78 F250 4-speed. This just happened, so I haven't even dealt with it yet & it's too late in the day right now anyway. The last few times I drove it the clutch pedal would return not quite all the way back up. Tonight the clutch pedal "felt" like it was only traveling half as far as usual before it touched the floor, just not quite right. Got down the street a bit and shifted into third and I hear a whoomp--clutch pedal is smack hard against the floor, won't return up at all. So I swung around a few blocks to get back home, keeping it in third.

OK, the big spring that pushes the clutch pedal down is working. I can pull the pedal up by hand and it stays, but any push on it at all and the spring sends it slamming back down into the floorboard ... the pedal isn't being returned to the upright position. Any idea what the problem is, so I can work on it tomorrow?

 

Look underneath and make sure your linkage to the clutch didnt break or fall out, specifically part #14 or 15 on the lower part of this page: http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fc/full.aspx?Page=46

The rod from the pedal, part # 3 may have came lose as well.

 

I will look at that, thanks. I think there was some kind of a noise under that area when I started it up tonight, kind of loud but it was hard to tell because the motor was starting up. The clutch was definitely different tonight when I started driving than it was yesterday, though the "fail to return all the way" has been going on with the pedal for about a week.

 

In reference to the bama150 also look at part #5, I have seen a few of them collapse. If that is the broken part remount the new one using 2 1/4"countersunk screws and lock nuts to replace the rivets that hold the old one in place. This can be done without removing the bell housing.
Kenny Nunez

 

There are two different #5's shown in the LMC pics.

#5 in upper pic = C8AZ-7522-A 1973/76 F100/350 / or / D7TZ-7522-A 1977/79 F100/350 & 1978/79 Bronco .. Clutch Release Lever Bracket, originally was riveted to bell housing, could now be bolted on.

#5 in lower pic = 97474-S .. Snap Ring, retains two nylon E-bar bushings (C1AA-7543-A) & felt washers (358979-S) to pivots.

> > #3 in lower pic: The long clutch release rod attaches to the clutch pedals bellcrank under the dash, then to the E-bar. This rod has 90 degree ends with a nylon bushing (#2 in lower pic) on each.

The bushings break apart/disintigrate, the 90 degree ends begin to crack, eventually snap off. When this occurs, the clutch pedal drops to the floor on its own...and stays there. < <

Note: LMC's applications for the (#2) bushings is WRONG for 1978 / This is correct:

1973/77 & 1978 before serial number BA0,001 = Bushings are: 3/8" I.D. / 1978 from serial number BA0,001 & 1979 = Bushings are 7/16" I.D. / Serial number: Last 6 digits of VIN

Note: LMC's applications for the (#3) rods is also WRONG The following is correct:

LMC #43-6270 / Ford: C8TZ-7521-D / 1968/76 F100/350, 1977 F100/350 before serial number O80,001 = Rod is 17 5/8" long.

LMC #43-6274 / Ford: D7TZ-7521-A / 1977 F100/350 from serial number O80,001 & 1978 F100/350 before serial number BA0,001 = Rod is 18.20" long.

Not listed in LMC catalog: D8TZ-7521-B .. Clutch Release Rod-Length not listed = 1978 F100/350 from serial number BA0,001 & 1979 F100/350 / Obsolete ~ AFAIK, not repro'd / 37 available NOS

#14 was sold by FoMoCo either as a kit including the threaded rod and its extension, or just the extension itself (which is notorious for falling off the threaded rod).

The extension itself has no internal threads, slips over the threads of the rod, is doubled nutted in place. When the clutch loses adjutment, the extension can fall off onto the road.

NOTE: 1978/79 also applies to Bronco.

 

Number Dummy, thanks MUCH for the info. Looked at the clutch pedal this morning.

This is what happened. The top of the clutch rod broke, just below the upper 90-degree turn, and has now dropped down.

 

When you said the pedal dropped to the floor, I knew exactly what happened. > < Used these red arrows to call attention.

The bushing(s) "go away" the rod end(s) crack, then snap off. Very common occurrence, affects all 1961/79 trucks.

Replace the rod and both nylon bushings, buy at least 4 additional bushings. You have to keep an eye on these bushings, or the whole process could repeat itself.

What is the last 6 digits of your 1978 trucks VIN? The LMC applications aren't worth diddly-do, because of the before/from serial numbers they have no clue about.

 

Good work Numberdummy. Thats alot of research. I only posted the LMC page to show the OP what to look for and it was a readily available schematic.

I worked at the parts counter of a Ford tractor dealer in the mid '80s pre computer era when all we had were microfish and endless sets of well thumbed parts catalogs and a daunting set of parts numbers, was really confusing sometimes. I remember many part numbers being superseded by others and some would be very superficial changes to the parts themselves ie; an addition or deletion of a grease zerk, a plastic washer in place of metal. I think the aftermarket in many instances does not deal with these issues, they merely make one or two parts that will fit several different models/years.

 

Memorized most of this jazz decades ago, had to look in the 73/79 catalog to get the before/from serial numbers.

I've never looked in a Ford tractor parts catalog, don't know diddly-do about tractors. But I do know this...as you do:

FoMoCo is infamous for replacing/updating 10's of 1000's of part numbers EVERY YEAR! A royal PITA!! Especially if one doesn't have the correct O-S-I catalogs.

Some peeps ID what parts are for/what year they fit by their part number prefixes. (sigh) But we know better, don't we.

 

That was 25 years ago and I still shudder when I think about those 10-12+ character part numbers and the supplements/updates that used to come. Seems like I would have the most common numbers committed to memory only to have them change.

 

the rod that goes from the clutch pedal to the master cylinder, where does that nut be placed at

 

What picture are you looking at? The rod from the clutch pedal attaches the equalizer bar, has one nylon bushing at either end. There is no nut associated with it.

 

Now that I've driven my truck a bit more it seems that I have to push down hard to get the clutch disengaged and the gears grind a bit when going into the non-synced first and reverse. Could that bushing be part of the problem? I was just going to crawl under the truck and adjust the the two nuts on either side of the fork on the release rod.

Can I get the bushing from Napa or such?