Does anyone know how to convert a t-18 to hydraulic clutch system. It's for a 81 F350 351M.

 

If you are are retaining your current trans, you may wish to reconsider changing to a juice clutch. What's the point?


If you must due to trans change to the ZF for example, you can scour the scrappy for an '85-86 F series with the factory hydraulic set up.

You will need the pedal set up, probably the whole thing, brakes and all. Then the master cylinder, line and slave. Here is where things get different.

On my '85, it uses a fairly conventional bell with standard throwout. A clutch fork sticks out the side of the bell, and the slave mounts on the bell/engine junction, pushing on the fork.

On ZF (and Mazda) trucks, the slave is concentric and mounted inside the bell right with the throwout.

These set ups had issues with firewall (and floor in the vans) flex. My bell/engine mount also flexs a bit. The flex soaks up motion in the system, sometimes keeping the clutch engaged enough to make shifting and especially placing into gear from neutral difficult.

So, depending on what you are doing, find a donor with the corresponding parts.

 

Well I've done this with my 1984 F-150. It was originally a C6 auto and I hated it...so...it went away. If your going to do the exterior mounted slave cylinder your going to need to find yourself a 1986-1990 F150/250 with a 4 speed, and a 300ci straight 6. When you get the junker (if you choose) your going to need all of the following-Clutch/brak pedal assembly, Clutch Master cylinder, Clutch line, Clutch slave (if its a plastic slave I HIGHLY sudgest getting the aluminum one off of summit racing) The Aluminum bell housing, clutch fork, and if your truck was auto...you may need the block-plate.

Now there is a reason they only put these on the 6's...they had the intellegent idea of using a plastic clutch line...with my 351W I managed to melt I think three plastic lines at 47$ a pop. So its an easy remedy, go down to your local parts store an get some brake line that the same size as the clutch line, get two compression fittings, tubing cutter, double flare tool, plumber's tape. You'r going to cut the plastic line three inches from where the line starts commin out of the master and slave (just in case you mess up the compression fittings). BEFORE you mate the metal line to the plastic bend it appropriatly so that it snakes around your engine compartment, around the outside of your exhasut (on a V8) and has a little slack down at where the slave will meet. Have a friend hold the line from above as you connect it to the bottom to the slave, and use a coat hanger to support it when connecting to the master. Bleeding these is the same a bleeding brakes.

With the Aluminum bells...MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL OF THE CORRECT BOLTS! TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECS!!!! ESPECIALLY MAKE SURE THAT 240 pound best of a t-18 is bolted down. If its not it WILL CRACK THE BELL! ITS HAPPENED TO ME! A new bell housing from the ford dealership is 450$

If you need any visual aide I have some pictures in my gallary of the line, if you need more in depth pictures send me a message.

 

"Now there is a reason they only put these on the 6's...they had the intellegent idea of using a plastic clutch line...with my 351W I managed to melt I think three plastic lines at 47$ a pop."


1984F-150_351HO, what caused you to melt the clutch lines? Were they just oo close to the exhaust or was there just that much heat from the fluid?? I am looking at doing the same swap behind a 351W (351W to a T-18 from a 79 F-150, aluminum bellhousing and linkage from a '87 F-150, all going into a '78 F-150).

 

youd probly need a hydra bellhousing from behind a 460 cause i dont think they ever used the hydra clutch with the 351M

 

its actually really easy to do the clutch part, i sawped my AOD to a t-18 a coupple months ago and it went really smooth, you need a bellhousing for a big block that accepts hydraulic clutches so a 460 from 84 on becuase they started useing hydraulic clutches in 84 and the pedal assembly from a 84-86 becuase the 87-91 has a different set of pedals. drill a hole in your firewall for the master cylinder mount the pedals and put the new bell housing on. my clutch works perfictly every time never had an issue out of it.

 

Sorry for the delay, I'm an over the road truck driver and I'm away for weeks at a go. The clutch line would melt from the massive heat that the V8 puts out, not because it was mounted too close. I ran the line as close to the firewall as possible but because the exhaust is on both sides rather than just the passenger side as with the straight six trucks the heat emitted from the manifolds would eventually melt the line after about two or three weeks.

I know close to nothing about the 351M motor...but as long as it uses a standard ford small block bell you can use the aluminum bell from an 86?-89? If it uses a standard ford big block bell then you can use the International diesel ford truck bell with the hydraulic ears mounted on the side for an external clutch slave. I hope this is of some help to you.

 

Thanks for the reply, that is kind of what I figured. So it sounds like your idea with the coversion ofa steel line is the best bet.