NV3550 Hydraulic Clutch Installation

[Dbteak]

Driving around town and off road and using the clutch a lot is killing my hip so I decided to convert my standard clutch linkage to a hydraulic set up. The stock clutch has always had a heavy pedal. I am running a 4bt with the standard ford cast iron bell housing, AA conversion plate and a NV3550 transmission.

I started by pulling everything out and found that the tab on the bellhousing broke off at some point. That probably contributed to the heavy clutch but I have had the clutch out since the build so I don't know when it broke.

The clutch now is smooth as butter and about a quarter of the effort to operate the clutch.

 

[Dbteak]

Decided to get the flywheel resurfaced and installed a new pressure plate and clutch disc.
I decided to use a Mcleod 1400-30 since I am already using one of their hydraulic throwout bearing in my mustang with no issues. Looking at their specs and taking measurements they said I could not use this bearing because the measurement from the bell housing to the clutch fingers were less than 3". I was like 2.8". It works fine. I and not quite sure what that measurement means because I had to use the spacer and unscrew the bearing out about 3/4 to get the correct measurements.

 

[Dbteak]

Now to the master cylinder. I used a Wilwood master cylinder with the integral reservoir for the space savings. The part number is 260-6579. It is a .7" diameter bore because that is what Summit had in stock. Looking back I would have used the .75" bore. I drilled the 1 3/8" hole so I lined up a little inward of the clutch pedal. Once installed a strait shot to the clutch pedal I needed a hole about an 1 1/2 down from the center line of the pivot point. That put the hole about center of the piece that is welded on for the stock linkage. Well that did not give enough fluid to actuate the bearing far enough to disengage the clutch.

 

[Dbteak]

Drilling holes with the pedal assembly installed took a little ingenuity. I used a Mikita angle drill driver and cut down the drill bits so that the overall lenth was not over 4". I also needed to remove the steering column.

 

[Dbteak]

So the original plan did not work and lowering the rod attachment another inch would cause the rod in the master cylinder to bind because of the increased angle. I also could not tilt the master cylinder back because then I could not get the lid off of the master cylinder. So I bought a contraption from Modern Driveline so I could reverse engeneer it make it work for a bronco. I drilled another hole about an inch lower than the other hole and mounted everything and it work perfect. I plan on using the contraption for my mustang since mu mustang also has a heavy clutch pedal.
I started with a 2"x2" aluminum block that I drilled with a 1 3/8" hole and then build a base with the same size hole and bolt pattern as the master cylinder. The base has offset holes so it moves the arm off a little. The base is 3/16" and the arm is 1/4. All the hardware I bought from McMaster-Carr. I forgot to take picture of my homemade linkage but the arm is pretty much strait because the way the mustang attaches is from a high angle and the bronco is pretty much strait on. The pictures are the bought linkage.

 

[Dbteak]

The line from the master cylinder is AN-4 teflon braided steel. The master cylinder is 3/8" inverted flare I assume for 3/16" brake line. I used a brake caliper adapter to go from the master cylinder to the AN-4 line and the bearing already was ready for the AN-4 line.

Here are some more pictures.

 

[markw]

DBteak that's just cool as hell.

 

[bk005]

Necessity is the mother of all invention. Great job, cleanest hyd clutch I've seen on here.