Seeking to learn

[adileo]

Hi folks

I’ve done a lot of searching and reading barn posts, but I still don’t understand.

Regarding clutch free play. Why is the 1” to 1.38” advised? My truck probably has 3” maybe 4” play. It doesn’t grind and shifts smooth. I did the Van Plet test:

Van Pelt Quote: Do the clutch test....engine idling, trans in neutral, clutch pedal up. Push clutch all the way to the floorboard and count to 20 slowly. Then carefully try to shift into first gear. If you get ANY gear crunch, the clutch is not adjusted correctly and is still spinning the trans gears.

I get no crunch with 3 to 4 inch of play.

So why should I be concerned about the free play? As I understand it if you reduce free play too much you will do more harm than good.

[19Fordy]

I may be wrong but I adjust free play by pushing the clutch pedal down with my fingers until I get the smallest distance when I feel the throwout bearing just hit the pressure plate fingers.

[Mart]

As the clutch wears the free play diminishes. If you have no free play you might get to a point where the clutch will start to slip.

On the other hand, there is a possibility that you will not have enough travel and an incomplete release of the clutch if you have too much free play. In your case, even with a higher than normal amount of free play, you still have complete and clean release of the clutch.

So great. All is well. Too much free play is fine if the clutch releases ok. Having too little is where it becomes a problem.

Mart.

[cas3]

if you have that much play and all is well, then perhaps the lever on the transmission is not the correct one. but...if it works, dont fix it!

[V8COOPMAN]

Three to four inches of free play? Are you sure about that? That pedal probably doesn't have much more than 6" of travel, TOTAL! I don't know too much, but being OK with 3-4" FP is almost akin to being OK with having to move the steering wheel 3-4" before the vehicle begins to turn. If you set it up correctly (1" to 1-3/8"), you won't need to push the pedal as far down to perform smooth shifts. But again....what do I know? DD

[adileo]

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Originally Posted by Mart

As the clutch wears the free play diminishes. If you have no free play you might get to a point where the clutch will start to slip.

On the other hand, there is a possibility that you will not have enough travel and an incomplete release of the clutch if you have too much free play. In your case, even with a higher than normal amount of free play, you still have complete and clean release of the clutch.

So great. All is well. Too much free play is fine if the clutch releases ok. Having too little is where it becomes a problem.

Mart.

Thanks guys, Mart’s response fits and now I understand.

[skidmarks]

A lot of free play in ford trucks from 1940 to 1952 can be from the pivot ball worn or the half moon bushinngs broke Or missing. Worn pins and eyes and then bad bushings / shaft in the transmission case , all of that added up can cause a bad adjustment or too much freeplay before the clutch begins to release. The pedal moves way more then the fork inside the case

[George/Maine]

My 47 coupe engages low ,my guess if you have a newer Pressure Plate the fingers work faster so takes less to disengage . Did you replace PPlate.

[adileo]

Honestly don’t know about the pressure play. Bought the truck about 15 months ago and never touched the clutch.

As I mentioned the truck shifts fine and even seems to engage quicker than my car. So I like the advise not broke don’t fix.

Thanks again.

[Mart]

A lot of free play but normal release action might indicate the pedal is higher than normal in it's up position. Does the pedal seem abnormally high?

Mart.

[adileo]

It’s even with the brake and spring is attached

[justpassinthru]

The Van Pelt test really says to release the clutch and count to 20 slowly?
So is that like 20 seconds?


That seems like an awful lot of time to wait to get the clutch disc to stop turning and not get gear clash.


Generally in our shop when we install clutches we will disengage the clutch and count 1001,1002,1003 slowly (roughly 3-5 seconds). If there is no gear clash in reverse, the clutch is completely disengaging. Granted this is in more modern vehicles that have syncro forward gears and a non syncro reverse but the same principle still applies.


Bill

[Mac VP]

I always suggested counting to 20......some people count quickly, and the purpose of a count is simply to assure yourself that the transmission gears had more than enough time to come to a stop.

Ford 3 speed transmissions up through 1962 did not have a synchronizer for first or reverse gears. So you can use either position to try the test. From 1963 on, the Ford Standard transmissions have a synchronizer for 1st gear, so you would have to use only reverse gear for the test.

[petehoovie]

adileo - Here's another thought. Does your truck have the rubber pedal bumpers installed in the the floorboards? If they are present, are they worn or flattened? These bumpers are quite thick and do affect pedal free play....

[adileo]

Pete thanks but no bumpers.

Van Pelt test good I’m good

[George/Maine]

There is one thing that stays the same the pedals and the throw-out bearing.
if you have a newer pressure plate the fingers are NOT as close to throw bearing.
And if you go from a 59a to 8ba the distance to throw-out bear will increase.
So my take is there has been some different parts or engine changed out.

[Tinker]

Correct me if I'm wrong but if you have that much freeplay all you have to do is shorten the linkage. The harmful clutch zone is about an 1" or less, or someone will tell me different no doubt. Like riding down the road with your foot on the clutch on a short throw. It's engaged or it's not. That's the sweet spot.

Spring just brings the pedal back to the floorboard stops, floorboard stop bumpers level it to the brake/clutch.

Just seems like a linkage issue.

How far do you compress the pedal till the clutch engages?

[George/Maine]

Just picture a clock 12 o'clock at rest,Throw-out bearing
stock hits PP at 11:
new PP or different engine 10"
Now down to floor 9:
You do take up play but to far from Throw-out bearing.

[Tinker]

Take the return spring off. it'll be easier to gauge by hand if your an inch or more off the throw-out bearing. if your right on it then your good in my book.