Cone Clutches/Old cars in general

[1965 Mustang]

This might be a little off topic since I do not know if any Fords ever used cone type clutches....
My 1919 Chevrolet 490 (Chevy's answer to the Model T) has a cone clutch which works ok but seems a bit "grabby". Is this normal?

[brasscarguy]

Cone clutch's were lined with leather or in some cases cork, Your Chevrolet clutch is lined with cork.

There are two remedies for either grabbing and jerking or slipping.

For the grabbing issue locate and purchase Needs Foot Oil. This is a saddle and leather clutch treatment. Depress the clutch pedal while the motor is running and drip a small amount on to the leather facing. Press and release while you are dripping the needs foot oil, don't add a lot.

Next drive the car and see if you have improved the clutch feel. You may need to add a another treatment. Once you have gotten the grabbing out of the system do not add anymore oil. After a while you will need to add more depending on how much you drive. Just another old guy car trick is to cut a bar or piece of wood to disengage the clutch when sitting for periods of non use.

If you cone clutch begins to slip you can add Fullers Earth which will work its way into the leather and give you more grip.

just sayin'

brasscarguy

[redmodelt]

T clutches were steel multi disk. Somewhat like the early Model A, only different.

[Jack Innes]

Your Chevrolet clutch will be lined with leather unless someone has changed it.

I have a 15 Maxwell that was lined with woven brake lining like material from the factory - it works well. I have not encountered a cork lined cone clutch.

Some people have relined cone clutches with Kevlar with varying degrees of success. It tends to continually grab in some cases.

I use my 1911 Buick often & it has a leather cone clutch. As Brasscarguy states, Neatsfoot Oil is the proper treatment if the clutch is grabbing; Never use motor oil!

Fuller's Earth, which is like very finely ground cat litter, will help if it is slipping.

I find it helpful to hold the clutch open & wash it out with brake kleen once in a while then reapply the Neatsfoot Oil.

[trainguy]

To answer your question if Ford ever used a cone clutch.Up to mid 1928 ford used multidisc clutches with a planetary transmission,after that they used the traditional clutch and sliding gear transmission.Phil

[Erik Barrett]

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If your Chevrolet clutch is just a bit grabby, that's about as smooth as it is going to get. Cone clutches engage abruptly by their very nature. Neetsfoot oil is good for leather, don't know about cork. Be sure your engine is not idling too fast. Blocking the clutch open while parked long term as suggested is good practice. The only Chevy I have had with a cone clutch was a 24 truck from the Harrah collection, and it was brutal. Relining and new pilot bushing helped some.
When I bought my 15 Dodge, there were two spare axle shafts under the seat. Dodge only used the cone clutch about a year. So did I. Tossed it out and put in a later disc unit.

[jaysberman]

Been using Neetsfoot oil on the cork drag systems of fly reels for years, it is recommended for cork.

[Jack Innes]

The picture shows a 1920s Chevrolet clutch. The adjustment devices with springs create dimples on the leather surface that engage before the main face of the clutch. This is to help avoid grabbing. The dimples eventually wear thin so they need to be adjusted out.

If your cone clutch does not have such a system, the same effect can be achieved by inserting short pieces of hack saw blade under the leather in 3 or 4 spots.

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by trainguy

To answer your question if Ford ever used a cone clutch.Up to mid 1928 ford used multidisc clutches with a planetary transmission,after that they used the traditional clutch and sliding gear transmission.Phil

Not quite. The planetary trans died with the Model T in 1927 and the A's multi-disc clutch was not a cone clutch.

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by Jack Innes

The picture shows a 1920s Chevrolet clutch. The adjustment devices with springs create dimples on the leather surface that engage before the main face of the clutch. This is to help avoid grabbing. The dimples eventually wear thin so they need to be adjusted out.

If your cone clutch does not have such a system, the same effect can be achieved by inserting short pieces of hack saw blade under the leather in 3 or 4 spots.

Interesting! I never knew of those dimples. Sounds similar in purpose to the Marcel design used in regular clutch discs.

[30yr32]

Interesting story, I have the bill of sale for a chevy 490 that my grandfather bought used in 1923. I listened to stories of how bad that clutch and car was all my youth. He held a grudge against chevrolet his whole life and never bought another one, he died at 92 !

[2manycars]

Originally Posted by trainguy

To answer your question if Ford ever used a cone clutch.Up to mid 1928 ford used multidisc clutches with a planetary transmission,after that they used the traditional clutch and sliding gear transmission.Phil

No model A had a planetary transmission. All had sliding gear 3 speed transmissions. From the beginning until late in 1928 the clutch was a multiplate clutch with friction facings on alternating disks, which was patterned after the Lincoln clutch. This was phased out in favor of a single plate clutch, but the transmission was basicly the same sliding gear transmission with some improvements from 28 to 31.

[dumb person]

Originally Posted by Jack Innes

The picture shows a 1920s Chevrolet clutch. The adjustment devices with springs create dimples on the leather surface that engage before the main face of the clutch. This is to help avoid grabbing. The dimples eventually wear thin so they need to be adjusted out.

If your cone clutch does not have such a system, the same effect can be achieved by inserting short pieces of hack saw blade under the leather in 3 or 4 spots.

Basically what he said. They can be made better, so that they don't chatter and grab like crazy (which contributes to broken axle shafts, which chev's had a problem with) so yeah, do what he said and you'll be fine.

Everyone mentions 'Neets foot oil' for clutch lube but i've never seen it. Or it's been so long i don't remember.

[Jack Innes]

Everyone mentions 'Neets foot oil' for clutch lube but i've never seen it. Or it's been so long i don't remember.[/QUOTE]

DP, You will find Neetsfoot oil at a saddle shop or harness maker's shop. It is rendered from the feet of cows but not the hooves.

The back of the seat on the car to the left has the original 112 year old leather that is pliable & useable thanks mostly to Neetsfoot oil.

[trainguy]

Jack,Is that one cyl. Cadillac ? Phil

[Jack Innes]

Phil,

No it is a 2 cylinder Ford. Canadian built model C, built Dec.23, 1904 in Walkerville, Ontario. I am familiar with the one cylinder Cadillacs though, I have 1905 F & a 1906 K.

Jack

[trainguy]

Didn't your Ford share a similar body made by the same builder with Ford.Two years ago there were two model k,s at Hershey,first time I ever saw a K,impressive car.Phil

[Jack Innes]

Yes the 1903 Ford & Cadillac bodies will interchange with moving a few holes.

The Canadian Ford bodies were built by the Gray Carriage Works in Chatham, Ontario. The design was very different from the US counterpart.