[Liberty Garage]

Lessons learned the hard way;

Once the trans and clutch were installed, hooked up the clutch linkage and had a hard pedal and zero release of the clutch. Nothing I changed or adjusted seemed to help. Then I started reading posts here and elsewhere explaining how the clutch fingers are adjusted BEFORE installing. Some extremely useful information was found right here on the Ford barn that had been posted in the past by some of you very wise Model A experts.

Once I realized the mistake, had to walk away for day or two to digest possible remedies. Pulling the trans back out probably seems like a no-brainer, but working alone it had been a challenge getting it in and was looking to avoid pulling and reinstalling.

I decided to try and work thru the bell housing inspection hole, attempt to un-stake the coil spring nuts and adjust them in place. Using all the collective wisdom found here and elsewhere, I first made a finger depth measuring tool and attached a long zip tie. This came in handy as it did fall down into the bell housing at least once. I also used a sharpy and numbered each finger and pivot on the pressure plate cover.

The first measurement showed the fingers were showing a depth (from the outer or rear surface of the pressure plate assembly) of 7/8". The acceptable range is 5/8" to 3/4" with 11/16" considered optimal. So I marked the measuring tool (really just a lathe bit) at the beginning depth as well as the ideal depth.

Un-staking the nuts was really the hardest part of the job. Some came easy and some very hard. Once the nuts were un-staked, holding the slotted end of the spring adjusting rod with a screw driver and turning the nut (turning the nuts clockwise moves the fingers outward, toward the throw-out bearing) was not working, ended up taking a small pair of needle nose vice grips and grinding them on the sides of the jaws until they would fit in between the coils of the external finger spring and grip it tightly enough to adjust the nut.

It is surprising how a small adjustment on the nut makes such a big difference in the finger height. Went thru the measuring and adjustment process twice and also carefully watched the throw out bearing and ensured the contact with the fingers was occurring simultaneously. Not as exact as a dial indicator, but it appears to have worked. The whole process took about 2.5 hours.

Hoping to finish connecting the drive line components in the next day or so and seeing how the clutch operates.

Will I ever forget to pre-adjust a Model A clutch before installing? Not bloody likely!

Attached pics show the tool and a blurry before image and a much better after image.