It got dark. I will post pic in morning. The interesting thing... Just went for some beer and it makes the noise near or soon after shift so...

 

Picture of clutch cylinder. This is a vertical view turned sideways. See the bolt going into the arm from the pressure plate? There is no bolt on the otherside. Is there supposed to be. There is another bolt further up the shaft that looks pointless in it's position. The arm from the pressure plate is sort of wiggly but not super loose.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/m...1-photo-4.html

 

I think you mean, should there be a NUT on the rear side of the pushrod coming from the slave cylinder to the clutch fork? The answer is, it isn't needed. What you do need, is a spring to return the clutch fork. Without one, you could have the fork rattling around. See the hole in the very end of the clutch fork? That is where the spring should attach, I'm almost certain. There is probably a similar place on or near the slave cylinder for the other end of the spring.

Enhanced pic...

PS a dab of grease under the big nut on the slave cylinder pushrod wouldn't hurt.

 

There is nothing forward of that hole to tie a spring to. I am assuming you are thinking something like a throttle spring. There is nothing forward around the cylinder to attach a spring unless there was at one time one fastened to the bolt.

That push rod is a bit loose and that arm moves free of the push rod. I gotta think it would be better to have a bolt in back but I have yet to find a diagram of this unit.

Something about this all being loose doesn't seem right. And here I thought it was a 51 year old truck just making noise to make noise.

If you are looking at that rod, see the bolt in front? I am wondering if the big nut should be in back and the smaller nut should be in front. I guess it would not hurt to put a bolt in back? Or does that rod need a little "play" in it?

 

Got my Vintage Ford book out... The 53-56 has a spring in the diagram on this arm.

I have a spring return under the dash for the pedal. There is a part # for the 57-60 this spring you describe though as for the release arm. I am in Rancho Cordova in the morning so I will check this out... If this is all it is then... Heh...

 

If you loosen the big nut near the clutch fork, I'm 99% sure you'll find it has a spherical face that fits into a spherical seat in the fork. You could add a nut behind the fork, I'm sure the thread is nothing special, but it can't be tight against the fork or something will break when you push on the clutch. Watch the fork while someone pushes on the pedal.

The spring I'm thinking needs to be there is not to return the pedal or slave, it's a light spring just to keep things in contact all the time (i.e., not rattling around).

 

I got the spring but there is no where to hook it unless I go all the way forward and then the clutch falls to the floor.

So... I have the right part confirmed with picture at Vintage Ford for the spring but no obvious place to hook it that doesn't pull the arm all the way forward, compressing the slave.

Thoughts?

 

Baum, there are two nuts on the slave cylinder push rod.One is the adjusting nut with one rounded side ,(as stated by Ross) to contact the release lever, plus the smaller lock nut that goes against it on the slave cylinder side.The retracting spring will hold tension on the release lever,bringing it against the rounded side of the adjusting nut,no other nut behind the release lever.

The retracting spring goes between the eye on the end of the release lever, and a small flat plate that bolts to the bottom of the frame rail about 15" or so in front of the slave cylinder.If yours is missing,you can easily fab one from some flat metal stock.

The factory manual has a good simple procedure for bleeding the clutch cylinder and making adjustments.I just did mine last night.

 

I have one about 2ft in front and when I placed it on... It pulled the rod and arm up flush to slave cylinder. The clutch pedal suddenly loose... Like a new clutch but I felt it was too much. I did not attempt to drive it or shift because it seemed like it was pulled 7 or 8 inches in.

So I removed the mount and may move it up a couple holes. (like a foot) to the bolts that hold the rubber mount.

A picture of your springnwould be awesome.

 

Sorry,but I'm computer illiterate, so I can't post photos..At the risk of nagging, if you have any old vehicle,almost the first thing you need to purchase is the factory manual.

In his reply to you, Numberdummy stated the length of the spring, I believe you have yours? Hook it to hole on the end of the clutch release lever,stretch it forward and towards the left frame rail.It should not be too stretched out, but still taut.Look for a hole close by when it's at its' limit.Do you have the flat plate?Attach it to bottom frame,hook the other end of spring in the hole on the end of it.

In your photo,the smaller nut on the slave cylinder shaft should be tight against the larger nut.But there's a bleeding and adjustment procedure to go through.Again, it's in the manual.

 

For closure on this...

Moved z bracket back to screw that bolts rubber stopper above leaf spring. New Clutch Spring is exactly as long as this point to loop around both the clutch arm and mount. Perfect tension...

Clanking sound went away... Truck sounds great at 40 mph now!