started out with a DOM tube with a 7/8 id and a wall of 1/8. Then i made two Arms out of 1/4 flat stock. I used 2 GM Clutch Pivot balls for each end. One pivot will bolt through a 3/8 plate, attached to the boxed frame. On the other end, i pick up off of three bolt on the blow proof bell housing. This is what it looks like outside of the frame. And Inside I used a corvette clutch fork, and a clevis for the fork side. The threaded rod to the clutch for is only for mockup, it will get a real rod later And on the pedal side, i used two Heim Joints. This is only a mock up for now, for the real deal, it will get a 7/16 tube and larger heim joints. Hopefully, this will help someone out designing their clutch linkage. Matt Tindall
Thanks, might be usefull for me in the future. Are all those parts, pivots and clutch fork, etc. available new?
Nice. This is better than going with the used stuff as it is worn near out by the time you get it, and you have to cut it up anyway. Is that a Lakewoood scattershield?
Hey that looks great I did something similar, the only difference is I drilled and tapped a hole for grease zurks and used a couple of battery post felts on the ends of the bell crank to act as a dust /grease seal. Nice job!
Looks good, been thinking about making a mech. linkage too. Do you think you need some way to keep your bellcrank centered between the pivot balls?
Weird............. yesterday was clutch linkage day for my '71 Chevy pickup. I got mine working and adjusted nice! You did real good here, nice post and really nice results!
Nice, clean and simple. Sweet. Grainger's has huge variety of quality heim joints, and they are surprisingly cheap. I just rigged up a hydraulic clutch set up and purchased most of the linkage parts from them. http://www.grainger.com
yep i had a 7/8 od tube to slide in and weld inside the main tube to stop left to right movement. haven't gotten to that yet though
Thats what I was thinking you could do, maybe a couple of holes in the outer tube and rossette weld it in there. You could even slide some of the nylon socket bushing things in there to reduce wear on the pivot balls.
Great Tech article ! Wish I had it when I did the one for the Buick - would have saved me a lot of time & trial. Mine was very similar, but I added a small grease fitting for periodic lubes.
Good looking stuff. How does it feel? I guess you get your mechanical advantage from the length of the clutch pedal? How do you figure all this out, is there a ratio that you have found?
Nice Job , This will be very helpful to me when I fab. mine . In the not too distant future( I hope) Thanks for posting , Bruce
So, check this out... I mounted the brake and clutch pedal in the '54 Dodge Coronet gasser I am building for my friend Zombie, today. 392 Hemi, Muncie 4 speed. As I am doing this, I am designing the clutch linkage in my head, right, as we all do. I get done, log on the H.A.M.B., and here's this post. It's...sublime? Viva la H.A.M.B.!
I like you concept and the workmanship is excellent. The rolling chassis Brookville '31 roadster I bought partially completed, and am currently working on was already set up with a hydraulic setup when I got it. But if I have any problem with it, this approach looks good! Like several others ahead of me, I would like to have some idea of a total combined leverage ratio to start out with in my design. Dave