I need to get a clutch fork for a SBC Ansen cast iron bellhousing I have and was wondering if there is anything special they require over a stock aluminum one? How many different styles or types of these are there and what should I look for?
how big is the hole for the fork? The early forks (1950s) were very small forged and would fit thru a small hole. As the years when on, they got wider as they were made of stamped steel. It also might depend on how you set up the linkage....there are different ends, some are offset, etc.
Yeah, and sometimes you can re-use your old original fork as in the case of putting a sbc in an old 40s-50s chevy that had a 6. The little fork has an end that fits with the old clutch linkage setup.
well, I have nothing so far. Jim, I will have to measure that hole. I didn't know if the ansen bell would be different than stock made stuff. I like the sound of forged for a part like that
I am running a Ansen on the replica '32 that I am building and bought the fork from speedway. Set it up with a external slave and looks like it is going to work out ok. Dennis D
I agree, looks like it would work nicely. I was going to try to stay with a mechanical linkage if I can
Here are some pics of my fork and linkage. The difference between the fork in the bellhousing and the one shown out is the way the actuating rod contacts the fork and either will work fine. There is a third style that has a slot in the end where the actuating rod slides into and a pin that holds them together. All clutch forks pivot on the "half ball" stud that screws into the bellhousing. I hope this helps. Note: the "Z" bar shown was fabbed from a stocker trial and error, but it works great.
i use camaro or chevelle stamped style, i was going to modify the end 'til i realized it was hardened. so i messed with the rod instead. also used slave from a late 60's international.
When I did mine I found numerous different offsets, plus two different height pivot balls. I took my bell to the parts store (not a chain store!) and found a pivot ball and fork that looked like it would work, and give enough travel to disengage the clutch. I used a clutch, pressure plate, fork, and pivot ball for a early 70's 454 Chevelle. It all fit and works great.
1971bb427..that is what I was wondering about..what different styles and what you need with them to all fit together (such as the pivot ball)..yeah, a regular parts store is the only place you'll get help like that..the new stores is all what the computer shows for a certain year...and that's it
Check out this link I saved. I was amazed at how many different ones there are. http://www.4speedconversions.com/gm-forks
Yeah, the chain stores need to be lead by the hand! I usually find the part numbers, etc, and then go in and give them numbers to pick. My local Autozone 4 blocks away has gotten to letting me take a counter man back to the parts shelves and pick my own parts, as it's just quicker for everyone involved. You could mount up the flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate. Then go to the local Autozone, etc. and buy a fork for a late 60's Chevelle. Take it home and put it into the Ansen bell, then put the bell in place with a couple bolts snugged down. Check to see how it sits with your throwout bearing, and if it's wrong, then head back and try another era like a early 60's Chev to see if it's different. I've also spent some time on the Autozone web site looking at pics of various forks to see what years had what design, then take the numbers along so you can have them bring several off the shelf to look at.
Yes there are many different arms. I recall seeing at least 3 different pivot balls and of course at least three different throw out bearing lengths.
The cast iron Chevy truck fork may fit it perfectly. I matched up an Ansen and stock Chevy truck bellhousing and all the mounting points seemed to be the same. But this was maybe 25 years and 10 million brain cells ago... Bob
With the choices of clutch forks, throwout bearings, and pivot balls, there are numerous combinations that can work together to clear and function. If things don't clear or work as they should, changing one piece will usually make it work.
gosh. haven't been on site for a few days and read up some on the comments. Thanks for all the input on this. I have to wonder if all the forks measure the same from the ball stud inside the bell to the centerline of the trans are the same distance and the differences are bends and angles out towards the end where the pushrod contacts it? Speedway sells an arm that uses a clevis or heim end and that sort of intrigues me as I may use those on my linkages. 327-265 found a good page there on this stuff too. This was the fork they have. It looked kind of thin or narrow to me and I wondered about the strength of it as some of the factory ones are wider....and I bet it is an offshore part..but I suppose some sort of guideline has to be followed.
Let me know how it works out. I also have an Ansen NHRA bell. I'd like to use a cast iron truck fork if it will work. The Vette fork looks interesting as well
I use a fork out of a 1964 chevy truck that I got when I bought the ****tersheild in 1964, it looks to be cast and it is straight. If you need I can get the part number and you can get it from Oreillys
cruizznn.. We used that Speedway fork with a 3/8s heim in my brothers coupe and it works fine. It's plenty stout.
All the forks I've seen for GM trans have the same measurement from pivot ball to trans centerline. It's after the ball that there are lots of differences. Some are straight, some offset, different lengths, different type ends, etc.
thanks, guys...this info is all good to know, and a big help...no heat in the garage so have to wait for spring to get into this again, but thought it's a good time to collect parts!
I thought I would reopen this old thread I had on the clutch area components. I did get the speedway arm and have since made my pedal arms and am working on linkage. I had a couple of bellcranks to try using and was going to cut one and shorten it but found it was hard as a rock so am able to use one that is the right length. I had to cut off one arm on the bellcrank and move it and replace it with a straight piece. I am a bit confused on the geometry part of this. Can both levers on the bellcrank be pointing straight down or do they have to be postioned at an angle to one another, say can one be at 6:00 and one has to be at 8 or 4? I have seen some in other threads where they both point straight down which would help me out if I can do that. Also on a GM bellcrank they show 3 nylon bushings. I can see the outside ball stud has the ball sandwiched between two bushings then a circlip holding them in and probably the felt. A pic I found shows another bushing out there at the same end but I can't see how. The end at the block has the other ball stud and it sure looks like it could use a bushing down in there. What is the proper ***embly position of the 3 bushings? The inner ball stud I have has the square cut oring on it. It is from NAPA and I hope it is well enough made as it says Taiwan on the package. I am not using a legbreaker clutch.
Here's a link to a Camaro forum post, but it may help you out to understand the geometry It also shows what parts you may need. I would start at where the pivot mounts to the block and work it out from there. If you want to get creative, make up a mock-up from a wood dowel and some sash stock, or rip anything laying around. Attach the pieces with a hot glue gun. I'm considering that Speedway fork my an upcoming project and I saved that link to that index of clutch forks too. In my case, I'm going with a hydraulic clutch. http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=198597&page=2
A general rule with the geometry of stuff like this: You want the arms to be perpendicular to the rods, at the middle of travel. Since you didn't provide any pictures of what you're making, it's kind of hard for us to give good answers.
Squirrel, Sorry , you're right, I will here. It appears most of the stock bellcranks have offset levers and it makes sense what you say, but how could both levers be perpendicular at the same time? I could point both arms down and forward and they would be the same...I would like to have the frames side straight down if I could. Bobss, that pic of the bellcrank and parts is the one I have seen and it makes no sense to have another bushing out past the circlip (whatever the black diamonds mean). the block stud has the square cut oring. Not sure how these adjust but am ***uming the outer ball stud positions the bellcrank away from the block?
The ball that mounts to the block (or bellhousing if that's more convenient) does space it out. Just about anything will work since you're making this up as you go along. However, I've never seen a z-bar with both legs parallel to each other and what I see does not support a "push" that the fork needs.
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