Clutch Linkage

[Nightmist66]

I am getting a few things bolted together in my car finally and today I decided to put the clutch linkage and z bar back in. I now have a Quick Time SFI bell for a toploader and a stock fork. I know others have mentioned fitment issues with the newer bells. I have not modified the length of the stock z bar. This is my current solution for alignment issue:




Any foreseeable issues with it? This is a piece of hardened 3/8" rod. I did not feel anything funny throughout pedal travel. seems firm and smooth.

[TomP]

It might want to fold up if the clutch is stiff. The other thing it might do is try to kick the fork off the pivot as it will be pushing downward on it...despite the bend. I'd try it like that though.

[Posi67]

I like it as long as the rod stays where it is and doesn't flip over I'm not seeing any problem. Years and years ago a friend made me a clutch rod out of tool steel that I still use but to this day I'm not happy with the Z-bar and alignment with a Lakewood. Might have to redo something similar next winter.

[6667fan]

Is that z bar a Fairlane piece? I’m assuming you removed the factory pin to install the rod. The rod seems short, is that due to the window in that bell being higher than the stock location? I can’t tell from the pic. Could you fab the same piece out of 7/16” stock?
I know you are very good at engineering stuff.
JB

[blykins]

Looks fine to me.  Worst case, you could gusset or sleeve the bend to strengthen it.

[My427stang]

The bend is working against you, but if the material can hold the pressure from the clutch, certainly no issues.

If you start losing adjustment, you'll know it wasn't strong enough

[fairlaniac]

A few years ago I ran into a problem where my z-bar was hitting my headers. It is a Crite's one piece z-bar. I laid it out on cad and wound up shortening the end of the z-bar and relocate the pin. I didn't notice any increase in pedal effort. Been fine for over 10 years.

[machoneman]

Looks fine to me.  Worst case, you could gusset or sleeve the bend to strengthen it.

As Brent noted, you do need to gusset it, sleeving would work too it one could match the contour.

I had a shifting problem with my '70 Mach 1 and thought my big feet (not that big btw) were not depressing the clutch enough. Although it was a bent clutch adjustment rod, not quite the same as yours, I was very surprised that over time, a not perfectly aligned 3/8's rod did in fact slowly bend, not allowing full cltuch release, to where I was crunching gears on the shifts.

Case in point: one can't have strong enough clutch linkage parts with our old school mechanical stuff.....even without killer pressure plate clamping numbers. 

[cjshaker]

I don't think it'll try to flip, since the pressure is working towards the bend and not away from it. Being you used hardened steel, and as long as you didn't use heat to bend it, I think it'll work fine. Hardened steel is hard to bend. Did you use a "captured" design on the fork, or just poking through it?

And yes, Jared is pretty good at designing stuff and coming up with good ideas.

Glad to see you're making real progress on the car.

[Nightmist66]

Is that z bar a Fairlane piece? I’m assuming you removed the factory pin to install the rod.

Yessir on both.

The rod seems short, is that due to the window in that bell being higher than the stock location?

Window is a little lower than a stock bell...

[Nightmist66]

A few years ago I ran into a problem where my z-bar was hitting my headers. It is a Crite's one piece z-bar. I laid it out on cad and wound up shortening the end of the z-bar and relocate the pin. I didn't notice any increase in pedal effort. Been fine for over 10 years.

Thank you for sharing. Looks like you put a little more time in yours than I did. 

[Nightmist66]

Case in point: one can't have strong enough clutch linkage parts with our old school mechanical stuff.....even without killer pressure plate clamping numbers. 

That's for sure... I have already gusseted the z bar as it was stress cracking from abuse over the years.

I don't think it'll try to flip, since the pressure is working towards the bend and not away from it. Being you used hardened steel, and as long as you didn't use heat to bend it, I think it'll work fine. Hardened steel is hard to bend. Did you use a "captured" design on the fork, or just poking through it?

And yes, Jared is pretty good at designing stuff and coming up with good ideas.

Glad to see you're making real progress on the car.

Thanks Doug! Your being way too kind. I don't think it'll flip either for the same reason. No, I didn't heat the rod, I just gave it a few tappy tap taps in the vice with the old swing press. I am using a locking flanged nut on the back side so the rod cannot pop out, if that's what you're asking... I am also using a return spring(not pictured) on the fork.

[gdaddy01]

where is the oil ? doesn't look like mine , I try to keep it clean , but it is a battle .

[bill_396]

I worried about the side load the misalignment would create so I lengthened my z-bar about 3/4". Don't know what the pedal pressure usually is with a twin disc but mine certainly requires a man size push now. Next time it's apart I might consider lengthening the z-bar on the top to counteract this.

[Towd56]

Curious what type clutch you are running and what would be your total travel of clutch fork? The reason I ask is because I am in a similar situation and my clutch (a twin disk McLeod) specifically calls for no more than .500 of total travel of t/o bearing against pressure plate.