Clutch Slip

BobbyG

Senior Member
Guys, Went for a little drive and after about 12 miles my clutch started to slip.

When in top gear if I hit the gas too quick the engine starts to race without a whole lot else happening.

1937 V8 with 37 3 spd box - can someone tell me how to adjust clutch or point me to a info source please.

I am hoping it is just an adjustment but knowing my luck it will be engine & trans out.

Thanks

Bob
 
If there's any freeplay in the pedal, I don't believe your optimistic (adjustment) idea is gonna pan-out. DD
 
Remove the cotter pin from the clutch arm ,then screw in the clevis until your pedal has play against the floor board .
 
clutch pedal should have at least 1 to 1 1/2 " free play when depressed down with your fingers
 
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My pedal sits at the point where there is zero free play when pushing it down, however if I pull the pedal up from this sitting position there is about 3" of play before it gets resistance.

I know nothing about this clutch/box system - all help appreciated

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Bobby, there should be a spring pulling the pedal up. It will rest on the underside of the floorboard. There should be free play from this position before it picks up the slack in the linkage and starts to release the clutch.

Mart.
 
Mart - no spring on mine but if there was ( and there will be just as soon as I can find one suitable) there would be about 3" of slack before the pedal starts to do anything when pushing down.

Can someone advise how to adjust it please
 
Fit a spring so the pedal comes up against the underside of the floorboard. You could fit some rubber bumpers under the floorboard so those flattened areas of the pedal arms contact the bumpers when the pedals are "up".
That threaded clevis is where you do the adjustment. Undo one end and loosen the locknut. Turn the clevis end until the correct amount of pedal free play is achieved. around 1-1/2" at the pedal pad has been quoted above. Refit the clevis pin, nip up the locknut and carry onski.
 
Mart - no spring on mine but if there was ( and there will be just as soon as I can find one suitable) there would be about 3" of slack before the pedal starts to do anything when pushing down.

Can someone advise how to adjust it please

With 3" of pedal free play, my dumb bet would be that your clutch hat (pressure plate), at the least, has some broken springs within, as I was alluding to in my first post. If so, that won't "adjust-out". DD
 
Fitted a spring - adjusted push rod - test drive seemed ok not slipping yet - Very Happy

Going to put some more miles in over the weekend.

Thanks all for your help on this very much appreciated

Bob
 
Good for you Bob.;) Funny how some guys always look for the worst case scenario before suggesting doing any troubleshooting to solve a problem.:eek:
 
Bobby G, What you might have learned is that as your clutch wears, the "free board" (The slack bit of pedal travel) becomes less and less.
When you have used up all of the free board, the thrust bearing starts loading up on the fingers of the pressure plate, just the same as if you were already pushing on the clutch pedal.
With the Ford type pressure plate the fingers have weights on them which tend to throw out (with engine revs) This has an added clamping effect on the clutch plate,but would not happen if you had run out of clearance.
By re setting the clutch free board you have now let this clamping effect happen.
You might notice the free board is different at idle than it is when you have the revs on.
You may well have completely solved your trouble.
I hope that helps to give you some understanding.
 
I can't see how reducing from 3" of free play to 1-1/2" would improve a slipping clutch?! Surely the weight of the pedal (because of the missing spring) wouldn't cause slip?
 
I can't see how reducing from 3" of free play to 1-1/2" would improve a slipping clutch?! Surely the weight of the pedal (because of the missing spring) wouldn't cause slip?

I'd be open-minded enough to have someone (maybe Vic can troubleshoot what I overlooked) explain that to me, too. Always open to learning. DD
 
Ross, V8 Coopman, Is this directed at me?
I read BobbyG's first post, and the one where he indicated it was fixed. I made the mistake of assuming he had no freeboard left. (the normal fault) I'd missed the 3" travel bit. (I read it all before but not recalled all the detail. Maybe that bolt in the bottom clevis was binding enough, that with the weight of the pedal (and no return spring ) it was enough to let the clutch slip?
I don't know, but something has changed. I was just trying to give BobbyG some understanding of how it worked.
BTW BobbyG, that shouldn't be a bolt in that clevis. It should have a clevis pin.
 
General comment, not directed at you in particular. Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't see how anything is really changed that would eliminate slipping. I wonder if water/antifreeze got on the disc, and has dried out?
 
BTW BobbyG, that shouldn't be a bolt in that clevis. It should have a clevis pin.

Good call Bluebell. You were more observant than I. I missed that one.
The pin is 5/16" X 31/32". The cotter pin 1/8" X 5/8".
Sorry I couldn't find a source.
 
General comment, not directed at you in particular. Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't see how anything is really changed that would eliminate slipping. I wonder if water/antifreeze got on the disc, and has dried out?

I can't see how reducing from 3" of free play to 1-1/2" would improve a slipping clutch?! Surely the weight of the pedal (because of the missing spring) wouldn't cause slip?

With 3" of pedal free play, my dumb bet would be that your clutch hat (pressure plate), at the least, has some broken springs within, as I was alluding to in my first post. If so, that won't "adjust-out". DD

In theory, I agree with all of you.
But this may just be one of those times, that often happens to me, when I take something apart to find out what's wrong, can't find anything wrong, put it back together and it's fixed! :confused:
Sometimes just any change will do, no matter how illogical. I just happens. ;)

Let's hope Bob is so lucky.
 
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