clutch issues AGAIN !!

[itsabronco]

I had a post awhile back about my clutch shuddering very bad on taking off. Came to conclusion it was a warped flywheel, brand new out of the box. I will never install another flywheel without having it turned first, or at least checked.

Ok, that problem solved. New issue is, I lost all of my pedal as if it has a hydraulic clutch on it and there was a leak and it ran out of fluid. Each press of the pedal, I had less and less pedal, till eventually, I had to shut it off, put it in gear, and restart it, shifting like an 18 wheeler to get her home off of the trail.

I checked all the linkage, its all intact, there is no slippage of clutch, still very strong. WTF??? The part that is suspect to me is the clutch fork or throw out bearing fork, what ever you call it, is cracked or something.

Will the fork come out of the bell housing without removing trans??????? Please someone tell me
"YES IT WILL". and be serious about it ! It does seem as if it is flexing and not depressing the pressure plate all the way. Have not had time to dig farther yet.. What do you think ? ? ? ?

 

[patterdale]

You can also have bad slave a master cylinder that just leaks by. We had a passle of them when Ford first came out with hydraulic clutches on pickups back in the 80's.

 

[trailpsycho]

I had a post awhile back about my clutch shuddering very bad on taking off. Came to conclusion it was a warped flywheel, brand new out of the box. I will never install another flywheel without having it turned first, or at least checked.

Ok, that problem solved. New issue is, I lost all of my pedal as if it has a hydraulic clutch on it and there was a leak and it ran out of fluid. Each press of the pedal, I had less and less pedal, till eventually, I had to shut it off, put it in gear, and restart it, shifting like an 18 wheeler to get her home off of the trail.

I checked all the linkage, its all intact, there is no slippage of clutch, still very strong. WTF??? The part that is suspect to me is the clutch fork or throw out bearing fork, what ever you call it, is cracked or something.

Will the fork come out of the bell housing without removing trans??????? Please someone tell me
"YES IT WILL". and be serious about it ! It does seem as if it is flexing and not depressing the pressure plate all the way. Have not had time to dig farther yet.. What do you think ? ? ? ?

OK, back up. Its unclear what setup you are running. First off, do you have the original mechanical linkage or a hydraulic setup. If you have a hydraulic, is it stock Ford parts or aftermarket parts. I ask this b/c it will make a difference if you have the integrated slave VS an external slave...as to where to check. Either an external slave or a mechanical linkage have adjustments. The clutch may feel like its moving, but its engagement may not be where it needs to be relative to throw of the pedal vs the engagement of the pressure plate.

A little more info and we can probably get you on the right track. A mis adjusted clutch will act as if there is no clutch at all...b/c its not actually doing anything useful.

Assuming a hydraulic setup, I would guess that have you have verified both slave and master for fluid/ leaks...

Let us know...

 

[broncobilly72]

No you have to pull the tranny to get to the throwout bearing which clips on to the fork, if that is the problem. SORRY!

 

[armynavy17]

You are able to take the fork out without messing with tranny. You may have to remove some of the linkage but thats easier than the tranny. If you need to get the throwout bearing out, you will have to drop the tranny.

 

[DirtDonk]

And if you've made other mods, like body lifts, that will greatly effect the adjustment if you haven't also lengthened the pedal rod.

However, it sounds to me like your clutch fork pivot bracket busted out of it's rivets.
Damn. If that's it, and you just got through pulling the bell housing to put in a newly resurfaced flywheel, that would suck. It would also be par for the course with these older rigs.

Factory rivets were not one of Ford's better ideas. They hold nice for years, but have this tendency to fatigue after so many cycles. Chevy's too, but at least the aftermarket came to the rescue with some honkin' big studs for their single ball-pivot, as opposed to our little square-window bracket with zero clearance leeway on the attachments.
Seems to me though, that using a counter-sunk screw, with a low-profile nut would do the job. Maybe not though. Those rivets are beefy and low-profile.

First off though, check to make sure that your pedal rod didn't just end up stretching out and breaking off like mine did. Your symptoms sound more like the pivot, but hey, if it's the rod, you DON'T want to be taking the trans off again!

Good luck.

Pau

 

[itsabronco]

i have not had a chance to look at it yet. been too dang busy. It is a mechanical clutch. Sorry for the confusion of hyd. or mechanical. I just used the hyd. reference to describe how it failed. I will be getting back with results soon...

 

[red hot71]

Something to think about is that the oringal preasure plate was a 3-finger type,but in the last 5-10 years diaphram preasure plates have really caught on,as good of preasure on the disc as a 3 finger but less petal preasure. Every one I've done say 3-finger to diaphram you always had to compansate,in a chevy there a short and a tall throw-out bearing about 3/8" differents.3-finger used a short bearing,diaphram long, ford doesn't have that option,what I've done is put a spacer under the pivot point of the fork,drill out the rivets using counter sunk allens grade-8 and lock nuts and moved the fork forward into its designed working range(diaphrams have a thinner installed height).Lenthing the rods will not do it.What I hear sounds like what I 've experenced in the past,having replaced the flywheel (because it was to thin and or stressed cracking)maybe a new clutch combo diaphram preasure plate included,and yes the trans and bell have to be removed.

 

[itsabronco]

I did some examining tonight. it seems as if the pressure plate will not depress as if to disengage the clutch. Im putting so much force on it, the body is flexing and you can see it at the mount right under the drivers fenderwell. Moving up and down. Is it frickin' possible for a spring in the plate to break causing it to not to be able to depress?

 

[tasker]

i think the body is flexing and not engaging the fork all the way. I had a scout that did the same thing. I ended up putting a block between the body and the frame so it would stay in one spot and not flex...your stepping on the clutch and it's raising the body ever so much and won't engage.. (plow/yard truck only)

 

[itsabronco]

im putting alot of pressure on the clutch pedal though. more than i know is neccessary.

 

[itsabronco]

narrowing it down. Everything is as it should be up into the point of REMOVING THE TRANS AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!. heres whats happenin. the throw out bearing was maybe a quarter inch away from the fingers on the pressure plate. Nothing has moved, bent, cracked, tweaked, or what ever as far as I can see.

So how in the H#LL does the adjustment get out of whack? I cant see the pressure plate but what is happening is, a spring or more than one has broke or came loose and it is binding the action of the pressure plate or something is causing it to stick where its at. it will not compress nor come back out to the fully engaged clutch position.

This is the only thing it can be and I have talked with a buddy that has been into the trans business for a TON of years and he has seen the exact same thing before, as i describe it. i will be tearing into it this weekend and I will have pics to post.

By the way, if it is what I think, NAPA is fired from my place to get parts.!!!

 

[GrillMaster]

how did it go?

 

[itsabronco]

Man I forgot to update on this one. SORRY !!%) The problem which I was almost certain was a locked up pressure plate somehow was, the clutch fork pivot that is riveted onto the bell housing was cracked and it was just flexing when I pushed on the clutch. I think i also posted some pics somewhere of it. Maybe i started more than one thread?? Its possible.

 

[John Marinan]

I'm about to put in a new trans clutch etc. Please let us know what you do to strengthen that pivot, it would greatly appreciated.
Thanks
John Marinan

 

[DirtDonk]

It's actually a common break point. I've never tried to beef one up (though I should have by now) but I've replaced quite a few over the years.
First one I had go out was on my own daily-driver Bronco and the clutch just started going out of adjustment slowly, then more rapidly until one day, snap!
New one from Ford in a box with two rivets fixed it.

Made me miss the simple ball-and-socket type that GM uses.

Just did another one where the bracket thingy was not cracked, but the rivets were working loose. I think LMC had a kit with the special rivets needed.
Probably something we should carry...

Maybe whenever you have one apart, you should grab it with pliers and try to move it back and forth. Should be dead solid to the bellhousing. If it moves, replace it.

Paul

 

[red hot71]

Just go buy counter sunk allen bolts (grade 8),they have the same head shape as the rivits, and use nylok nuts size to fit.

 

[itsabronco]

You can maybe weld a tiny gussett (how ever its spelled) on it. I didnt strengthen mine, but guess what ? Im gonna pull the dang trans again anyways !! I have a "made in china" clutch in mine and it shutters really bad when everything is up to operating temps after a half hour of driving or so. oh well. get what you pay for...%) im getting pretty fast at pulling the trans though !! about an hour and its on the ground. Cant even drink 2 beers !

 

[DirtDonk]

Just go buy counter sunk allen bolts (grade 8),they have the same head shape as the rivits, and use nylok nuts size to fit.

Pretty sure they would have to be super low profile nuts, but yeah, if there's clearance, go the nut route and see how it works. Never tried it myself, so don't know if the fork clips will clear the nuts or not.

You tried it yet?

Paul

 

[broncnaz]

They clear just fine thats how I fixed mine when the rivets let loose. I didnt even pull my tranny at the time it happened. I just ground down the head of one of the bolts so it could be installed. later on when I needed to change the clutch I replaced it with a unground bolt.