Fort Wayne clutch claims setting is correct.

[37 Coupe]

I sent my newly rebuilt pressure plate back to Fort Wayne because it was set lower,fingers to top of collar than gauge. The setting on the rebuild is over 1 1/8" and they claim that is the stteing on all the Model A pressure plates they have ever done.I don't know now what to tell them or prove what is the standard,guess I am wrong and should never have bought th .687 guage from Brattons.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

I sent my newly rebuilt pressure plate back to Fort Wayne because it was set lower,fingers to top of collar than gauge. The setting on the rebuild is over 1 1/8" and they claim that is the stteing on all the Model A pressure plates they have ever done.I don't know now what to tell them or prove what is the standard,guess I am wrong and should never have bought th .687 guage from Brattons.

And yours is the only one they've ever done, right?

[37 Coupe]

Yes,they have set up literally 1000's of them and no one has ever questioned this same dimension,very frustrating.I have searched and found post from 2012 that same problem and answer from fort Wayne. so what happens with a pressure plate set at 1 1/8" say instead of .687 like my Bratton gauge? I imagine most Model a guys just get them and install and never no that Les Andrews and others have a different tolerance.Fort wayn wants me to prove this dimension and I am embarrassed to say I had no answer than Les's book and guys on the Fordbarn and internet.I did tell them it is a general consensus though. So I guees I am getting it back as is because they say they are set up from information on their "card". I will reset myself and have to deal with staking the nuts or rather unstaking first like I did not want to.

[jw hash]

I checked the setting on a rebuilt pressure plate last month, I had two new clutch disc. one of the new disc`s was thicker then the other so when the bolted it together on the flywheel the fingers were off be 3/8" so I removed the set up and tied the thinner disc. and they pretty close to right on. so who ever put together the one disc used to thick of lining. it does not take much to throw it off. also when you have your flywheel turned they need to turn the mounting surface too. that can make a difference to.

[37 Coupe]

Originally Posted by jw hash

I checked the setting on a rebuilt pressure plate last month, I had two new clutch disc. one of the new disc`s was thicker then the other so when the bolted it together on the flywheel the fingers were off be 3/8" so I removed the set up and tied the thinner disc. and they pretty close to right on. so who ever put together the one disc used to thick of lining. it does not take much to throw it off. also when you have your flywheel turned they need to turn the mounting surface too. that can make a difference to.

I did have the flywheel resurfaced and they refaced the mounting surface also to maintain the 1 1/8" depth. I sent a NOS Genuine Ford to Fort Wayne that was .340 thick which is what they said they use for a gauge. They argue that it is set to where all their Model A pressure plate fingers are set and it is over the Ford clutch book instructions by almost 1/2 ".They say the Ford instructions are wrong and their setup instructions on the "card" they use are correct. Their setting takes away almost 1/2" of travel of clutch bearing but they maintain that they are giving it more so I am done arguing with them and I will set it up myself when they return as I sent it back to them. They claim that I am the first Model A owner to complain about this setting that they have sold thousands of,well now I know why so many Model A transmissions are grinding gears.The cluch is not disengaged enough. I only wanted my set right by them so I did not have to mess with unstaking and restacking lock nuts.I'll use Loctite.

[Dennis Pereira]

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Interesting topic I was reading the service Bulletin 296 the lever height when under spring pressure must be set with a specially designed fixture ? no specs given but goes on to say the pressure springs compensate for all wear of the friction facings . Readjustment must never be made under any circumstances . Maybe Fort Wayne has this special fixture ?

[J Franklin]

If it hasn't left their shop yet, why not just have them do a custom set to your specs. Let them do the work and stake the bolts.

[Kurt in NJ]

I have the original Ford transmission/clutch repair book

11/16---0,687 gauge is for the 1935 on "V8" 9" pressure plate, that is the setting spec for that pressure plate, and the clutch disc thickness spec is 0.340

the model A, and up to 1934 pressure plate the "gauge" setting is 0.750 ---3/4 inch, with a .340 disc or gauge plate

Some clutch rebuilding fixtures can use a different method to measure, measuring up from a place in the center, those specs won't compare to measuring off the top of the cover, The Ford specs I listed are from the top of the cover

What pressure plate do you have???

Have you measured the depth of the pressure plate surface to the disc surface on the flywheel

[37 Coupe]

The pressure plate I sent them is an original or at least an older aftermarket before China was making them. I came up with the 11/16" dimension because that is what Brattons gauge for this is ,so I figured Brattons should know if that is what they are selling to people.I don't think 5/8" like Les Andrews book states or the 3/4" that original Ford clutch book states would make much difference but when you get to over an inch like Fort Wayne sets them you have lost 3/8"- 1/"2 movement in of the fingers which means your clutch may not be disengaging as much as it should.

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

I did have the flywheel resurfaced and they refaced the mounting surface also to maintain the 1 1/8" depth. I sent a NOS Genuine Ford to Fort Wayne that was .340 thick which is what they said they use for a gauge. They argue that it is set to where all their Model A pressure plate fingers are set and it is over the Ford clutch book instructions by almost 1/2 ".They say the Ford instructions are wrong and their setup instructions on the "card" they use are correct. Their setting takes away almost 1/2" of travel of clutch bearing but they maintain that they are giving it more so I am done arguing with them and I will set it up myself when they return as I sent it back to them. They claim that I am the first Model A owner to complain about this setting that they have sold thousands of,well now I know why so many Model A transmissions are grinding gears.The cluch is not disengaged enough. I only wanted my set right by them so I did not have to mess with unstaking and restacking lock nuts.I'll use Loctite.

Ever wonder why there is an adjustment on the pedal? I have never seen a clutch assembly that didn't need any adjustment when installed new. Just part of the deal.