Hi, (F100 4x4 1978 V8 Cleveland 351)
Please excuse my lack of experience in this area.
I am still having difficulty with my clutch. Instead of it being smooth it’s difficult to get it into gear.
I think I am going to have to take the bell housing off.

Which leads me to my question.
How difficult is this to do. What do I need to take off in order to get this done?
Any recommendations?

Thanks,

 

To get the bell off you need to either take out the engine, or the transmission. Hard to get into gears sounds like shift forks are worn to me. I'm no trans expert (I've never played around with the internals of one that is) so I'm not sure of the difficulty level to replace worn shift forks. It might be able to be done while still in the vehicle? Somebody with more knowledge will chime in I'm sure.

 

Thanks, I am researching it now and I may even brave the heat to get some good photos of the part to post. Itd difficult for me to describe.

 

Hi,
apparantly the fork pivot is called a Clutch Fork Trunnion Pivot Bracket, Part 7522 in diagram.
Now for me this part came out of the bell housing when I easily pulled the fork out, it was attached to the fork.
A scary thing is, is that a new Clutch Fork Trunnion Pivot Bracket comes with what looks like two rivets. I hope not. The photo using nuts and bolts give me some hope.
Any one tell me if the pivot has to be riveted on?
Although may be not, just found a photo using nuts and bolts.

Thanks for any help.

 

Hi,
found this link below. May be he found himself in the same position.
Explains the clutch pedal going from easy to hard to easy. As it must be pivoting on the bell housing its self, not the pivot as it’s supposed to.

Attaching Clutch Release Lever to Bell Housing - The FORDification.com Forums

Glad I had time to research today. Thank God for the interent.
Hope I can get to the holes in the bell housing without removing anything.

Thanks,

 

The trunnion came with rivets, but most Ford techs used bolts and nuts instead.

 

Hi NumberDummy. Can you get to them without taking everything apart?
Thanks,

 

how are your cab mounts ? if the cab mounts are shot and the body has settled your clutch alignment will be out of adjustment.

 

Hi,
Looks like my biggest fear. (Please see photo). Does anybody know the size of the rivets / bolts for the pivot bracket?
Looks like I will have to take the transmission out in order to get to the holes to mount the pivot.
I could feel the rivets with my fingers. If they come out I guess they could do harm, although they haven’t come out so far?

An option may be to make a bracket that gets secured with the two bolts holding the slave cylinder on?
If possible it would avoid a lot of work for replacement of two bolts.

Ive had better days.

Thanks,

 

What all have you done to adjust the clutch so far? If it is hard to get into gear the clutch is likely not fully releasing. Have you adjusted the rod that goes between the linkage on the engine and the shift fork itself?

 

Hi, yes, adjusted it a few times. I don’t think it is going to work without the pivot bracket securely fixed. From the last test drive it goes into gear, however the pedal has to be pushed down with a lot of force. Unpractical to drive and unsafe.
I am thinking about possible fabricating a bracket to hold the pivot bracket in place.
I am guessing the rivets cannot come out as they are too long, otherwise they would have been out by now?
Thanks,

 

Hi,
so has anyone had to move the transmission out of the way to give an inch gap. How did you go about it and how long would it take to do and put back together.

Also anyone one know what size / type nuts and bolts needed.
So as I can get them otdered before I tackle the job.

Thanks,