1930 Model A Clutch

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I'm in Key West with my Model A Cab and have a clutch problem. The clutch goes all the way to the floor without disengaging the clutch. I've adjusted the trunion that attaches the clutch pedal to the clutch arm, but no joy.

I took the clutch inspection plate off and pressing the clutch pedal moves the throwout bearing but the bearing is about an inch from the pressure plate fingers, so pressing the clutch pedal all the way down barely touches the fingers.

What do you suggest? I suspect the pressure plate is locked forward somehow.

I've found a mechanic through MAFCA in Miami, though that will mean flat-bedding the model a for 3 hours.

Im not really equipped for a major repair here.

[larrys40]

It sounds like your clutch release arm may have broken, pin on arm or possible fork ( which would be highly unusual. If it's the clutch arm that is totally fixable from outside of the car. Look at the arm with relation to the shaft and see if it is turning or the arm is split. You can obtain a new arm and pin and fix it where you are at. From your description my bet is on that. Check that out and post an update.
Larry Shepard

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Thanks for quick reply Larry; got back under car and when clutch is depressed the arm turns and the throw out bearing moves forward; it just doesn't contact the '"fingers"; the throw out bearing does move about two inches but it's not contacting anything

[Bob C]

Two inches is quite a bit. I would try moving the fork forward with
a bar or screw driver and see if it moves without moving the clutch
pedal indicating a broken pin in the fork.

Bob

[Tom Wesenberg]

Take a picture of your throwout bearing and clutch fingers, so we can see the problem. It sounds like your finger are way too far forward, as though the lining came loose and doubled up, or a disc spring came out of place and jammed things up.

The contact spot on the fingers should be about 11/16" from the rear lip of the pressure plate opening. You can eyeball this distance to see if the fingers are too far forward.

[larrys40]

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Im with tom checking the fingers and it can definitely be a problem but it wouldn't have just come up without replacing a clutch or pressure plate . I thought this was something that just shows up ? Was this an operating car before the problem ?

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Attached are pics of the throwout bearing, one with no pressure on the clutch and the second with the clutch all the way to the floor. The throwout bearing moves about two inches (maybe a little less) but doesn't put any pressure on the fingers.

both pics are identical; next post contains pic of clutch not pressed

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this is another picture with the clutch pedal not pressed.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Was the clutch stuck to the flywheel and/or pressure plate recently? By all the cob webs I'm thinking it may have been stuck, and when it tore loose some material has doubled up. Something is holding the pressure plate fingers forward, so the pressure plate needs to be removed.

As Larry asked, exactly what led up to this?

Just had another thought.........maybe that's clutch material, and not cob webs.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Was the clutch stuck to the flywheel and/or pressure plate recently? By all the cob webs I'm thinking it may have been stuck, and when it tore loose some material has doubled up. Something is holding the pressure plate fingers forward, so the pressure plate needs to be removed.

As Larry asked, exactly what led up to this?

Just had another thought.........maybe that's clutch material, and not cob webs.

Tom I was thinking the same thing about the cob webs.... Maybe it's clutch material
I call that a birds nest
The pic resolution lights them up

[larrys40]

When was this last ran with a working clutch? Hub looks Aweful dirty and greasy ???
If your not into working on it there you might be better off taking it to the "A" mechanic in Miami . Get a trailer and haul it there . I've been to key west . Your right ... Probably no one there to be of help .
I work on them but am way to far away for you .
Looks like it will need extensive work more than is solvable on the forum
Larry

[Bob C]

I wonder where all that grease came from.

Bob

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The car was restored by an old fellow up north and he seems to have been conscientious; I've been driving the car for nearly a year and it's driven three to four times a week.
The car was shifting normally and clutch appeared perfectly functional and then one shift it wasn't. The throwout bearing has a grease nipple so I assume the grease is from that; as for the cobwebs who knows but more like some kind of clutch plate material, I can't imagine there would be much food for a spider inside a clutch housing.

[roblesterjr04]

Either the pressure plate hast gone foul, or you adjusted the free play in the wrong direction.

Can you reach in there with a hooked tool and pull back on the pressure plate fingers? Theoretically they should be sprung toward you when the pressure is off the clutch.

My thought is if they move forward and back freely when you reach in and pull them, then the plate is fouled and you'll need to replace it.

The finger is a lever that sits against a fulcrum, and if the fulcrum broke, loosened, or otherwise changed in any way, then the fingers can't push against it to pull the plate away from the disk.

[Patrick L.]

There sure seems to be a finger problem from the last picture.

I sure wouldn't want to have to change a clutch along the curb on Roosevelt Ave. I don't know anyone in Key West I would trust to do a job like that. There is a fella in that town that lives on the north end of 17th St [ I can't remember his name [ Bob ?] and its easy to find his house as it has a Model A painted on his garage door].
If I was still in town I would be glad to help out, sorry.

[700rpm]

I think Rob Lester has the right answer. At least, that's the first thing I would look at, because it's the simplest.

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i want to thank all who responded - what a great community.

[Tom Wesenberg]

OK, time to regroup and have another look. I just reread your first post, and it sounds like you adjusted the trunnion before checking for the problem. It also looks like you adjusted the trunnion towards the end of the threads, instead of shortening the threads.

I would readjust the clutch rod to shorten the threads, which should move the throwout bearing toward the clutch arms. Turn the adjustment until the bearing is just about to touch the arms, then have someone push the clutch pedal to the floor and see if you don't have a cracked arm on the shaft, or a sheared pin. This could turn out to be an easy fix.

While on tour a guy's clutch arm cracked and he was able to clamp it tight with a curved jaw Vice Grip and make it back home.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Here's a picture of me adjusting the last pressure plate I installed for a club member. This pressure plate came from Little Dearborn in Minneaoplis and was very easy to adjust because they use self locking nuts. I've seen the adjustment listed as anything from 5/8 to 3/4". I used 11/16", but the main thing is that all 6 fingers are even.

Looking at this picture, and looking at your green pressure plate, it looks like your fingers could also be OK, and that's why I suggested readjusting the linkage and have someone step on the pedal while you are under the car looking for a cracked arm, or sheared pin.

Any update?

[Patrick L.]

It still looks to me from the last picture that he has a problem with the top finger.

But, maybe I'm looking at it wrong.