my brother called me this morning from Colorado(I'm in Ohio), he has a old 460 dumptruck that threw a rod a couple years ago, just put a good running 360 FE with bellhousing/fork(no clutch) someone gave him - he got a FE clutch/pressure plate, fabbed a new mechanical clutch linkage, to replace the hydraulic one, got the mounts/everything in- said it was a bear- but the clutch wont disengage...he wont touch a computer, so suggesting he get on some forums was to no avail- thought I'd ask in his place

he said he can see the pressure plate back off the friction surface when the clutch it pushed, but its still driving/wont disengage, so I told him I think he's just got the wrong clutch disk/flywheel clearance, but guessing a hodgepodge of parts over the phone is not very effective
He did say the pressure plate he bought was the type with the 'fingers' all the way around- I'd always thought most truck applications were the 3 armed 'long' or 'borg-beck' style pressure plates?


Anyways, wondered if anyone out there has done a similar swap and if they might have a part number or even just application year/model that might have came with a mechanical linkage/360 so he can see what the right clutch should be for that flywheel... sorry- know its not much info, but figured there should only be one or two truck applications for a manual transmission/360 over the years...also, a general FE question- did the 352/360/361/390/427/428 use different flywheels? I would assume so, just wondered if any others might share the same diameter/balance in searching for alternate clutch availability...

thanks in advance for any info
Tim

 

Can`t be of much help but if I had to guess, I would say that he has the friction disc in the wrong way round.
Sounds like he has a diaphram type pressure plate.

 

shoulda stated, that was first thing I told him, as back in highschool, a buddy did that, jamming the springs against the flywheel- but he said it would only fit the pressure plate one way- actually that sounded kinda odd too, as usually the center hole on the PP is the ID of the lining...
told him in any event, the clutch has to come out- I really think he just got the wrong clutch for it and the center hub/spring dampers are too thick dragging on the center of the flywheel... are diaphragm(thanks- I couldnt remember what that style was called) PPs common on trucks? I'd always thought the heavier clutches were the 3 fingered ones...

Anyway- another stupid question from someone thats never had a 4WD - on a 4x4, isnt it always easier to pull the xfer case off before pulling the tranny? and isnt just another gasket and some oil all thats needed to put it back? he's trying to get a tranny jack, but I remember a buddy who pulled his intact, had a heavy/wobbly/ungainly thing to deal with- took several guys to help reinstall it IIRC...seemed to me slipping the transfer case off, then pulling the tranny would be a lot less awkward- with or without a jack...

thanks for the reply!

 

I would ask this question in the FE engine forum, down stairs.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum51/

Or the Clutch, Transmission & Drivetrain forum.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum69/

Me, I've changed my clutch a few times by just taking both sticks off, sliding it to the rear and hanging it (the tranny/transfercase together) on the transmission crossmember.
Lots easier than taking it down and then putting it back up.
You don't really need more than 10" to access the clutch & flywheel.

 

If he can do what Ard says that would be the best bet. If he wants to remove the transfer case, just undo the circle of bolts and slide it off of the trans. Only a little fluid will be lost.
Wouldn`t worry about the diaphram type pressure plate assuming it is the right one.
Make sure that he has about 11/2 inches of free play at the clutch pedal, much more and depending on his linkage, the throwout lever may not be moving far enough.

 

thanks- just called him back- he got it apart, looks like the wrong disc, springs on engine side stick up about 1/8 more than the old disc(he did have the original disc there)... so tomorrow hes gonna put it back together- after taking the original clutch to the parts store to match up the disc

he got it out by slipping off the transfer case for clearance and sliding the tranny/crossmember straight back, said it was pretty easy

thanks again