Galaxie Clutch Adjustment Issues

[Diogenes]

I've been getting a whole lot of practice cussing of late, and while I do like to stay brushed up on my profanities, the Galaxie is starting to make me go hoarse. I'm having a problem dialing in the adjustment. I had to step away for the evening, as the frustration level is a bit too high. Here are the details:

1966 Galaxie 390, recently converted to big in/out toploader from a 66 7 Litre, McCleod long style clutch.

Problems arising when adjusting clutch to factory service manual specs. After doing so, the clutch pedal overcenter spring adjustment gap is off and the clutch pedal must be pulled up to put it against its stop. I place the pedal against it's stop, adjust the gap between the assist spring bracket and the equalizer upper lever (distance in FSM is 0.136). When I get the pedal adjustment "correct", I recheck the clutch adjustment, and it is now too tight. From this point on, it's back and forth, correct one, the other goes out of whack. What am I missing here? I have ensured the overcenter spring is in it correct "phase" according to FSM. The assist spring is a pain in the ass--wished it was like the Cougar/Mustang set up.

Can the spring be "out of phase", installed in the worng position, or?

Anyone have knowledge of this predicament?
 

[shady]

I don't know about a '66, but '64 and earlier have a small plastic insulator on the dash end of the spring hook to keep the spring from screeching when it is stretched. They get brittle and break and fall off leaving the spring a tad too short hence you have to pull the pedal back (over center) off the throw out bearing with your tow when the clutch is adjusted correctly.

[Diogenes]

The 66 doesn't have an under dash spring, just the overcenter spring and one attached to the fork. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

[BattlestarGalactic]

Can you just put a stronger spring down on the fork?  That should pull the pedal up against the stop.

I don't know anything about a factory service manual for adjusting a clutch.  I've always just done it by feel.

[Diogenes]

I've got a pretty strong spring on the fork now. With certain adjustments, the overcenter spring prevents the pedal from returning to the top, requiring me to pull upon the pedal to get the spring "overcenter".

This is the first car I've owned with an assist spring in the z-bar, so I'm using the FSM. The assist spring tends to insulate the feel of the clutch engagement, so doing by feel, like I've done in the Cougar, doesn't really work, at least for me. I don't feel the engagement in the pedal.

I forgot to mention, all new bushings in pedal and z-bar.

[AlanCasida]

What kind of pressure plate are you using? The overcenter spring setup will not work with a diaphragm pressure plate. When I put the 4 speed in my 66 Galaxie I was unable to locate the rod that went from the z-bar to the throwout fork so I made one and I made it adjustable so I could set the throwout bearing clearance down there.

[Diogenes]

The clutch is a McLeod long, three finger style. I have it adjustable at the clutch fork, and then the pedal and overcenter spring is adjusted on the link from z-bar to pedal, the OEM 66 linkage setup.

[AlanCasida]

The clutch is a McLeod long, three finger style. I have it adjustable at the clutch fork, and then the pedal and overcenter spring is adjusted on the link from z-bar to pedal, the OEM 66 linkage setup.

When I adjusted mine I used the adjustable lower rod for the throwout bearing clearance and the upper adjustment I used to take the slack out of the pedal. As in, when the z-bar is against the stop on the frame bracket I used the upper adjustment to put the pedal's rubber bumper up against the frame under the dash. I hope that makes sense.

[Diogenes]

Those are the adjustments I've been making, though shooting for the FSM specified gap to establish pedal height. When I get my clearance at the fork, the gap for the pedal is off. I adjust the pedal gap to spec, then the gap at fork is too tight. Maybe I need to disregard FSM gap and just adjust for pedal travel/height.

[AlanCasida]

Those are the adjustments I've been making, though shooting for the FSM specified gap to establish pedal height. When I get my clearance at the fork, the gap for the pedal is off. I adjust the pedal gap to spec, then the gap at fork is too tight. Maybe I need to disregard FSM gap and just adjust for pedal travel/height.

That's kind of odd. If the z-bar is all the way back, adjusting the pedal shouldn't move it so it shouldn't change anything on the lower end. I will say that I have never read how the Ford manual tells you how to adjust it, I just adjusted it in a way that made sense to me.

[Diogenes]

FSM states the gap between bracket and upper lever should be 0.136. I've had it adjusted to where everything looks good, but then the overcenter spring is "overcenter" once pedal is depressed,and then requires pulling the pedal back up to get it to return to the top. Once this is done, rechecking the clearance at the fork shows it to be way too tight. Perhaps I need to adjust as you did, and disregard the FSM, but this is my first overcenter/assist spring setup, so I thought it'd be safer to use Ford's specs.