Clutch Pressure Plate

[ursus]

I am about to finally install a rebuilt pressure plate that I bought some 20 years ago from one of the vendors. Why I waited so long is another story! The plate bears a tag stating that the rebuilding facility is certified by a national automotive rebuilder organization.

In reviewing the various YouTube videos regarding the adjustment of the spring loaded fingers I noticed one made by Paul Shinn in which he is able to push down on one or more of the fingers with his thumb and does so without undue effort. The plate is unmounted, on a flat surface, and he mentions that his plate is NOS but has had little use.

On my pressure plate I cannot push down on any of the fingers despite putting all my effort into it. Paul Shinn might have Superman strength but I have to wonder what is normal for a pressure plate for a Model A. Could the plate have been reassembled with the wrong springs or with springs more appropriate for a heavy truck or tractor?

 

[1955cj5]

I don't have a Model A pressure plate handy, but I'm replacing the clutch in my 55 Willys jeep, and so there are two pp's out there in the garage that I can test. The Willys is also a four cylinder but makes about 72 hp on a good day, and it's an 8 1/2" clutch disc.

I cannot move any of the fingers by hand, and can just move the fingers in the old pp by pushing down on it with my foot...

Compare it to the old one when you get it apart....

 

[goldie]

I am now 2 years into model As and still learning, but did not use the Shinn method to adjust the pressure plate. Fingers pressures are high. I adjusted while in place on flywheel, put a square tube steel across plate housing and using a hex bolt head as a feeler gauge 5/8" and made adjustments. I did use new bolts that I modified with nylock nuts.I found that the original staked bolts were unusable.

 

[nkaminar]

I am guessing, but I think Paul just rests the pressure plate on a flat surface and it is not bolted down, and maybe does not have a clutch disk. So maybe there is a lot less effort required. The fingers should take a lot of effort to push down when the pressure plate is mounted to the flywheel.