Technical hydraulic clutch conversion for Ford

Does anyone make a hydraulic clutch conversion kit for the late 40s, early 50s Ford/Mercury 3 speed transmission?

 

I expect you can piece one together with some simple measuring. I spoke with Howe racing and McLeod for help on my hydraulic throw out bearing setup, and they both made it super easy to understand what matters when selecting parts. Of course, my setup (SBC and a T5) is far more common, but I did not buy a kit to do it. I selected parts based on the info I got from the tech support guys, and it was not too bad. I am still setting up the pedals on mine. But it really isnt too bad. PLus I saved about $100 by figuring out the parts list instead of buying a kit.

 

Wouldn’t be too hard to set up a master/external slave set up, lots of vehicles used them. Could probably use factory parts with some home made brackets. Lots of aftermarket cylinders and masters out there, too. I adapted an OT import truck system to a Chevy Saginaw 4 speed many moons ago, all I had to do was make a new bracket and a longer pushrod. It worked as well on the Saginaw as it had on the original application.

 

Someone here was making and selling kits that looked good. I believe it was a pull-type slave. On my car, I used a Speedway push slave, 7/8" and a Wilwood 3/4" master and an AFCO 32" hose. I located the slave to the side of the bell housing, master up on the firewall.

 

It's a pretty easy thing to do. First take a look at the room you have to work with and decide if you want a push cylinder or a pull cylinder to move the linkage. Then fab up a bracket to mount the cylinder that will pick up two bell housing bolts. Check that the cylinder has the needed amount of throw and match it to a correct master cylinder. Lately a lot of guys are using the Mustang cable release instead of hydraulic. Might want to check that out.

 

I've fabricated several over the years for customer cars. All of mine used a lever and push arrangement.

 

Tilton makes an adjustable Hydraulic T-O bearing, I'm getting ready to fit one into my '41 toploader, I have to machine the candlestick for the bearing and I think you have the same candlestick. I have the same cross-shaft exiting my transmission and it made for difficult geometry to connect the slave cylinder, it had too much freeplay with the stock T-O bearing and I didn't have enough room for pedal travel is why I went looking for the adjustable hydraulic T-O bearing. I have the slave cyl, a master cylinder and a clevis that'll bolt to the trans cross-shaft if you want to go that route or I can let you know how the hydraulic T-O unit works.
The hydraulic T-O is salty.

 

I won't any longer use a clutch slave cylinder that is inside the bellhousing.

I have seen too many fail. That can juice the clutch, making it necessary to replace it.

External solutions don't require removing the engine or transmissions to replace them if they fail.

Oddly enough, of all of the external ones that I have installed, not a single one has failed.

 

I agree that an external setup is easier to R&R if needed. But I have also used hydraulic TOBs with success. In some applications a hydraulic TOB just solves some fitment issues. I have also investigated several TOB failures of differing brands on friend's cars. In no particular order, the typical issues that contributed to the failures:
1. Not installing a pedal stop to prevent over stroking the TOB piston.
2. Not selecting the correct TOB for the application. Race clutches typically need less stroke than a street clutch and there are TOBs for each.
3. Not using the recommended master cylinder bore diameter for the TOB used.
4. Not doing the initial clearance setup correctly.

 

The only issue I have with my hydraulic TO is it is always in contact with the clutch levers..It has no return spring in it or no way to install one...It means the TO bearing is always turning....I guess this would be true with new cars that have the same setups....

 

TO bearing spinning all the time and no way to lube it . I think about it daily on my OT ***mins Powered , Power Wagon . That is one double pain in the *** to replace a TO bearing in , also . You will probably never see the extremes in temps that the Ole Power Wagon sees , but temps ., seriously change the hydraulic advantage also . I know what your sayin “ he is nuts “ , but it does .

 

Hydraulic setup on top loader.

Your ****** will take the earlier transmission ('32-'39) clutch shaft and arm.

Then you can adapt a slave cylinder to it much easier.

 

This^.

 

I second on the HYD. TO bearing. Remote easier to replace on the road.

 

Do you know what magazine, and month and date, this article came out in. I'd like to try and buy it,
Thanks,
Howard

 

I went with the Tilton hydraulic throwout bearing along with a Wilwood master to go on my T5 trans swap. I put the pedal on ball bearing pivots, mounted the master under the cab and used the stock actuating rod from the pedal to a bell-crank I made that mounts to the ch***is where the stock Z-bar attached.
The goal was smooth and easy pedal action. That goal was achieved.
As for longevity....we shall see. As for the bearing always turnings...Maybe. The way they are supposed to work is that the clutch fingers skim the surface of the TO bearing without turning it much. I haven't poked my head in there to see for myself though.
Every method of clutch actuation has its merits and disadvantages. I've had both types of hydraulic slaves in my OT drag car, as well as the stock cable. Both have been reliable.

 

Words of wisdom. In my time at the Rod Shop we bailed out a couple rodders on road trips when their internal setups failed. Even with a lift and an entire shop both events turned into major PIAs for folks that were on vacation hoping to hit a rod run instead of wrenching on their cars

 

i just go to o'reilys and get the master cylinder and slave cylinder for a 1959 or so ford truck. easy to mount and cast iron tough.

 

Another vote against a hydraulic TO. I had one in a OT, a 4X4. It had a habit of leaking out mysteriously without any trace of fluid dripping. It caused me to destroy the 1st gear synchros.
I could drive it for months at a time without problems but every now and then the reservoir would drain out somehow. I didn’t want to pull the transmission and transfer case to replace it. I just checked the reservoir every trip I made and kept a bottle of fluid in the cab.
Got rid of that POS a few years back. Good riddance. Never buying anything with one of TO’s ever again.

 

Checked O'Rielly's site and the '59 set up is not listed.

 

Shows for me

 

Oh I love RockAuto. They're my go to for most things I can plan, although I still price check between them and the local guys.

 

Yes, but the enslaved cylinder is $58!

 

Ok, I've decided to (try) install a hydraulic clutch setup in my project car. As mentioned above the transmission is a '51 Ford F1 3 speed mated to a '51 303 Olds. Does anyone make a TO hydraulic bearing for the '51 Ford Transmission (10 spline, input shaft diam.) Or am I limited to an outside slave cylinder? If so, any recommendations for make/model?