Clutch Pedal Travel

[40fordpu]

Not sure how to word this. Have a 1940. I have adjusted the pedal by the adjustment screw... middle, extreme both ways. When the pedal is depressed, there is a little play but the connection between pedal and transmission (sorry not in front of manual) only moves a 1/4 inch or so. Feels really "soft". Seems too easy to depress pedal. Am i missing something? Suggestions?

[1937pickup]

There should be 1 1/4 inch of "free play" in the pedal before it starts to disengage. You may have the wrong rod. The adjustment should be with a nut on a threaded rod to a clevis. Contact Richard Lacy of Early V8 garage-he is the guru of brakes on these Fords.

[ford3]

push the clutch pedal down with your fingers till you feel contact with the pressure plate, you should have at least one inch but no more than one and a half inch free play, the clutch arm is on a fulcrum, a quarter inch at the clutch arm will be muliplied to about one inch or more at the pressure plate, some pressure plates dont have a heavy feel, as long as it doesnt slip in hi gear you fine

[39portlander]

Good thread, seeing I have to order a clevis pin/clutch pedal rod and will have to re-adjust. Old parts all worn down and egglike

[40fordpu]

Thanks guys I will take a look

[Robert Dip]

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Maybe I can throw something in this post...curious on clutch adjustments. In my '39, I took out the original 9" clutch and flywheel and upgraded to a 10". Is there a difference on the PP throw from a 9" to a 10". I had to adjust the pedal to almost no play and to fully disengage the disc to avoid grinding, I have to press the pedal right to the floor. Maybe I should put this on a new post. Robert

[ford3]

some times when you change some thing from stock to non stock you can have difficultys, the the 10" probably had a different design clutch linkage, probably had a longer throw for that p/p for the car it was designed for, ive found when you change one thing from stock you will more than likely have to change two more, that fact is what keeps the after market boys in business, you might try and find a throw out bearng arm that gives you a longer throw, or you might be able to shorten yours, or at least drill another hole closer to the pivot point, maybe in an inch from the stock location for the a djusting rod, how much free play in the clutch pedal before the throw out bearing hits the p/p fingers, should be an inch to an inch and a half, you can go less as long as the throw out bearing isnt riding on the p/p fingers

[Robert Dip]

ford3 ..you are correct...and having said this, I will open up a new post on this matter. The reason being is that a lot of guys ( gals are guys too ) use the '39 pedal set-up when updating the '35 - '38 brakes to hydraulics. I measured the arm on the pedals, and it is short at 1 3/8" arc....and this is the one that needs to be increased to at least 1 3/4". the arm on the trans case is also shorter than most, so I would not touch this one. I am presently doing this on my '35. The '48 uses the 10" clutch, and that, to me, has always been the one to use. Thanks...Robert