Background: Last year about this time I bought a 36 Ford pickup. 327, 4speed, posi, MII, parallel leaf rear etc.. It needed some things done differently; new gas tank, rebuild tranny, some wiring, drop it closer to the ground...those kind of things. Problem: I don't know what I was thinking when I bought this pickup. I have a really bad-weak left knee so I haven't had a car or truck with a clutch for 30 years (except the 35 in my avatar which ran flathead 39 box stock clutch stuff). I don't know squat about clutches, linkages etc.. but am trying to get this thing running and streetable again anyway. Centerforce diaphram-style p/plate and disc. Question: When the clutch pedal is fully released...how 'loose' or whatever should the throwout bearing be relative to the pressure plate? The attached pic shows the bearing in the released position. You can turn it with your fingers but just. If I back off the linkage so that the bearing is rattley loose then the clutch disc doesn't seem to fully disengage from the flywheel and probably the linkage needs some modifications, I would guess. All input appreciated. Thanks!
Yes X3 that thin piece of steel should be in the throw out bearing gap too. It acts to keep fork and bearing snug yet allow movement. Jim 2cts
Ok. Thank you. Another question. With the pedal fully depressed, how 'loose' should the clutch disc be? I'm talking about the separation of the disc/flywheel/p-plate using say a feeler gauge. .010, .100, 1/4 inch??
.010 as a minimum , it only has to totaly release . A bit more won't hurt like up to maybe .030 , to much is hard on the PP .
Thank you. I think the geometry of what is in the truck is off some. 39 pedals but homemade linkage arm and Z bar (now more of a U bar w/both arms on the same side of the round cross-shaft vs. opposing). Don't pay attention to the extra washers, bushings etc. I'm just trying to get the thing to work. Then I'll build appropriate hardware.