8BA clutch finger adjustment

[tubman]

I posted this on the H.A.M.B. because it's about a hot rod. The only responses I have gotten referred me back here.

"I am getting ready to put the clutch and flywheel on the 258" 8BA flathead I built for my "T" tub. I mocked the setup on my bench today ("blocked" the pressure plate and then bolted the pressure plate, disc and flywheel together using the clutch alignment tool and removed the blocks). I then carefully measured the distance from each pressure plate "finger" to the hub of the disc. The three fingers measured 1.225", 1.180", and 1.175" from the clutch disc hub to the contact surface of the fingers. I measured 3 times. All three measurements on each finger were very close and the figures I have presented here are the averages of these measurements. While I would think a difference of .005 would probably be OK, but I don't think the .050 between the highest and lowest to be acceptable.

First question : am I correct in assuming that these measurements are out of the ordinary? Second, if they are (and I guess, even if they aren't), how would I go about correcting them? There are no adjusting screws on the ends of the fingers as I have seen on some other units. Do I grind .050 off of the offending clutch finger? There are three bolts that hold the fingers to the clutch assembly; When I loosen them, the end of the finger drops, but I obviously don't want to run loose bolts in my clutch. I would think that a .004 thicker washer (or shim) would bring the offending finger (did I say that?) down the proper amount.

Should I be worrying about this or not?"