Clutch adjustment

[CP]

Hello again,

Im leaving on a long trip in a couple weeks. been having clutch prolems. if i stop at a light and put in nuetral....then depress clutch....it grinds like heck getting into 1st, second, or third.

put in a new disk and pressure plate.

if i adust lever on the tranny too much out....then i have no top play in the pedal. if i get the 1" of play at the pedal...i think its not releasing enough and causing the grinding of the gears...

new throwout bearing. i noticed the spring that attaches to the throwout bearing housing is larger (diameter) than the spring on another tranny i have. its not the original spring.

could i have installed anything wrong? wrong spring, throwout bearing backwards?

its the original 35 tranny with a new 59 block.

seems to me that the pedal does not have enough "throw" to properly depress and release pressure plate.

depressing the pedal only moved the forks an inch or so.

anyone for ideas?

it almost sounds like something is spinning while in nuetral.

figured id ask you guys for your thoughts. thanks cp

[TomO]

Check for play in the clutch lever( 48-7524), Clutch pedal bushing and the cross shaft in the transmission. The cross shaft bushings and cross shaft should be replaced with every clutch replacement.

[ole_Bill]

Man, you described my problem I have to a T. If the clutch is adjusted so it will release completely, then I get a whurring noise that I assume is the throwout bearing spinning in neutral. If I adjust to get 1" of top play in the pedal, then the clutch won't disengage. After looking the problem over I'm convinced TomO is correct: my clutch pedal bushing is worn out. Still haven't decided what to do about it tho.

[Mac VP]

There are a couple other factors in the "slop" of the linkage. Each pin, clevis, etc that is part of the total connections between your foot and the throw-out bearing can add to the lack of correct movement when depressing the pedal.

Check the rod (7521) between the pedal assy and the clutch arm (7511). Look for worn pins at each end. Then check the arm and how it's pinned to the clutch release shaft (7510). This pin should be a solid pin, swedged in place. Lastly, the pin that holds the release fork (7515) to the shaft (7510) can also be loose. Ford swedged this pin too, but on rebuilds it's really not possible to recreate the hammer action that peens this pin too. We use the correct replacement pin, but we drill it for a cotter pin to hold it in place.

This picture shows the general arrangement of the 32-39 type clutch linkage. The 7511 arm varied year by year to match the clutch pedal assy for the designed release movement for that model.

You could also have a worn shaft & bushings at the point where the clutch pedal is fitted to the clutch/brake bracket assy.

If anyone changed your clutch arm (7511) at some point to a different length than the one Ford originally put on your model, it could change the geometry of the linkage to the point that things did not move far enough to properly release the clutch

Last (but not least) did you replace the clutch with a Ford 9" or 10" Long style clutch? If you for some reason used the 9.5" clutch, the release fingers and the throw-out bearing will not mate properly.

[ford1]

another major problem is the china clutches, they are to thick and wont let the pressure plate realese the clutch enought to let you shift with out grinding gears

[CP]

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I GOT NO REPLIES......that must mean i asked a really dumb question...

never the less. Ill try one more time.

If it matter.....the clutch seams to only have a problem when its HOT.

It seams to grind only after running to normal operating temp.

Hopefully, someone will have an idea?

thanks again. and if i get no reply, i guess i will drop back 10 and punt.


cp

[CP]

something must be wrong with my computor...after posting my "no response"...i saw that i got some feedback. i'll need to digest a bit...

thank you for the response. i will probably be call mac v for parts by the sound of it.

cp

[52merc]

well ive had to heat the clutch arm back about 3/4 then i got great clutch

[37fordpickup]

Mac VP- I have replaced the shafts and bushings my pedal assembly. The only parts I can't find are the 2 pins that were swedged in originaly. I like the idea of frilling and using cotter keys. Any sources for the pins would appreciated.

[email protected]

[FRANK PKNY]

Drill it out and use roll pins.

[40cpe]

Originally Posted by CP

I GOT NO REPLIES......that must mean i

If it matter.....the clutch seams to only have a problem when its HOT.

It seams to grind only after running to normal operating temp.

cp

That could be because the grease in the transmission thins out as it wams up and reduces the drag on the gears, allowing the clutch to keep the shafts spinning.

[Mac VP]

We have the pins in stock.....

[G.M.]

I have found a lot of flathead clutches are SHORT on adjustment due to the clutch pedal arm hitting the wood floor. Almost every 39 I have had this problem plus others I looked at. This makes the range of operation confined to a smaller stroke and very hard to adjust and never gets full movement of the pressure plate. Some just removeing the rubber bumper worked but most I had to cut some of the wood where the pedal is bent to almost a 90. I cut a slot in the wood with a ruff cutting tool in the air grinder. What a differance when it gets full stroke. G.M.

[JWL]

I would have assumed all the normal wear and slack conditions would be explored before the question was posted. What has not been mentioned is that the pilot bearing can be a problem. The problem most often emerges when normal operating temperature is reached. If the pilot bearing is providing frictional torque the clutch can be completely released but the input shaft will not stop rotating.

[1931 flamingo]

Are the fingers on the p/plate adjustable?? Maybe too far away from the t/out brg??
Paul in CT

[G.M.]

I forgot to mention to check the height of the clutch pedal above the top of the floor board. Compair it with the brake pedal to see if it is restricted underneath by the bottom of the floorboard. G.M.

[Hoop]

"if i stop at a light and put in nuetral....then depress clutch....it grinds like heck getting into 1st, second, or third."


"It seams to grind only after running to normal operating temp."

You might explain your technique a little better. Are you saying that you sit at a red light in Neutral with the clutch out ... and then depress the clutch and shift into gear?

... and that you have a stock 1935 transmission with the stock original synchros?

I've probably missed something, BUT if it were mine, I'd first try some straight 140 gear oil .. aspirin before brain surgery.

Then, I would not allow it to idle in Neutral. Come to a complete stop with the with the car in gear and the clutch depressed. Then, shift into 1st and sit there with the clutch in.

I apologize if you already know how to keep from grinding into low at a stop light ... but combined with thin oil and old early sychros, as I said, check the easy stuff first.

And you MAY have other problems, plenty of time to pull the transmission out.

[CP]

appreciate all responses. want to just respond back.

i dont typically put the car in neutral at a stoplight. It was a just a way of explaining how if feels that the clutch isnt releasing enough. typically (old clutch and engine), if i was starting from neutral, i could go into second and then it would go into first easy. since putting in the new clutch,....i cant get the thing into 3rd with the clutch depressed (without grinding "bad" of coarse) ....It is also very sparatic. (when cold) everthing works great. i think i have a combination of all your responses.... i will try some 140 oil. I was using 180. I will also check the pilot bearing. to be honest, I replaced everything "but" the pilot bearing. I believe i have a bushing and not a bearing type, but anyway i will check. i have the two pc oil pan so pulling the clutch is not too bad. I also definately hit the floorboard on the release of the clutch. It always hit the floor and i had no problem with the previous clutch but i will see if i can tweak a little. as far as the finger being adjustable? that im not sure and dont remember but if they are, that would help alot since i dont have much room (thread length) for adjustment. i ve been driving it around for a while now and think its working fine, i just have to see how it does when it gets hot. the day i had the biggest problem it was about 95 degrees outside and i was pouring cold water on my feet to keep them cool. It was really hot and i forgot my boots. what i dont know for sure is what type of gears i have. i replace the engine and never touched the transmission. I should have done a little inspection first but i was too excited to get the car back on the road......i drove the car 1200 miles since replacing the clutch and this problem has just started occuring often enough to require a remedy. again thank you all. when i find a definative solution (or combination), i will let you all know.

cp

[CP]

i meant 80 wt oil.

[35 coupe]

maybe the problem is not the clutch, but the flywheel, it may have a high spot and the heat from the motor expands it to cause your problem.