The Ford Barn

Great Lakes Greg · 07-02-2015, 07:25 PM

I hope you experts can help me get my head around what is going on. The clutch on my car does not engage until about the last inch of pedal travel. Sounds like a worn disk, right? Well, I took it apart and the disk is .36 thick, which according to Les Andrews book is actually thicker than standard, (he says .34, and replace at .30) and the disk looks like new. I have an half inch of free pedal at the top, and confirmed this looking through the inspection cover, i.e. the throw out bearing just starts to touch the fingers as I begin to push the clutch pedal. I don't see how adjusting the pressure plate fingers would do anything productive. The machined surface on the pressure plate and flywheel also look perfect with no steps worn in. The free play at the top seems to indicate everything should be properly adjusted. What do you guys think?

Tom Wesenberg · 07-02-2015, 07:29 PM

Is this a stock clutch and pressure plate?

Great Lakes Greg · 07-02-2015, 08:09 PM

It looks like an original type clutch plate without the springs. I don't know where the pressure plate came from. Also, Les Andrews says the fingers should be .625 below the face of the pressure plate. The fingers on this one are about an inch and a quarter below the surface. Maybe it's a Wile E. Coyote ACME pressure plate? As long as the pedal free play is where it belongs, would the pressure plate finger location even make a difference? If it was slipping, I would say they are not where they belong, but it grabs good and doesn't chatter.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 07-02-2015, 08:29 PM

It "might" be a case of, "IF IT WURKS OK, DON'T DIDDLE WITH IT" (One of Chiefs' bits of wisdom!)
Bill W.

goodoldvic · 07-02-2015, 08:33 PM

Give it another 1/2 inch of freeplay, it'll grab closer to the floor.

J Franklin · 07-02-2015, 08:44 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Look for cracks in the linkage.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 07-02-2015, 09:22 PM

Cracks in the linkage would probably cause the OPPOSITE problem (GRIND-GRIND) ALSO, sounds as if he has a DIAPHRAGM TYPE clutch, which has 'DIFFERENT" feel.
Bill W.

RonC · 07-02-2015, 09:32 PM

Actually it makes a big difference on the pressure plate adjustment. 0.625 or 5/8" is one end of the the extreme measurement. The adjustment has to be within 1/8" tolerance. Ford specified that that distance should be 11/16". Any more or less will effect where the clutch will grab when you depress the pedal. The variation is 3/4" to 5/8" with 11/16" in the middle. So get it as close as you can to 11/16". Also adjust your clutch pedal at 1" not 1/2".

Mitch//pa · 07-03-2015, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonC

Actually it makes a big difference on the pressure plate adjustment. 0.625 or 5/8" is one end of the the extreme measurement. The adjustment has to be within 1/8" tolerance. Ford specified that that distance should be 11/16". Any more or less will effect where the clutch will grab when you depress the pedal. The variation is 3/4" to 5/8" with 11/16" in the middle. So get it as close as you can to 11/16". Also adjust your clutch pedal at 1" not 1/2".

X2 on what Ron says
this is off snyders site
http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/Co...TIONS-4306.pdf

Patrick L. · 07-03-2015, 05:32 AM

I think I would increase the free-play, I like 1.5-2.0 ". I like the clutch to engage sooner.
As it seems you have the clutch out, I would reset the fingers as 1.25" isn't really right.
Whatever you set the fingers at [ 5/8, 11/16, 3/4] just try to get them within .002" of each other.

Great Lakes Greg · 07-03-2015, 07:40 AM

I woke up in the middle of the night and gave it a lot of thought. I do now agree that the fingers have to come out a significant amount and the free play of the pedal adjusted with the trunion nut on the linkage. Thank you for that Snyder's attachment, it will be very helpful in the adjustment. I'll update you fellers this afternoon with the results.

MAG · 07-03-2015, 08:22 AM

X3 on what Ron says. Been there.

Great Lakes Greg · 07-03-2015, 02:45 PM

Okay, I adjusted the fingers out and I'm in business. The clutch now engages about a quarter of it's travel off the floor. I retained about an inch of free play at the top.
Thanks for everybodys input. Too bad the transmitter had to come out for the lesson.

07-02-2015, 07:25 PM	#1
Great Lakes Greg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,369	A weird clutch issue I hope you experts can help me get my head around what is going on. The clutch on my car does not engage until about the last inch of pedal travel. Sounds like a worn disk, right? Well, I took it apart and the disk is .36 thick, which according to Les Andrews book is actually thicker than standard, (he says .34, and replace at .30) and the disk looks like new. I have an half inch of free pedal at the top, and confirmed this looking through the inspection cover, i.e. the throw out bearing just starts to touch the fingers as I begin to push the clutch pedal. I don't see how adjusting the pressure plate fingers would do anything productive. The machined surface on the pressure plate and flywheel also look perfect with no steps worn in. The free play at the top seems to indicate everything should be properly adjusted. What do you guys think?

07-02-2015, 07:29 PM	#2
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: A weird clutch issue Is this a stock clutch and pressure plate?

07-02-2015, 08:09 PM	#3
Great Lakes Greg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,369	Re: A weird clutch issue It looks like an original type clutch plate without the springs. I don't know where the pressure plate came from. Also, Les Andrews says the fingers should be .625 below the face of the pressure plate. The fingers on this one are about an inch and a quarter below the surface. Maybe it's a Wile E. Coyote ACME pressure plate? As long as the pedal free play is where it belongs, would the pressure plate finger location even make a difference? If it was slipping, I would say they are not where they belong, but it grabs good and doesn't chatter.

07-02-2015, 08:29 PM	#4
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: A weird clutch issue It "might" be a case of, "IF IT WURKS OK, DON'T DIDDLE WITH IT" (One of Chiefs' bits of wisdom!) Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

07-02-2015, 08:33 PM	#5
goodoldvic Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: New Jersey shore Posts: 257	Re: A weird clutch issue Give it another 1/2 inch of freeplay, it'll grab closer to the floor.

07-02-2015, 08:44 PM	#6
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,963	Re: A weird clutch issue Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Look for cracks in the linkage.

07-02-2015, 09:22 PM	#7
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: A weird clutch issue Cracks in the linkage would probably cause the OPPOSITE problem (GRIND-GRIND) ALSO, sounds as if he has a DIAPHRAGM TYPE clutch, which has 'DIFFERENT" feel. Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF" Last edited by BILL WILLIAMSON; 07-02-2015 at 10:25 PM.

07-02-2015, 09:32 PM	#8
RonC Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 1,868	Re: A weird clutch issue Actually it makes a big difference on the pressure plate adjustment. 0.625 or 5/8" is one end of the the extreme measurement. The adjustment has to be within 1/8" tolerance. Ford specified that that distance should be 11/16". Any more or less will effect where the clutch will grab when you depress the pedal. The variation is 3/4" to 5/8" with 11/16" in the middle. So get it as close as you can to 11/16". Also adjust your clutch pedal at 1" not 1/2".

07-03-2015, 05:32 AM	#10
Patrick L. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Largo Florida Posts: 7,225	Re: A weird clutch issue I think I would increase the free-play, I like 1.5-2.0 ". I like the clutch to engage sooner. As it seems you have the clutch out, I would reset the fingers as 1.25" isn't really right. Whatever you set the fingers at [ 5/8, 11/16, 3/4] just try to get them within .002" of each other.

07-03-2015, 07:40 AM	#11
Great Lakes Greg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,369	Re: A weird clutch issue I woke up in the middle of the night and gave it a lot of thought. I do now agree that the fingers have to come out a significant amount and the free play of the pedal adjusted with the trunion nut on the linkage. Thank you for that Snyder's attachment, it will be very helpful in the adjustment. I'll update you fellers this afternoon with the results.

07-03-2015, 08:22 AM	#12
MAG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 925	Re: A weird clutch issue X3 on what Ron says. Been there. __________________ I noticed the harder I work the luckier I get!

07-03-2015, 02:45 PM	#13
Great Lakes Greg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,369	Re: A weird clutch issue Okay, I adjusted the fingers out and I'm in business. The clutch now engages about a quarter of it's travel off the floor. I retained about an inch of free play at the top. Thanks for everybodys input. Too bad the transmitter had to come out for the lesson.