I put a new clutch in my truck a little over a year ago, and have driven about 4000 miles on that clutch. I was careful to make sure there was a little space at the top of the clutch pedal throw when I finished adjusting to try and ensure I wouldn't be burning on the throw out bearing all the time.

Now recently my truck has become just this side of impossible to shift into 1st or reverse unless the truck in shut off. I thought that perhaps I hadn't tightened the backup nut, and the clutch adjustment had had walked back, because I now have about 3/4 of the pedal motion doing nothing, and the last couple inches engaging all I get. I tried to adjust the rod out, and I am out of rod. I only have a few threads in the the adjuster, so I dare not go any further, or I could lose parts on the road.

Did I adjust the clutch wrong, and burn it up??

Is the spring supposed to go from the clutch arm to the z bar, or to something more stationary?

How can I tell if I have the right rod for a 66 F-100, 240-6 with the 3.03 3 speed on the column?

I did just completely rebuild all of the steering, so if that could effect it let me know.

I also noticed in my recent time under the truck that the cab mounts that looked solid a year ago are caving. I know this causes shifting issues. Could this be what is happening??

I know there is a bunch of info here, but I find people often remind me of the details I forgot and it has effects on their answers. So I tried to be as complete as possible.

 

1965/72 F100/350 all engines, 3/4 speed transmissions.

The clutch adjustment rod is composed of two pieces:

DOTZ-7521-C .. Release Rod-3 29/32" long.

DOTZ-7A504-A .. Rod Extension-2 27/32' long.

The rod attaches to the Z bar. The extension slides over the threads of the rod, its pointed end fits to the clutch fork. The rod is double nutted, loosening/tightening the nuts adjusts the clutch.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the pedal to the Z bar is the clutch release rod (C5TZ-7521-B 18 7/8" long-1965/66 F100/250 2WD), has 90 ends which use nylon bushings (COAZ-7526-B).

The bushings crack apart, fall off. The 90 degree ends begin to bend, then crack, then snap off. The rod is obsolete, no one repro's it, NOS or good used is as hard to find as Jimmy Hoffa.

So, you want to make sure the nylon bushings are in good shape. Otherwise...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Z bar attaches to two pivots, one on the frame (C5TZ-7521-A), one on the engine side (C5TZ-7A535-A - I-6 only). On each pivot is a nylon bushing (C1AA-7543-A).

The bushings crack apart, the Z bar flops around on the pivots...eventually the studs of the pivots the bushings ride on snap off.

When you replaced the clutch, did you replace any/all of these bushings?

 

ND,

No I didn't, and I am hoping I can get away with rebuilding this section of the linkage now. It all seems to pivot well no binding and things all look straight. I will check with my local old truck parts place and order all the bushings today.

I am just confused about the pedal having about 10 inches of motion, and only having 1 inch of effect on the clutch.

Should the spring be attached from the z bar to the clutch fork? or should it be attached to something more solid so as to force a pedal return?

 

Parts catalog pic does not show where the return spring attaches once it leaves the fork. I seem to recall that on my '65 (352 w/3 OD), that it attached to a hole in the frame rail forward of the pivot.

Hopefully, someone will chime that still has a truck...they can look at.

 

On a 65 4x4 there is a bracket attached to the pivot bracket bolts on the frame. This is a braket that extends on an angle towards the motor just ahead of the steering box. The spring on this truck attaches there. I see that in my cheap chiltons 65-84 pickups it looks like most go from the fork to the frame in some fashion depending on the lenght of the spring. Hope this helps.

 

HeyBuzz, do you have a pic of the spring\bracket as it attaches to the frame? Hey Broom, When I replaced the clutch behind my 240 -6 , I had to do some major thread rod adjusting due to the previous clutch being worn out. Did you do a lot of initial rod adjustment?

 

I replaced everything, the Clutch the Pressure Plate, and the Flywheel,(Also the Throwout Bearing) So I didn't get much adjustment at first, but now the rod is all the way out.

 

99hosss this is only pic I have of the attach point for the fork tension spring mounting point. If you look just about center of the pic towards the top you will see the steering gear box. It looks like a flat piece of metal running in front of it. If you need a better pic of how it attaches I can get one and post it for you after the weekend as I wont have any time until then. It mounts under the top frame rail and to the front bolt for the mounting bracket for the pivot for the clutch adj rod.




Hope this helps let me know.

 

Thanks Buzz, The pic's really helped. The spring and bracket are the only things I am missing. Hope to fab a bracket from your pic's. Hey Broom, I will send you some pic's of my current clutch fork setup w\ no miles on the replacement . Can't send attachments however , not sure why moderators are holding the "post attachments" out of my profile. If you want i'll send thru email gayle.sutton@am.jll.com

 

On mine, there is a spring that goes from the clutch fork end to a fixed metal bar near the steering gear. All it does, I think, is to prevent the adjustment rod from falling out of the clutch fork. The heavy spring under the dash is what returns the clutch pedal to the top of its travel. There is no spring (on mine) attached to the z-bar.










Underneath all that gunk is a clutch fork. (And no comments from the peanut gallery about all that gunk. I just figure it as cheap preservative until I get around to it. )



These are pictures of the clutch pedal return spring.

 

Okay, this is what I have found out. My adjusting rod is over 4 13/32 overall length. If I only measure the threads it is less than 3 inches. My Adjusting nut is 2 7/8 long. So it seems I may have the wrong adjustment rod, unless they measure from the center of the z bar pivot to the end of the threads.

In any case the only way I can see to get my clutch to disengage properly is to have a rod about 5-6 inches long.

Please as always feel free to make suggestions to the contrary. Otherwise, I will search for a longer rod or a way to extend the one I have. (Not the best plan I will grant.)

 

Well, if it worked fine for 4000 miles, what changed? The rod didn't shrink. Me thinks something else happened. Assuming everything is kosher within the bell housing, the problem has to be somewhere in the linkage from the fork to the pedal.

Crawl under the thing and have someone actuate the clutch and see if you can eyeball the problem. It might be some bushings or some other slop that only presents itself with the pressure exerted by pushing the clutch pedal in.

When you find the problem, let us know. That's how we get educated.

Good luck.

 

HGM the only thing that changed that I am aware of is that I completely rebuilt the steering, from the wheels to the steering wheel. I don't think I knocked, messed up or counter adjusted anything, but I don't know I didn't. I looked at the rods and the z bar, and the z bar seems fine even the bushings are in fair shape. I will probably replace anyway, but I don't think that is the issue. I pulled the vertical actuator rod off at both ends, and the top is very worn. I may look for a replacement on that too. I can't help but think that something I did prematurely messed up the pressure plate. I am avoiding pulling the trans to find out the answer. I will let you all know what I find out this week.

 

Bum,

I think that is all there is - 2 springs. Looks like they are both in the right places - look at the illustration:



On my '66 F100 the PO lengthened the female part of the clutch rod #7521 by substituting a 3/8" iron pipe with the end welded shut and rounded to form the part that contacts the clutch arm #7515. I tried to replace it with a genuine Ford part, but it was too short as well, so I put the longer iron pipe back on!

Clutch seems to work fine, so I haven't opened up the bellhousing to see if there is something that caused this condition.

 

Hey NumberDummy. Great post! I have a 1963 F100 I6 3 speed on the column. In your post you say: "The Z bar attaches to two pivots, one on the frame (C5TZ-7521-A), one on the engine side (C5TZ-7A535-A - I-6 only)." I need the engine side pivot. I think that it is factory attached to the bracket. My pivot is broken off at the bracket. Do you know where I can find one? Thanks